A fake job posting checklist gives you a fast set of questions to run before you hand over your resume, your phone number, or anything else, because a convincing posting can be written by someone who has no job to offer and every reason to want your information.
Job seekers can be targets. When you’re sending out many applications and hoping for good news, a message that says “we loved your resume” can feel like a welcome break. The FTC’s warnings below describe habits you can learn to spot.
This guide pulls together warning signs from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and adds practical checks that are common sense rather than official rules. It covers how to verify a posting, how a chatbot can help you sort red flags without declaring anything a scam, and what to do if you’ve already shared something. The posting and messages in the examples are invented. This is general information, not legal advice.
Contents
What the FTC Says to Watch For
The FTC’s consumer advice on job scams highlights several warning signs:
- Big money for little work. The FTC says that if someone offers you a job and claims you can make a lot of money in a short time with little work, that’s almost certainly a scam.
- Paying to get hired. According to the FTC, honest employers, including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to get a job.
- Deposit-and-send-back checks. The FTC says no honest potential employer will ever send you a check to deposit and then tell you to send on part of the money.
The FTC also suggests researching the employer by searching its name along with words like “scam,” “review,” or “complaint,” talking the offer over with someone you trust, using legitimate job sources such as USAJobs.gov or CareerOneStop, and reporting suspected scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to your state attorney general.
Those are the official anchors. Everything else below is practical advice built around them.
Three Ways People Check a Posting
- Trust the look: Easy to fake.
- Google the company: Better, but partial.
- Run a checklist: Most reliable.
Professional logos and polished wording are easy to copy. A checklist works better because it looks at behavior and details, which are harder to fake.
The Nine-Question Checklist
Ask each question, and note any “no” or “unsure.”
- Is the job on the company’s own site?
- Does the sender’s email match the company’s website?
- Can I find the company online with real history?
- Are the duties and pay clearly described?
- Is the interview by a normal channel?
- Am I asked to pay anything?
- Am I asked to deposit a check?
- Are they asking for IDs or bank details early?
- Is there pressure to decide fast?
Questions 6 and 7 come straight from the FTC’s warnings. The others are general habits that experienced job seekers use. A single “no” doesn’t prove a scam, but two or three should make you stop.
Checks You Can Run Right Now
Find the job at the source. Go to the company’s own website, not through the message, and look on its careers page. If the posting doesn’t appear there, ask the company through contact details you found yourself.
Compare the email address. If the company’s site ends in one name and the sender’s address ends in a free webmail service or an oddly similar name, ask why.
Search the company with warning words. The FTC suggests combining the company name with “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.” Read more than the first result.
Look at the interview process. Be cautious if everything happens by text or a chat app, and you never speak to a person or see an official channel.
Slow down the money talk. Real employers don’t need your bank details before you’ve accepted an offer and completed their normal paperwork. If a request for sensitive information comes early, pause and verify through an official channel.
Ask someone. The FTC suggests describing the offer to someone you trust. In my view, a second opinion can catch what excitement hides.
Let a Chatbot Sort the Red Flags
A chatbot can compare a posting and messages against the checklist, as long as it can’t pronounce a verdict. Don’t paste personal details, such as your address or ID numbers. Use this prompt:
I'm checking a job posting and the messages I received against a checklist. Below is the text, copied exactly, with my personal details removed.
[paste the posting and messages]
For each checklist item, write FLAG, NO FLAG, or CAN'T TELL, and quote the line that led to your answer.
1. Does the text ask me to pay for anything (training, equipment, software, fees)?
2. Does it mention sending me a check or money and asking me to send part back?
3. Does it promise high pay for little work or little experience?
4. Does it ask for ID numbers, bank details, or other sensitive information?
5. Does it push me to decide quickly?
6. Are the duties, pay, and employer clearly described?
7. Does the sender's email address appear, and does it match the company name I was given?
Rules:
- Use only the pasted text.
- Do not say whether this is a scam or a real job.
- If something can't be told from the text, write CAN'T TELL and say what I should check myself.The “do not say it’s a scam” rule is important. A chatbot can’t verify an employer, and a false “looks fine” is worse than no answer.
A Worked Example With an Invented Message
Imagine this invented message: “Congratulations! You’ve been selected for a remote assistant role paying $45 an hour, with no experience needed. We’ll mail you a check for equipment. Deposit it, keep your first pay, and send the rest to our vendor to buy your software. Reply within 24 hours.”
The chatbot’s output:
| Item | Result |
|---|---|
| Asks for payment | FLAG (sending money to a vendor) |
| Check and send back | FLAG |
| High pay, little work | FLAG |
| Sensitive info | CAN’T TELL |
| Pressure | FLAG (24 hours) |
| Clear duties and employer | FLAG (neither stated) |
Four flags, including the check-and-send-back pattern the FTC specifically warns about. The right move is to stop, not deposit anything, and not reply with personal information. All names, amounts, and details here are invented.
If You’ve Already Shared Something
If you’ve sent money or information, act quickly. These are general steps, not official instructions; the FTC page linked below has the current guidance.
- Stop communicating with the sender, and keep copies of the messages.
- Contact your bank or card company right away if you sent money or shared account details, and ask what protections apply.
- Change passwords for any account whose details you shared.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, as the FTC advises, or to your state attorney general.
Being fooled isn’t a personal failing. These schemes are built by people who do this repeatedly.
The FTC’s Steps by Payment Method
The FTC: What To Do if You Were Scammed page matches the recovery steps to how you paid. For a credit or debit card, call the number on the card or use the issuer’s website and ask for a refund, since federal law protects against unauthorized use. For Zelle or a bank transfer, notify your bank right away and ask it to reverse the payment. For a payment app such as Venmo, Cash App or PayPal, report the payment to the app and request a reversal. For a wire transfer, report it to the company, explain you were tricked and request a refund. For a gift card, contact the issuer using the number on the card and keep the card and receipt. For cash sent by U.S. mail, contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 immediately. If you gave your Social Security number, report it at IdentityTheft.gov and follow the recovery plan; if you aren’t sure, go to IdentityTheft.gov/databreach. If you gave an account login and can still sign in, create a new strong password, change it anywhere you reused it, and turn on two-factor authentication. If a scammer had access to your computer or phone, update your security software, run a scan, then change your passwords and turn on two-factor authentication.
Build a Safe Routine Before You Need It
A few habits make scams less likely to work:
- Apply through the company’s own careers page when you can.
- Use one email address for job applications, kept separate from banking and other sensitive accounts.
- Share sensitive details only with a verified employer, at a late stage.
- Keep a short log of where you applied, so unexpected “follow-ups” stand out. Our guide to a resume plain text test helps you prepare a clean application the right way.
Words and Patterns That Deserve a Second Look
Beyond the FTC’s three main warnings, here are other patterns I would watch for (my own list, not FTC findings). None of these proves anything alone.
A posting that never names the company, or names one you can’t find anywhere else, deserves a second look. So does an offer that arrives before you’ve applied for anything, or a message that praises your resume when you don’t remember applying. Be careful when the work is described only in general terms, such as “process orders” or “assist the team,” with no details about who you’d report to. And take note if the conversation moves quickly to a different platform and the person won’t talk by phone or video.
Write down what you notice. A short note like “no company name, interview by text only, asked for bank details” makes the pattern clear, even if each piece felt small at the time. A fake job posting checklist helps because it turns hunches into a written list.
Protect Yourself Before You Even Apply
Preparation is the strongest defense. Decide in advance what you’ll share and when. Your resume doesn’t need your full home address, ID numbers, or date of birth. A city and a phone number or email are usually enough at the application stage. Save sensitive details for a verified employer and a late stage, such as completing official hiring paperwork through a channel you’ve confirmed. When in doubt, call the company using a number you found on its own website, and ask whether the opening and the person contacting you are real.
Mistakes That Make Scams Easier
- Responding to urgency. Pressure is a tactic.
- Trusting a logo. Anyone can copy one.
- Skipping the company’s own site. Go there directly.
- Sharing ID or bank details early. Wait for a verified offer.
- Depositing a check “to be safe.” The FTC says honest employers won’t ask you to send part of it back.
- Letting a chatbot clear the posting. Use it to flag, not to approve.
Questions About Fake Job Posting Checklist
What is a fake job posting checklist? It’s a short list of questions about a posting’s source, email, payment requests, and pressure that helps you spot scam signs before applying.
What does the FTC say about paying for a job? The FTC says honest employers will never ask you to pay to get a job.
Is a check from a new employer safe to deposit? The FTC says no honest employer will send a check and tell you to send part of the money on.
Can AI tell me if a job is a scam? No. It can flag lines that match warning signs, and the employer’s own careers page and contact details are where the real answer comes from.
Where do I report a job scam? The FTC points to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general.
What if I’ve already given out my information? Stop contact, call your bank or card company if money or account details were involved, change passwords, and report it.
Run the Checklist on Your Newest Lead
Take the most recent posting or message you’ve received, remove your personal details, and walk through the nine questions. A fake job posting checklist is short, and it’s much easier than fixing the damage after a scammer has your information.
This article offers general information, not legal advice. Scam tactics change over time. The example message, amounts, and results are fictional. If you’ve lost money or shared sensitive information, contact your bank and the appropriate authorities.
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