Did you get a job offer that sounds too good to be true? If so, it's probably an attempt by a scammer to rip you off. 

Incidences of job scams skyrocketed 118% in 2023 compared with a year earlier, according to a new report from the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC). And they're looking more real than ever, thanks to artificial intelligence which has allowed criminals to create job postings that appear more legitimate, and target greater numbers of victims, according to Eva Velasquez President and CEO of ITRC. 

"They are putting together information to make postings look much more sophisticated," Velasquez told CBS MoneyWatch. 

Velasquez described two common types of job scams to look out for. In one, scammers post fake job openings on platforms like LinkedIn, using the names of real companies and hiring managers, which they cribbed from legitimate websites. The second type involves a criminal posing as a recruiter reaching out directly to victims. 

"We have an opening you'd be great for"

"They'll either insert the name of a real company or one nobody has heard of and say something along the lines of, 'We see you're interested in these types of jobs and we have an opening you'd be great for,'" Velasquez said. The scammer's end goal is to obtain your personal information by encouraging you to submit an application. 

Scammers will ask for information that isn't typically required in a job application, like your bank account number.

"They will continue to ask for more and more personal information until the victim stops and says, 'Why are you asking me for that?'" Velasquez said.

It can be hard to resist an unsolicited job offer, especially one that promises a hefty salary. It can also be difficult to distinguish between genuine and phony opportunities, Velasquez acknowledged. But there are precautionary measures you can take to protect yourself.

For one, if you didn't initiate contact, don't engage with the alleged recruiter without first doing some research about the opportunity. Research the company's name, and check their job openings to see if there's a match. Verify the name of the company with a third-party accreditation site or even Yelp, Velasquez said. 

Another tip-off is if a recruiter is reaching out to you for a job at a small company. Small businesses don't typically have budgets for recruiters, and so a headhunter would not likely be contacting you on their behalf. 

Yet another hallmark of job scams is the promise of making big bucks while working remotely. Velasquez warns people to be alert to the fact that if a job offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. 

"When you get a job offer saying they'll pay you $1,200 a day to stuff envelopes, that's not realistic. No company is going to do that," she said. "That's not a task that requires that level of compensation, but it does capitalize on our emotions." 

Megan Cerullo

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

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