Job Scams in the AI Era: How Many Job Seekers Have Been Targeted?

Many people have come across fake listings when looking for a new job. Some platforms see more scams than others.

More than half of job seekers (54%) have come across an online job scam in the past 2 years. These scams appear most often in remote (58%) and hybrid (57%) roles, where the lack of face-to-face interaction makes it easier for scammers to hide behind fake offers.

Gen Z is the generation most likely to catch a scam before sharing personal information. Half say they’ve spotted red flags early and backed out.

Some platforms are more vulnerable than others. Indeed tops the list for reported scam encounters at 58%, followed by LinkedIn (32%) and Facebook (28%).

By industry, tech workers are especially at risk. More than 1 in 2 (56%) say they’ve been exposed to a job scam at some point in their search.

Getting scammed during the job hunt isn’t just frustrating. It can come with real consequences, both financial and emotional.

Among the 8% of job seekers who fell for a scam, 28% lost money. But for many, the damage goes beyond their bank account. More than half say they shared personal details like their home address (53%) or resume (51%) with a scammer before realizing the listing was fake.

The emotional toll is just as significant. More than half (55%) say the experience made them lose trust in recruiters or companies, and 51% now feel more anxious or stressed.

Concerns about artificial intelligence are also growing. Most job seekers (86%) worry about scammers using AI to generate fake job listings that are harder to detect.

Scammers rely on familiar platforms and professional-sounding offers to build trust quickly. But most job seekers say the warning signs are there—if you know what to look for.

The most common tactic scammers use is posting fake jobs on legitimate job sites. Many job seekers who encountered a scam (71%) say it came from a known platform, not a sketchy corner of the internet.

Some red flags show up more than others. Job seekers say the biggest giveaways are a missing company website and vague company details (75%). Overly generous salaries or benefits raise suspicion for 65%, while 61% say spelling or grammar mistakes clearly signal that it’s a scam.

Intuition and gut feelings also come into play in these situations. When asked what gave a job scam away, most people (76%) said something just felt “off.” Others (58%) say their own research didn’t turn up any proof that the company or job was real.

Now, 48% of job seekers fact-check every posting before applying, an extra step that could save time, stress, and money.

We surveyed 1,000 Americans to examine the impact of job scams in the age of AI. Among them, 18% were Gen Z, 53% were millennials, 23% were Gen X, and 6% were baby boomers. Only individuals who were currently employed or actively seeking employment (94% of total respondents) were included in the analysis. Among this group, only those who had searched for a job within the past two years (67%) were included.

SideHustles.com is your go-to place for learning how to create new sources of income with your skills and determination. Our tips and advice come from real people who are making money from side hustles, just like you can. Plus, we offer fair, unbiased ratings for gig economy apps, so you know which ones are worth your time.

You may reference these findings about AI job scams for noncommercial purposes, as long as you provide your readers with a link to this original article.