Job-seeking servicemembers: Avoid scams while you search

Discharged from the military, retiring, or transitioning to civilian life? Once you leave active duty, you might be interested in new career opportunities to put your valuable skills and experience to work. Scammers are also looking for opportunities — specifically, to steal your money. Reports to the FTC about job scams have tripled from 2020 to 2024 and reported losses jumped from $90 million to $501 million in that time. Here are some ways to help you spot a scam while you’re job searching.

Reports to the FTC say scammers flock to the places where job seekers look: online ads, job sites, and social media. But sometimes they try to contact you directly. You might get an unexpected text or message on WhatsApp from someone who says they’re a recruiter for a company. The message might even look like it’s coming from a company you know. If it asks you to click a link or enter personal or financial information, that’s probably a scam.

To avoid job scams:

• Start your job search with trusted sources. Try visiting sites like fedshirevets.gov and your state’s job bank at Career OneStop.
• Do some research. Search online for the name of the company and words like “review,” “scam,” or “complaint.” If you can’t find the company online, steer clear.
• Slow down and talk to someone you trust. Scammers try to pressure you to act quickly so you don’t have time to think. Slow down and see what your friends and family have to say about the job ad.
• Never pay anyone to get a job. Anyone who asks you to pay to get a job is a scammer. 

Learn more about spotting and avoiding job scams at ftc.gov/jobscams and report them to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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