Job Application Scam

I recently landed my first job after two years of searching, and while I'm excited, I'm also feeling a bit uneasy. I’m working part-time and earning $10 an hour, which is below the legal minimum wage of $17. Despite this, I thought it would be a good opportunity to learn new skills. However, a family friend warned me that my boss has a history of not paying employees, which made me question the situation. During my first week, I only made $100 because I had to leave early and the three days of training were unpaid. When I mentioned to my boss that I couldn't make it on payday, he agreed to give me the money next paycheck. This week, I earned $140, so I expected to receive $240 for the two weeks, but he only paid me $100. He explained that employees get paid for the previous week’s work, which I wasn’t informed about prior to being hired. Now I'm torn because my mom and partner think I might be getting scammed, and they suggest I quit. They believe that if I were to be fired unexpectedly, I wouldn't get paid for the work I did that week. I'm feeling grateful for the job and the skills I'm learning, but I'm also confused and worried about the pay situation. Are they overreacting, or is there something I should be concerned about?

After submitting over 100 job applications, I've decided to stay at my current job, which I find quite unsatisfactory. I'm 31 years old, originally from Argentina, and I hold an Italian passport, allowing me to live and work in Europe. I speak four languages: Spanish, English, Italian, and French. My background includes roles in hospitality, tourism, and teaching, specifically as a PE teacher in Argentina, along with experience in both administrative and industrial positions. For the past year, I've been residing in France, actively searching for a job that aligns with my skills and experience. Despite my qualifications, I've only managed to secure one interview, and unfortunately, I also encountered a scam interview for a pyramid scheme. I'm starting to feel that the job market is heavily reliant on networking, as it seems like knowing someone within a company is crucial for landing a position. I consider myself young and multicultural with positive references from previous employers, so I'm left wondering what I might be doing wrong in this job search.

I recently came across a job listing that raised a lot of red flags for me. It was for a remote data entry position, and the interview process was completely chat-based, which I found unusual. After doing some research, I discovered that the email address for the recruiter, Kathleen Dwyer, ended with an 's' (horizonnjhealths), which didn't match the official Horizon NJ Health website. This discrepancy, along with the fact that data entry jobs are becoming increasingly rare, made me very suspicious. Many comments I received confirmed my concerns, indicating that such remote positions often have a high likelihood of being scams, especially when they offer pay rates around $30-35/hour. I learned to be more cautious and to always verify the legitimacy of a job before proceeding.

I recently came across a job opportunity that raised some red flags for me. The listing had a lot of vague details, and the overall presentation felt off, almost scammy. I shared a screenshot of the job ad to get feedback from others. I’m hoping to clarify whether this is a legitimate opportunity or something I should avoid. Has anyone else experienced similar situations?

I recently accepted a job offer and I'm feeling a bit uneasy about it. I want to ensure that this opportunity is legitimate and not a scam. The company seems reputable, but I've heard stories about people getting involved with fraudulent organizations. I'm currently in the onboarding process, and I plan to do thorough research on the company and reach out to current employees to get their insights. I just want to be sure I'm making the right decision before fully committing.

I wanted to share a warning about job scams I've encountered on Indeed. This is the third time I've come across something suspicious that seemed too good to be true. Each time, the job listings looked legitimate at first glance, but upon closer inspection, they raised red flags. I urge everyone to be cautious and do thorough research before applying or sharing personal information. Stay safe out there!

I’ve been struggling to write my CV lately and have tried several online services, but they all seem to require credit card information for trials. One service even charged me 20 euros, which turned out to be a scam, forcing me to cancel my credit card and get a new one. I ended up using a tool from a GitHub repo to download my resume, but I’m still looking for reputable CV makers that don’t have a subscription model. I’m also feeling frustrated with the job market; no matter how much I tweak my resume, prepare for interviews, or work on projects, something always seems to derail the process. I’ve heard from others that keeping a master CV and just adjusting the summary and bullet points for each application might be a better approach, but I’m still unsure if I should just write my CV from scratch instead. I’m considering joining the /r/jobs Discord for feedback, as I know I need to take the initiative to improve my resume myself.

I just received an email regarding a job application, but I can't recall applying to this position since I've submitted hundreds of applications through Indeed. The email came from a Proton email address, which has raised my suspicions. Many commenters advised that the use of the word "kindly" is often a red flag for scams, and they suggested that this might be a ghost job posted by a recruiter. I’m feeling uncertain about whether I should respond or just ignore it altogether.

I recently applied for what seemed like the perfect Lead Developer position on a new AI-curated job board. The job description matched my skills almost perfectly, and the salary was quite appealing for 2026 standards. I spent a couple of hours refining my portfolio to ensure it would pass the automated screening. After submitting my application, I was eager to hear back. However, instead of a recruiter reaching out, I received a WhatsApp message from a bot just ten minutes later. The message thanked me for my interest but informed me that my "AI-Resilience Score" was too low for direct hire. To my shock, it then directed me to a "Career Strategist" webinar. I quickly realized that the entire job posting was a scam designed to collect resumes for their sales funnel. There is no actual Lead Developer role available. Now, I'm bombarded with five robocalls a day trying to sell me a $499 "Platinum Bypass" course. They claim their software can help create resumes that will bypass 99% of corporate filters. It feels like a protection racket for job seekers, where you pay them to learn how to outsmart the very bots they likely helped create. My inbox is filled with these scams, and I'm seriously considering throwing my router into a lake out of frustration. All I wanted was a job, not a subscription to a coaching service.

I recently came across a job opportunity that raised a lot of red flags for me. After expressing my interest, I was instructed to check my email for a follow-up to schedule an interview. However, the email directed me to a suspicious website where they requested my first name, last name, address, date of birth, and even my credit report. I've never encountered a legitimate job that required a credit report upfront, and it made me extremely wary. It's frustrating to see so many fake job postings out there trying to take advantage of people. I shared my experience in hopes of warning others about potential scams.

I recently got contacted by a recruiting company through Indeed about a warehouse position that seemed like a great fit for me, especially since I have prior experience in that field. During our phone conversation, the recruiter informed me that the role was for Meta, which I confirmed by piecing together the address she provided. She asked me to create a Facebook account to send her my profile URL, as Meta requires their workers to have one. After our chat, she mentioned that another person would reach out to discuss the onboarding process. I received an email from a program manager, but it turns out he works for a different company called Trajectory Workforce Partners. I tried to look him up online but couldn't find any information about him, which made me a bit uneasy. The main issue I'm facing is that he asked me to send a picture of my Social Security card and ID via email to start the onboarding process. I expressed my discomfort with this method, as it doesn't feel secure. He then suggested that I could text the documents to him instead, but I'm still not comfortable with that option either. I'm at a crossroads now; everything else seems legitimate, but I'm hesitant to send sensitive information in this manner. Should I just go ahead and send it, or is there a better way to handle this?

I recently came across a job listing on Indeed that raised some red flags for me. After searching online, I found only an incomplete website associated with the email provided in the listing, which made me suspicious that it could be a scam. However, the job description seemed reasonable—there were minimal grammatical errors, the pay was not outrageous, and the details weren't vague. I decided to take a chance and emailed my interest. To my surprise, I received a response within a few hours, inviting me to set up a phone interview. I accepted and had the interview shortly after. I was cautious during the call, making sure not to disclose any personal information that could be misused. The interview went well; the interviewer verified my name and age but didn't ask for anything too personal. He explained the role, the expected hours, and seemed genuinely excited about the project, which is an acting gig. After our conversation, he mentioned that I would be a good fit and that an HR representative would contact me soon to arrange a time for paperwork. I'm feeling cautiously optimistic that this could be a legitimate opportunity, but I still have my doubts. I'll link the job listing for anyone interested and welcome any questions for clarification!

I recently encountered a potential job application link that raised some red flags. My girlfriend has been actively applying for jobs online, and today she received a text with a link that used a URL shortener. This immediately made me suspicious about the legitimacy of the application. The link led to 'https://job-talent-us.firstwork.com'. I did some research and found mixed information. When I searched 'firstwork.com scam?', the results suggested it was a legitimate site. However, when I specifically looked up 'https://job-talent-us.firstwork.com scam', many AI-generated results indicated it was likely a scam, but they mainly referenced Reddit comments that didn't provide solid evidence. From what I've gathered, there seems to be a trend of scams targeting job seekers, where fake websites mimic real ones like 'firstwork.com' and 'jobandtalent.com'. I'm still unsure whether the link my girlfriend received is trustworthy. I wonder if the fact that it ends with 'firstwork.com' is enough to consider it safe, despite the suspicious prefix 'job-talent-us.'. If anyone has insights or experiences with this, I'd really appreciate your thoughts.

I received a text from Quinn at Mondo about a job opportunity that matches my skills perfectly, which is quite rare given the variety of roles in my field. When they called, it was an AI system, and they provided all the usual disclaimers. My first question was about the salary, which they answered, but then the AI started asking me questions. I wasn't comfortable with that, especially since I didn't want to train an AI. I requested a job description via email, but the AI refused and even got a bit snarky with me. Frustrated, I hung up. Now I'm left wondering if this is Mondo's standard approach for outreach. I've heard of Mondo for years, but I don't know anyone who has successfully worked with them. Is this how they operate, or are they just not a legitimate option for job seekers?

I was laid off in October 2025 and have been searching for a full-time position ever since. Recently, I was approached for a contractor role that seemed promising; the job description felt like a perfect fit. I went through two interviews that went really well, and they even mentioned a start date of June 22nd. I was excited and hopeful, especially since I was lined up for a third interview with an account executive from the recruitment company, who was supposed to facilitate the connection with the potential employer. However, the third interview, scheduled for last Thursday, never happened. I waited until Friday and reached out to the recruiter, who informed me that the account executive was out sick and promised to get back to me on Monday. Unfortunately, Monday came and went without any communication. I decided to follow up with the recruiter again, but I've been completely ignored. What struck me as odd was that on the day I was supposed to have my third interview, I received a customer satisfaction survey from the recruitment company. This raised some alarm bells for me, but I tried to stay calm, thinking it might just be an administrative error. I find it strange that they would send a CSAT survey if I wasn't selected for the role, especially when I was still in the running. This experience has been quite unusual for me, and I wanted to share it as I haven't encountered anything like this before. Thanks for reading.

I recently received a job offer for a remote data entry position from a company called Anapole Technologies. They mentioned that they would provide me with a check to purchase my home office equipment. When I inquired whether they could send the equipment directly through Amazon or mail, they insisted that this method was a test of trust and a way to evaluate how I would manage funds entrusted to me. I pressed for the opportunity to speak with a manager via Zoom, Teams, or even a phone call, but was told that all communication at this stage is limited to their chat platform (Teams). They stated that once the onboarding process is completed and employees receive their equipment, more communication options would be available. I can't shake the feeling that I'm dealing with a scam, and I'm worried about the legitimacy of this company and the safety of my personal information.

I received an interview offer for a position that seems a bit suspicious. The pay is $26/hr for a week of training, then jumps to $36/hr after that, with full-time hours and benefits. The interviews are being conducted over private messages, and they want to schedule them very soon—possibly today. I applied through Handshake, which is where this message originated. I'm feeling skeptical about the legitimacy of this offer. Some comments I read suggested it might be a scam, especially since interviews over private messaging seem unusual. I did find out that the company, dmdcommercialroofing.com, has been registered since 2017, which adds some credibility, but I'm still wary. I think I might call their publicly available phone number to verify the offer before proceeding.

I recently applied for a job with Cloud Personnel through Indeed, and the very next day, I received a phone call and a text about the position. I responded to the text and was instructed to apply again on their website. Shortly after, I got another text and an email directing me to their onboarding site, which surprisingly asked for my Social Security Number and banking information before I even had an interview. This raised a lot of red flags for me, so I haven't filled anything out yet. It all feels really sketchy, and I'm starting to wonder if this is a scam. I did some digging and found out that their business is based out of Ontario and they don't seem to have a legitimate application process—just a 'pre-application' since they operate as a temp agency. I'm really cautious about this whole situation.

I received a message from Indeed about a job I applied for about two months ago. The message stated that my profile had been shortlisted and that I needed to secure an interview slot quickly, as they were filling up fast. It included a link to a site where I was supposed to book the interview. However, when I tried to access it on my PC, it said I needed a touchscreen and provided a QR code instead. Scanning the QR code led me to a site called hrcore.org, which prompted me to download an APK file labeled "indeed interview." I found this very suspicious and decided not to install it. I'm concerned this might be a scam, and I'm curious if anyone else has encountered a similar situation.

It's been over a year since I graduated with my bachelor's in business administration, focusing on Marketing, and I'm starting to feel defeated. I've had a 6-month marketing internship and built a decent social media portfolio, yet despite applying for jobs since March of last year, I haven't made any progress in landing a role in my field. Most of the positions I've seen are either for AI marketing—which I really dislike due to its potential to replace jobs—or are shady MLM schemes and minimum wage jobs. I've applied to around 500 positions, but the interviews I've had often turned out to be disappointing or just plain scams. I've been focusing on in-person jobs because I want some social interaction, but the landscape is disheartening. Recruiters seem to rely heavily on AI, which complicates the process and makes it feel impersonal. I did manage to get a part-time hospitality role, but working alone late into the night is exhausting and affecting my sleep. Living with my parents has added to the stress, as they keep pressuring me about my job search, and I feel like I'm losing my independence. The constant reminders of my job search setbacks are taking a toll on my mental health. I used to be optimistic about my career in marketing, but after a year of applying and facing rejection, I've become burnt out and lost my passion. I feel trapped in my current situation, especially with family tensions at home, and I just want to find a way to move forward and gain some independence.