How the checker decides
Some answers are serious on their own: paying to get a job, being sent a check to spend, reshipping parcels, or depositing money to unlock “tasks”. Any one of those means the job is almost certainly a scam, whatever else looks right. Other answers are warning signs that matter more in combination, such as a personal email address, an offer with no interview or pay that is too good for the work. We add those up into low, some or high risk.
A “no major warning signs” result is not a guarantee. Scammers copy real company names, logos and job titles. The safest check is always the same: find the job yourself on the employer’s own careers site, and contact the company through details you found independently, not ones the recruiter gave you. Our employer checker shows the official careers site for every company we track and checks a recruiter’s email domain.
Common US job scams
- Fake checks: you are “hired”, sent a check for equipment, told to buy it from their supplier, and the check bounces days later.
- Task or “gig” scams: you earn small amounts for rating products or videos, then have to deposit money to keep going or withdraw.
- Reshipping and payment processing: you receive parcels or money and pass them on. You are being used to move stolen goods or funds.
- Identity theft: a fake onboarding form asks for your Social Security number, bank details and ID photos before any real offer.
Read more in our guide to spotting fake job offers.
Sources
Figures last checked against these sources on November 4, 2026. This tool gives an estimate for planning, not tax, legal or financial advice.