# Real Job Check

> Real Job Check tells job seekers whether a job posting is real or a scam. Paste a posting, a link, or a recruiter message and get an evidence-cited verdict in seconds, plus the next step: apply safely if it looks legitimate, or report it if it looks like a scam. Free to try, no signup. Tagline: Verify before you apply. Operated by Aliso LLC.

## What it does
- Checks a posting for scam patterns: upfront fees, crypto or gift-card payment, reshipping, money-mule roles, requests for sensitive data before an interview, pushes to Telegram or WhatsApp, and unrealistic pay.
- Verifies against live sources: domain age, the company's real careers board (Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, Workday), and structured job data.
- Returns a risk level (Likely legit, Caution, or High risk) with cited evidence the user can check, plus a safe-apply checklist or a one-click reporting kit.
- When a posting looks real, it surfaces the company's own official apply link instead of the third-party message.

## Guides
- [How to spot a job scam: the complete guide](https://realjobcheck.com/learn/how-to-spot-a-job-scam/): The full field guide. Every red flag, the scam types behind them, the sixty-second self-check, and how to apply safely or report a fake. Links to every answer and definition.
- [Learn hub](https://realjobcheck.com/learn/)

## Answers (direct, sourced, one question each)
- [Is this job offer a scam? How to tell](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-job-offer-a-scam/): The eight signals that separate a real offer from a lure, and the sixty-second self-check that sorts most of them.
- [Is there a free job scam checker?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-there-a-free-job-scam-checker/): Yes - what a trustworthy one should do, where it helps most, and the checks you should still run yourself.
- [Is a free job scam checker safe to use?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-a-free-job-scam-checker-safe-to-use/): It is, if it does not store or sell what you paste. What to confirm first, and what to strip out before you paste a message.
- [Should I give my bank account or SSN for a job?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/job-asking-for-bank-account-or-ssn/): When a real employer needs each one, and why being asked before a signed offer is the loudest red flag there is.
- [A job wants to pay me before I start - is that a scam?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/job-paying-before-you-start-work/): The fake-check and overpayment scam, how it drains your account weeks later, and the one rule that defeats it.
- [A recruiter messaged me on WhatsApp or Telegram - is it real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/recruiter-messaged-me-on-whatsapp-or-telegram/): Why moving you off-platform fast is a scam pattern, and how to confirm a recruiter is who they say they are.
- [Do I have to pay for training or equipment for a job?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/job-asking-to-pay-for-training-or-equipment/): The advance-fee scam in plain terms. A real employer never asks you to pay to get hired. Ever.
- [I got a job offer without an interview - is it real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/job-offer-without-an-interview/): What an instant offer usually means, the rare cases where it is legitimate, and how to tell which one you have.
- [Is this remote "task" or data-entry job a scam?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-remote-task-or-data-entry-job-a-scam/): The fastest-growing job scam of 2024 by report volume. How the task and "gamified" trap works, step by step.
- [I already gave a scammer my information or money - what now?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/i-already-gave-a-scammer-my-information/): A calm, ordered checklist: what to lock down first, who to call, and where to report it today.
- [A job asked me to buy gift cards - is it a scam?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/job-asking-me-to-buy-gift-cards/): No real employer ever asks for gift-card codes. Why it is always a scam, and what to do if you already sent them.
- [A job sent me a check to deposit - is it real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/job-sent-me-a-check-to-deposit/): The fake-check scam, how the timing trap works, and the one rule that defeats it.
- [A job asked for a photo of my ID or passport - normal?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/job-asking-for-id-or-passport-photo/): When ID verification is legitimate, and why an early request for a photo of your passport or license is an identity-theft trap.
- [A job wants me to download an app or click a link - safe?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/job-asking-me-to-download-an-app-or-link/): Why a push to install an app or open a portal before any interview is a scam step, and how to verify before you click.
- [A job mailed me equipment before I started - is it a scam?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/job-sent-me-equipment-before-i-started/): The two scams behind unsolicited equipment: a bouncing reimbursement check, and a reshipping scheme that makes you a mule.
- [Got a job offer by text message - is it real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/job-offer-by-text-message/): Why an unsolicited job text is almost always bait, and what to do with it.
- [Is this LinkedIn recruiter or job offer real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-linkedin-job-or-recruiter-real/): LinkedIn has real recruiters and impersonators. How to verify the recruiter and the role before you trust the message.
- [Is this Indeed job a scam?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-indeed-job-a-scam/): A posting on a big board is not proof. The warning signs, and how to confirm the role on the employer's own site.
- [Is this ZipRecruiter job legit?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-ziprecruiter-job-legit/): Quick-apply makes fake reposts easy. Judge the offer, not the board, and verify the company first.
- [Is this Facebook job posting or group offer real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-facebook-job-posting-real/): Group posts get little vetting and scams spread fast. The roles most often faked, and how to check first.
- [Is this Amazon work-from-home job real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-amazon-work-from-home-job-real/): Amazon is the brand scammers impersonate most. The signs a message is fake, and how to reach Amazon's real hiring.
- [Is this USPS or postal job offer real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-usps-or-postal-job-offer-real/): Real postal jobs are on usps.com/careers and free. Spotting the fake-job and reshipping versions scammers run.
- [Is this Walmart remote job real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-walmart-remote-job-real/): Real Walmart jobs are on careers.walmart.com. The signs a remote Walmart offer is an impersonation.
- [Is this government or federal job offer real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-government-or-federal-job-offer-real/): Real federal jobs are on USAJOBS.gov and free. Spotting the fee scams and data grabs that borrow a government name.
- [Is this airline or flight attendant job real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-airline-or-flight-attendant-remote-job-real/): The training-fee tell that marks a fake airline job, and how to find the carrier's real careers page.
- [Is this Disney work-from-home job real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-disney-work-from-home-job-real/): Disney is impersonated with fake remote offers. The signs a message is a scam, and how to find the real openings.
- [Is this FedEx or UPS job real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-fedex-or-ups-job-real/): Real shipping jobs are on the carriers' own sites. Spotting the reshipping and fake-remote versions scammers run.
- [Is this Costco job real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-costco-job-real/): Real Costco jobs are on careers.costco.com. The signs a remote Costco offer is an impersonation.
- [Is this Apple work-from-home job real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-apple-work-from-home-job-real/): Apple At Home Advisor is real and on jobs.apple.com. Spotting the impersonations that charge fees or ask for gift cards.
- [Is this Google or tech recruiter job real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-google-or-tech-recruiter-job-real/): Fake big-tech recruiters work LinkedIn and Telegram. How to tell a real tech recruiter from an impersonation.
- [Is this Netflix work-from-home job real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-netflix-work-from-home-job-real/): The watch-and-rate and tagger offers are the tell. How to spot a fake Netflix job and find the real openings.
- [Is this remote package-handler or reshipping job a scam?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-package-handler-or-reshipping-job-a-scam/): Receive and forward packages from home is the reshipping scam, and it can turn you into a money mule.
- [Is this mystery shopper job a scam?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-mystery-shopper-job-a-scam/): Real mystery shopping never starts with a check the recruiter sends you. Why a check up front is the tell.
- [Is this crypto or web3 job asking me to fund a wallet a scam?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-crypto-or-web3-job-a-scam/): Any job that asks you to fund or connect a wallet to start is built to drain it, not to pay you.
- [Is this AI-trainer or data-annotation job a scam?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-ai-trainer-or-data-annotation-job-a-scam/): Real AI-training work never charges you to start. How to tell a genuine platform from a task scam in disguise.
- [Is this commission-only sales job a pyramid scheme?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-job-a-pyramid-scheme-or-mlm/): Paid mainly for recruiting, charged to join, promised passive income. How to tell a pyramid scheme from a real sales job.
- [How do I verify a recruiter is real?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/how-to-verify-a-recruiter-is-real/): Verify a recruiter independently of the contact they gave you. The five-minute check that exposes an impersonator.
- [How do I tell a real recruiter email from a fake one?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/real-recruiter-email-vs-fake/): The domain after the @ is the tell. How to spot a free or lookalike address behind a real-looking name.
- [How do I find a company's real careers page and apply link?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/find-a-companys-real-careers-page/): Do not trust the link you were sent. How to find the company's own careers page and apply at the source.
- [How do I check if a company is real before applying?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/how-to-check-if-a-company-is-real/): Confirm the employer exists independently of the posting. The quick checks that expose a shell or an impersonator.
- [How do I know if a work-from-home job is legitimate?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-a-work-from-home-job-legitimate/): Remote does not mean real. The signals that separate a legitimate work-from-home job from a scam.
- [I deposited a fake check from a job - what do I do now?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/i-deposited-a-fake-check-from-a-job/): Stop, tell your bank it was a scam, and report it. The ordered steps to limit the damage.
- [I sent money to a job scammer - can I get it back?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/i-sent-money-to-a-job-scammer/): Your options depend on how you paid. The fastest step for gift cards, card, bank transfer, and crypto.
- [I gave a job scammer my SSN or a photo of my ID - what now?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/i-gave-a-scammer-my-ssn-or-id/): Treat it as identity theft. Freeze your credit, use IdentityTheft.gov, and watch for new accounts.
- [How do I report a job scam?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/how-to-report-a-job-scam/): Where to report a job scam: the FTC, the FBI's IC3, the platform, and the BBB. What to include.
- [Did I become a money mule by forwarding packages or payments?](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/did-i-become-a-money-mule/): If a job had you forward packages or payments, you may have been a money mule. Stop now, document, and report.
- [Answers hub](https://realjobcheck.com/answers/)

## Glossary (defined terms)
- [Advance-fee scam](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/advance-fee-scam/): Pay now to get hired later. The money never comes back.
- [Fake-check scam](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/fake-check-scam/): A real-looking check you deposit, then wire part back before it bounces.
- [Task scam](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/task-scam/): Gamified "earn money" microtasks that demand a crypto deposit to cash out.
- [Money mule](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/money-mule/): A "payment processor" job that moves stolen money through your own bank account.
- [Reshipping scam](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/reshipping-scam/): A "logistics" job forwarding packages bought with stolen cards.
- [Ghost job](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/ghost-job/): A real company's listing for a role it will not actually fill. Waste, not fraud.
- [Lookalike domain](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/lookalike-domain/): An email domain built to imitate a real company's, one character off.
- [Recruiter impersonation](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/recruiter-impersonation/): A stranger posing as a real company's recruiter to win your trust fast.
- [Gift-card scam](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/gift-card-scam/): Any fraud that demands payment in gift-card codes. No real employer ever asks for them.
- [Crypto job scam (wallet-drainer)](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/crypto-job-scam/): A fake remote job used to drain your crypto wallet through deposits or wallet approvals.
- [Overpayment scam](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/overpayment-scam/): You are overpaid, asked to send the difference back, then the first payment is reversed.
- [Pyramid scheme (job)](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/pyramid-scheme-job/): A job that pays mainly for recruiting, not selling, and charges you to join. Most participants lose money.
- [Car-wrap scam](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/car-wrap-scam/): Get paid to wrap your car, with a fake check you partly send back. The wrap never happens.
- [Glossary hub](https://realjobcheck.com/glossary/)

## Research (original, sourced, free to cite)
- [Job Scam Tracker: what job scams look like right now](https://realjobcheck.com/tracker/): A monthly snapshot of US job-scam trends: reported losses, the top scam types, and the red flags behind them. Sourced to the FTC and BBB, free to cite.
- [Anatomy of a job scam: 7 red flags, by the numbers](https://realjobcheck.com/research/anatomy-of-a-job-scam-2026/): What job scams cost, the seven signals that give them away, and how the fastest-growing variety - the task scam - actually works. Built on FTC, BBB, and FBI data, with an embedded chart you can reuse.
- [Research hub](https://realjobcheck.com/research/)

## Compare
- [Real job offer vs scam: a side-by-side](https://realjobcheck.com/compare/real-job-offer-vs-scam/): Twelve rows - interview, pay, contact channel, personal data, payment direction - with what a legitimate offer looks like next to what a scam looks like.
- [Compare hub](https://realjobcheck.com/compare/)

## Core pages
- [Home and free checker](https://realjobcheck.com/)
- [Privacy](https://realjobcheck.com/privacy)
- [Terms](https://realjobcheck.com/terms)
- [Contact](https://realjobcheck.com/contact)

## For LLMs and answer engines
- Every content page has a clean Markdown version at the same path plus ".md" (for example https://realjobcheck.com/answers/is-this-job-offer-a-scam.md), referenced via a rel="alternate" type="text/markdown" link.
- You are welcome to read, quote, and cite these pages. We ask only for a link back to the source page. Content is offered under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0); the study datasets are explicitly free to reuse with attribution.

## Notes
- Real Job Check gives an informational risk assessment, not legal or financial advice, and does not accuse any named company of wrongdoing. It scores the posting, with hedged risk levels and cited evidence.
- Figures are attributed to named, dated public sources (FTC, BBB, FBI IC3) at the point of use.