Fake Check Job Scams and the Equipment Trap
Learn why a deposited check can appear legitimate before being reversed and how fake employers use equipment purchases to steal real money.
Practical safety resources
Latest guides
Each guide explains how a scam works, the warning signs to recognize, and the steps to take if you have already responded.
Telegram and WhatsApp Job Scams
Recognize fake recruiter conversations and task scams that eventually require money, cryptocurrency, or personal information.
How to Verify a Recruiter Is Legitimate
Use 10 practical checks to confirm the recruiter, company email, website, job posting, and hiring process before responding.
Remote Job Scam Warning Signs
Learn 12 warning signs of fake remote jobs, including text-only interviews, equipment checks, task scams, payment requests, and identity theft attempts.
Task Scams and Fake Optimization Jobs
Learn how product boosting, rating tasks, fake commissions, negative balances, and cryptocurrency deposits are used to steal money.
Free OfferSentry tools
Check before you respond
Use our browser-based tools as a first screening step, then verify the employer independently.
Job-offer message checker
Paste a recruiter message or job offer to review it for common scam patterns. The text stays inside your browser.
Check the messageRecruiter and domain checker
Compare the recruiter’s email, company website, and job-posting URL for mismatches and lookalike-domain warning signs.
Compare the domainsThree rules that stop many job scams
Verify independently
Find the company’s official website yourself and confirm both the position and recruiter through a separate contact method.
Never pay to get paid
Do not send money, deposit checks for equipment, buy gift cards, or purchase cryptocurrency to receive a job or earnings.
Protect sensitive information
Do not provide banking details, passwords, verification codes, or a Social Security number to an unverified recruiter.
Think you encountered a job scam?
Save the messages, email addresses, telephone numbers, links, offer letters, and payment instructions before blocking the sender.