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Legit or scam? Check a job offer for warning signs

Answer yes or no about the offer in front of you. You’ll see which warning signs official fraud bodies list, and what to do next.

Your answers stay in this browser: nothing is sent or stored. Sources last checked 25 Oct 2026.

  1. Have they asked you to pay anything to start, such as training, equipment, a background check or an activation fee?

    Why it matters: The FTC says honest employers will never ask you to pay to get a job. The BBB and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre also list upfront costs as a warning sign. Sources: FTC, BBB, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · read 25 Oct 2026

  2. Have they sent you a cheque (check) or money and asked you to send part of it on, or to buy gift cards?

    Why it matters: The FTC says no honest employer sends a cheque to deposit, then asks for money back or gift cards. The BBB warns about fake cheques. Sources: FTC, BBB · read 25 Oct 2026

  3. Have they asked you to receive money into your bank account and pass it on to someone else?

    Why it matters: The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre lists moving money through your own bank account as a warning sign. Source: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · read 25 Oct 2026

  4. Does the pay sound very high for very little work or very simple tasks?

    Why it matters: The FTC says a lot of money, fast, for little work is almost certainly a scam. The BBB and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre agree. Sources: FTC, BBB, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · read 25 Oct 2026

  5. Did the offer reach you without you applying for it?

    Why it matters: The BBB and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre both list unprompted job offers as a warning sign. Sources: BBB, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · read 25 Oct 2026

  6. Is the recruiter writing from a free web-mail address instead of the company's own email domain?

    Why it matters: The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre lists web-based email instead of an official business domain as a warning sign. Source: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · read 25 Oct 2026

  7. Are they pushing you to accept the job straight away?

    Why it matters: The BBB lists high-pressure offers to take the job immediately as a warning sign. Source: BBB · read 25 Oct 2026

  8. Were you asked to download a messaging app for an interview by text, or did the person interviewing you refuse to turn on their camera?

    Why it matters: The BBB warns about interviews by text in a messaging app you had to download. It also lists interviewers who keep the camera off. Sources: BBB (BBB Scam Alert: How to spot a job scam, no matter how sophisticated), BBB (Employment scams 2026 update) · read 25 Oct 2026

  9. Were you offered the job without any formal interview?

    Why it matters: The BBB says an offer made without a formal interview, with excellent pay and benefits, is likely a scam. Source: BBB · read 25 Oct 2026

  10. Are you paid to like, follow, rate or boost videos, apps or products?

    Why it matters: The BBB lists pay to like, follow or rate videos and apps as a warning sign. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre lists simple tasks for fast money. Sources: BBB, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · read 25 Oct 2026

  11. Can you see earnings on a site or app that you can't withdraw unless you pay a fee or a tax first?

    Why it matters: The BBB lists fees or taxes to withdraw money already earned. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre lists a balance you see but can't withdraw. Sources: BBB, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · read 25 Oct 2026

  12. Have they asked you to download software or an app that they chose?

    Why it matters: The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre lists being asked to download software as a warning sign. It advises against unknown software or apps. Source: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · read 25 Oct 2026

  13. Have they asked for ID documents, bank details or a tax number before you could check who they are?

    Why it matters: The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says not to share personal information or ID with unverified contacts. The BBB warns about early forms asking for bank details. Sources: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, BBB · read 25 Oct 2026

  14. Is the role missing from the company's own website, or could the company not confirm it on its official phone number?

    Why it matters: The BBB and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre both say to confirm the role through the company's official website and phone number. Sources: BBB, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · read 25 Oct 2026

You have answered 0 of 14. Your answers stay in this browser.

What to do next

  1. Find the company's website yourself, not through a link in the message, and look for the role on its careers page. Sources: BBB, Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · read 25 Oct 2026
  2. Compare the sender's email domain with the domain of the company's website. Source: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre · read 25 Oct 2026
  3. Call the company on the phone number from its official website and ask whether the role and the recruiter are real. Sources: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, BBB · read 25 Oct 2026
  4. Take your time. Don't pay, send ID or install anything until you have checked. Sources: Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, FTC · read 25 Oct 2026

If you already sent ID or money

Act today. Use contact details you find yourself, never the ones in the message.

United States

United Kingdom

Canada

Somewhere else

  • Contact your bank or payment provider at once, then your national police or consumer protection body.

The checklist

The same questions on one list, to keep next to a message or print. Each “yes” is a warning sign that the named official body lists.

To print it, use your browser’s Print command: the page prints as this checklist, the steps and the sources.

How we checked this

This checklist can't tell you whether an offer or a company is genuine. It shows the warning signs that official bodies list. It never judges a named company. Your answers stay in this browser: nothing is sent or stored.

We read these pages again every three months and update the dates.