U SCAM ALERT EMPLOYMENT FRAUD: SPOT IT, STOP IT AND REPORT IT Spot the warning signs. Protect your money. Build the right paper trail. Discovering that a promising employment opportunity was actually a deceptive scheme is stressful and overwhelming. Every year, thousands of job seekers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia fall victim to sophisticated employment fraud. When you are eager to advance your career, it is easy to trust professional-looking job boards and convincing interviewers. If you have been targeted, you are not alone, and there are established steps that can be taken in the aftermath. This three-part overview explains how to identify the warning signs, how to secure personal finances and accounts, and how to file official reports so there is a clear record of what happened. 3 PART OVERVIEW US · UK · CANADA · AU COUNTRIES COVERED SPOT · SECURE · REPORT RESPONSE PATH KEY MESSAGE If a job opportunity asks you to send money, move funds, share sensitive identity details, or install unfamiliar software, pause before taking the next step. HOW A TYPICAL JOB SCAM UNFOLDS The details vary, but many cases follow a similar sequence. Each stage is a point where it is possible to stop. 1 Contact Unsolicited message or fake listing on a real job board 2 Interview Held only over text or a chat app, often within hours 3 Offer Fast offer, high pay, little experience required 4 Request Fees, equipment purchases, software or ID documents 5 Loss Funds are gone or identity data is misused Unscammed | Employment Fraud Overview 1 / 3 01 SPOT THE WARNING SIGNS Modern employment fraud is highly sophisticated. Deceptive individuals frequently impersonate real corporate recruiters, create spoofed websites, and host realistic interviews over messaging applications. Knowing the common indicators can reduce future financial risk. UPFRONT PAYMENT DEMANDS Legitimate employers will not ask you to pay for your own background checks, onboarding training, equipment, or visa processing fees. CHECK OVERPAYMENT TACTIC A counterfeit check arrives to "buy home office equipment", with instructions to wire the leftover funds to a specific vendor. VAGUE RESPONSIBILITIES Be cautious if a job offer requires minimal experience but promises an unusually high salary for part-time effort. INSECURE COMMUNICATION CHANNELS Standard corporate employers rarely conduct full interviews or extend official offers exclusively through text messages or encrypted chat apps. IMPERSONATED RECRUITERS The sender uses a free webmail address or a look-alike domain, or the company name is real but the contact details do not match. PRESSURE AND SECRECY Urgent deadlines, requests to keep the offer confidential, or pressure to skip normal hiring steps are common manipulation tactics. RED FLAG CHECK If these signs match an interaction you recently had, stop communicating with the sender. Acting quickly can help limit further risk, and the reporting options in Part 03 explain where to file a report. 02 PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY AND MONEY If you have already engaged with a fraudulent offer, shared personal data, or transferred money, taking defensive action promptly is important. 1 SECURE YOUR BANK ACCOUNTS Contact your financial institution's fraud department right away. If you provided banking details or sent money by wire transfer, app, or credit card, ask about a transaction freeze or a payment dispute, and explain that the activity relates to a job scam. 2 FREEZE YOUR CREDIT Fraudsters often use stolen Social Security Numbers (SSN), National Insurance Numbers (NIN), Social Insurance Numbers (SIN), or Tax File Numbers (TFN) for identity theft. Contact the credit bureaus in your region to place a freeze or ban on your credit report. 3 PROTECT YOUR ONLINE ACCOUNTS If you downloaded software during "onboarding", your device may be compromised. Run a full malware scan, update your operating system, and change email and financial passwords from a separate, secure device. CREDIT BUREAUS BY REGION United States Equifax, Experian, TransUnion United Kingdom Experian, Equifax, TransUnion Canada Equifax Canada, TransUnion Canada Australia Equifax, Experian (which now includes illion) Unscammed | Employment Fraud Overview 2 / 3 03 OFFICIAL REPORTING PATHWAYS Filing official documentation with law enforcement and regulatory bodies creates a formal paper trail. This record can be important when disputing unauthorized charges with a bank. Reporting also helps authorities track and disrupt fraudulent networks. TARGET COUNTRY PRIMARY REPORTING AGENCY ONLINE FILING PORTAL United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) & FBI IC3 reportfraud.ftc.gov ic3.gov United Kingdom Report Fraud (City of London Police), which replaced Action Fraud reportfraud.police.uk Canada Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca Australia Scamwatch (ACCC) & ReportCyber (ASD) scamwatch.gov.au cyber.gov.au/report In Scotland, fraud is reported to Police Scotland on 101. Portals and agency names can change, so confirm the current address before filing. Build your evidence file Compile email exchanges, phone logs, contract copies, job-post screenshots, payment receipts, and bank statements. Stating clearly in the report that the matter is an employment scam helps the file reach the correct investigative unit. WHERE SCAM REPORTS GO Unscammed reports scams to the FBI, FTC, local police, banks, and other organizations depending on where the victim is located. It is live in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia. Scam details reported by the victim Unscammed routes by location FBI and FTC (US) Local police Banks Other organizations ACT QUICKLY Do not continue sending money or information. SECURE ACCOUNTS Contact the bank and protect online accounts. PRESERVE EVIDENCE Keep messages, receipts, contracts, screenshots, and bank records. REPORT THE SCAM File with the official agency for your country. FOLLOW UP Keep case references and stay in contact with the bank. HAVE ON HAND Country, payment method, and whether the bank was contacted. IMPORTANT: No service can guarantee the return of stolen funds. The steps above are intended to help people act promptly, file reports correctly, and keep a clear record of what happened. Unscammed | Employment Fraud Overview 3 / 3 www.unscammed.com