Most job scams share one flaw. A real employer pays you. It never charges you first. That single test catches most fake gigs. Six patterns break the rule: pay-to-start kits, fake checks, task deposits, reshipping, recruiting texts, and fake shopper ads. Here is the test, then the six patterns.
The one test
The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, is a U.S. government agency. It fights scams and unfair business practices. It has one test for any job or gig offer.
“Honest employers, including the federal government, will never ask you to pay” to get a job. The FTC says that about job offers in general. It says the same about shopper jobs: “Honest companies pay you, not charge you, to work for them”.
So if an offer asks for money before you earn any, stop. Use this test on every offer, not just the ones that feel odd.
Pay to start
Some scams do not ask for cash directly. They sell you something first.
The FTC names three common props: starter kits, so-called training, and fake certifications. You pay for one. The kit is not the job. The job never comes. This pattern can show up in many kinds of job ads.
Real work does not open with a bill. We have a page on typing audio for Rev. It walks through what that work asks of you.
The fake check
A check “clears” when the bank confirms it is real. That is different from the money landing in your account. It can take a few days to know for sure.
A fake check scam plays on that gap. “By law, banks have to make deposited funds available quickly”. That fast release feels like proof the check is good. It is not proof at all.
The check can still bounce days later. By then, you may have already spent or sent back some of the money.
The FTC gives the tell in one line. “No honest potential employer will ever send you a check to deposit” and then ask for part of it back.
Scams like this sometimes ask for that money back as a gift card. A gift card is a card loaded with money for one store. Once you hand over the code, that money is gone.
Task scams
Cryptocurrency is digital money. It moves from person to person online, with no bank involved.
Task scams start easy. You complete small online tasks for pay. At first it works. The FTC says these apps often pay a little at first. Usually $5 to $20. That builds trust.
The scam counts on hope. You already earned a little, so more feels believable. Then the pattern changes. “The scammer tells you to deposit your own money, usually in crypto”. That deposit is supposed to unlock bigger pay. It never does.
Money should move toward you, not away. We have a page on paid studies on Prolific. It covers how that work is set up.
Reshipping
Reshipping means taking packages that arrive at your home and mailing them somewhere else. Some job ads describe this as paid work.
The FTC is blunt about it. “Reshipping goods is never a real job”.
If you are selling your own things, that is different work. We have a page on selling on Mercari. It covers how selling your own items works. Never mail packages for a stranger on their instructions.
The text that just wants a reply
A newer scam skips the fake job ad. It starts with a text message. In April 2026, the FTC warned about it.
The FTC says “they’ll ask you to reply with ‘YES’ or ‘INTERESTED.’” No link. No form. Just a reply.
That reply tells a stranger your number is active. Do not answer job texts from numbers you do not know.
Mystery shopping tells
Mystery shopping is real work. Some ads for it are not. The FTC gives two tells.
First, lists of shopping jobs are free. “Don’t pay for a list of mystery shopping jobs”.
Second, watch for a fake link to the trade group. “MSPA doesn’t hire or advertise for mystery shoppers”. MSPA is the mystery shopping industry’s own group. A trade group represents companies in one industry, not job seekers. It does not post jobs itself.
We have a page on mystery shopping done for real. It walks through how the real version works.
What the numbers look like
These scams add up. The FTC tracks job scam losses over time. Reported losses rose from $90 million in 2020 to $501 million in 2024. Task scams alone drew about 20,000 reports in the first half of 2024.
What a real gig looks like
A real gig follows a plain pattern. It pays you. It does not charge you. It never asks you to reship packages for a stranger. It never asks for a deposit in cryptocurrency to unlock your pay.
One more marker is worth knowing. Not all real work starts with an ad or an app. We have a page on working the polls on Election Day. It covers who runs that work and how you sign up.
Where to report it
If you spot one of these patterns, report it. The FTC’s advice is simple.
It says to “report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov”. It takes just a few minutes.
The one test still holds. A real gig pays you. It never asks you to pay first.