$750.6M
Business and job opportunity losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported $750.6 million lost to business and job opportunity scams in 2024.
LinkedIn fake job posting scam
Fraudulent job listings on LinkedIn collect applicant data or trick candidates into paying for equipment, certifications, or background checks that never materialize into real employment.
“fake job scam”
↑ 253%Key indicators
Usually targetsJob seekers
Often hitsFreelancers and contractors
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$2.4K
median reported loss
Typical range$120 – $12K
Recovery rate~12%
Annual reports105,000
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers create fake company pages or impersonate real companies, then post attractive remote positions with competitive salaries.
2
Applicants are asked to fill out detailed forms with personal data including address, date of birth, and sometimes banking information for 'direct deposit setup.'
3
Candidates may receive a fake offer letter and then be asked to purchase equipment or pay for certifications through specific vendors controlled by the scammer.
What to do first
Research the company independently — check their official website and look for the job listing there.
Related terms
fake LinkedIn job listingbogus job postLinkedIn employment scamEmployment fraudLinkedInSurgingJob seekersRecent graduatesCareer changersFreelancers and contractorsSmall business ownersPayroll, HR, and finance teamsUnited StatesCanadaUnited Kingdomfake LinkedIn job listingbogus job post
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Carlos, 29, a job seekers, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate employment fraud situation while using LinkedIn. Scammers create fake company pages or impersonate real companies, then post attractive remote positions with competitive salaries.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: Applicants are asked to fill out detailed forms with personal data including address, date of birth, and sometimes banking information for 'direct deposit setup.'
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: Candidates may receive a fake offer letter and then be asked to purchase equipment or pay for certifications through specific vendors controlled by the scammer.
The outcome
Carlos realized something was wrong when job listing requires upfront payment for training, equipment, or background checks. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Research the company independently — check their official website and look for the job listing there. Carlos's experience shows why job listing requires upfront payment for training, equipment, or background checks and hiring process skips formal interviews and offers the job almost immediately are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Job listing requires upfront payment for training, equipment, or background checks
- Hiring process skips formal interviews and offers the job almost immediately
- Company profile on LinkedIn has very few followers and no verifiable web presence
- Treat any offer that arrives before a real interview or skills check as suspicious until you verify it independently.
- Real employers do not ask you to pay for equipment, training, certifications, or software to start the job.
- Verify the recruiter using the employer's official careers page or main switchboard, not the phone number in the offer email.
What to do now
- ✓Research the company independently — check their official website and look for the job listing there.
- ✓Never pay money to get a job — legitimate employers do not charge candidates for equipment or background checks.
- ✓Report suspicious listings to LinkedIn and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Keep the job posting URL, recruiter profile, offer letter, invoice, and any requested payment details.
- ✓Save the sender email, domain, chat handle, and any files or forms that were sent to you.
- ✓If you sent identity documents, save a record of exactly what was shared and when.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
$501M
Reported job-scam losses in 2024
FTC says reported losses to job and employment agency scams grew from $90 million in 2020 to $501 million in 2024.
130,075
Business and job opportunity reports in 2024
FTC's Consumer Sentinel Data Book lists 130,075 reports in the business and job opportunities category for 2024.
History and evolution
- Job scams have followed labor-market shifts from classifieds to job boards, LinkedIn outreach, and remote-work recruiting funnels.
- The pressure point has stayed the same: the victim is asked to trust a fast-moving opportunity before the employer is independently verified.
- The BBB reported that employment scams were among the riskiest scam types in 2023, with a median loss of 1,995 USD per victim.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓If identity documents, tax details, or account credentials were exposed, start identity-theft recovery and review credit or account activity immediately.
- ✓Research the company independently — check their official website and look for the job listing there.
- ✓Never pay money to get a job — legitimate employers do not charge candidates for equipment or background checks.
Why this pattern keeps working
Modern job scams borrow the look of legitimate recruiting, then compress the process so the money ask appears before the target has time to verify anything.
Remote work and chat-based recruiting make it easier for scammers to impersonate real companies while avoiding a normal hiring flow.
The BBB reported that employment scams were among the riskiest scam types in 2023, with a median loss of 1,995 USD per victim.
BBB Scam Tracker 2025
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Job seekers, Recent graduates, Career changers
Geographic concentration
United States, Canada, United Kingdom, India
Primary channel
LinkedIn — Employment fraud
Why this group is vulnerable
Job seekers are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The rapid increase in reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- The BBB reported that employment scams were among the riskiest scam types in 2023, with a median loss of 1,995 USD per victim.
Source notes
- BBB Scam Tracker 2025
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about linkedin fake job posting scam
How does the linkedin fake job posting scam work?+
Scammers create fake company pages or impersonate real companies, then post attractive remote positions with competitive salaries. Applicants are asked to fill out detailed forms with personal data including address, date of birth, and sometimes banking information for 'direct deposit setup.' Candidates may receive a fake offer letter and then be asked to purchase equipment or pay for certifications through specific vendors controlled by the scammer.
What are the warning signs of linkedin fake job posting scam?+
Job listing requires upfront payment for training, equipment, or background checks Hiring process skips formal interviews and offers the job almost immediately Company profile on LinkedIn has very few followers and no verifiable web presence
What should I do if I encounter linkedin fake job posting scam?+
Research the company independently — check their official website and look for the job listing there. Never pay money to get a job — legitimate employers do not charge candidates for equipment or background checks. Report suspicious listings to LinkedIn and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Who is most at risk for linkedin fake job posting scam?+
This scam primarily targets Job seekers, Recent graduates, Career changers. It is most commonly reported in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, India and typically appears on LinkedIn.
Is linkedin fake job posting scam getting worse?+
LinkedIn fake job posting scam is currently surging — reports are increasing rapidly. It has been reported across US, CA, UK, IN. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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What to do first
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What to do first
Do not deposit employer cheques tied to urgent vendor payments.
Targets
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Seen in
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.
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