In the first three months of 2023, Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker received reported job scam losses of nearly $840,000 USD, up 250 per cent compared to the same time last year. As more people search for remote opportunities, scammers are looking to cash in.
A 2021 BBB study update, Employment Scams: Reports of job scams skyrocket in 2023, examines patterns of reports, reviews dollars lost and interviews affected job seekers to protect the public through education.
Key findings:
- Early figures for 2023 show job scam reports nearly tripled compared to the same period last year.
- $840,000 USD in losses during the first three months of 2023, which is more than the first nine months of 2022.
- Median loss of over $1,500 USD during the first quarter of 2023. Some job seekers’ monetary losses totaled tens of thousands of dollars.
- Job fraud is the most common type of scam for those ages 18 to 34.
- Since 2020, over 700 Scam Tracker reports have referenced Indeed, 288 LinkedIn and 250 Telegram as their first point of contact with fraudsters.
- “Reshipping scams” where fraudsters trick consumers into buying and shipping expensive electronics appear to be one of the most common job scam types.
Statistics (reported to BBB and CAFC about employment scams):
- 12,925 BBB Scam Tracker reports with $4.77 million USD in losses (2020-March 2023)
- 11,435 reports to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre with $22.2 million CAD in losses (2020-March 2023).
