The FBI and LinkedIn have joined forces in a new public education campaign designed to help job seekers spot and avoid increasingly sophisticated employment scams before falling victim to fraud. Employment fraud occurs when scammers deceive individuals into believing they are being considered for or have successfully secured a real job.

Warning Signs of Employment Scams

The FBI outlines specific warning signs for each category of employment fraud, including forced labor and trafficking, money mule schemes, and identity theft schemes. For example, if a recruiter attempts to move the conversation off LinkedIn’s messaging service, it may be a sign of a fraudulent offer.

According to the FBI’s Financial Crimes Section, these operations generally target victims for three primary purposes: money laundering, identity theft, or forced labor. The financial impact of these crimes is substantial, with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) receiving 24,688 reports of employment scams in 2025, resulting in nearly $363 million in reported losses.

How to Stay Safe

Individuals who suspect they have interacted with or fallen victim to a hiring scam should notify their financial institution immediately and submit a comprehensive report to the FBI at ic3.gov. The collaborative initiative focuses on balanced awareness, aiming to equip job seekers with the tools to recognize an attempted employment scam before they become part of it.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.