A recruiter texts you a job offer you never applied for

The problem

You get a text, an email or a message on a job site from someone who says they are a recruiter. They offer a job you did not apply for, often working from home, with good pay and flexible hours. To proceed, they ask you to reply, to buy equipment, to pay for training or to deposit a check.

For anyone looking for work, or for extra income in retirement, the offer is attractive. That is what the scam relies on.

How it can happen

The FTC says scammers post fake job ads on job sites, social media and elsewhere to get your money and personal information. Common types include work-from-home jobs, nanny or caregiver roles, virtual assistants, mystery shopping, fake placement services and fake federal or postal jobs.

An April 2026 alert warns about fake recruiters who text about remote jobs and ask people to reply "YES" or "INTERESTED". The FTC says real employers will not contact you that way.

The fake check scam is a well known version. You receive a check, often from a "new employer", and are told to deposit it and send back part of the money, or to buy gift cards. The check bounces, the bank can require you to repay the full amount, and the scammer keeps the real money you sent.

Another version is a reshipping job, where you receive packages, repackage them and send them on.

How to avoid it

1. Do not pay to get a job. The FTC states that honest employers, including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to get a job. That covers fees for starter kits, training or certification.
2. Never bank on a check that requires you to send money back.
3. Ignore unexpected recruiter texts. Do not reply, even to say no. The FTC advises not responding to texts from unknown numbers, and it notes that scammers use phony job offers and "wrong number" texts to get people to reply.
4. Check the company independently. Contact it using a phone number you know is real, or its official website, not the details from the recruiter.
5. Search the name of the company or the person with words such as scam, review or complaint.
6. Protect personal information. Do not give bank or Social Security details before you have done research. A common tactic is asking for them before answering your questions.
7. Use official sources for government work. The FTC points to USAJobs.gov for federal jobs, and says never to pay a fee to get one.
8. Talk it over with someone you trust.

If you paid, contact the company you used to send the money and ask for a reversal, and follow the payment steps in how to report a scam in the US. Report the offer at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to your state attorney general, and if you gave personal information, go to IdentityTheft.gov.

Some job texts are the first step in a longer chat that moves to investing. See the crypto advisor scam for that route.

Things to watch

• An offer from a recruiter you never contacted.
• High pay for little work.
• A request for money for equipment, training or a background check.
• A check with instructions to send some back.
• Packages to receive and forward.
• A phone number that does not work, or a website that disappears after you are hired.
• A request to move the conversation to another app.

A real employer is happy to be checked, and the way to check is through its own website.