A documented five-year climb
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the US consumer-protection authority, tracks this type of fraud year by year. The trend is clear: total reported losses went from $90 million in 2020 to $501 million in 2024 — more than a fivefold increase. In Q4 2025 alone, the FTC tallied $150.4 million in losses across 25,002 reports.
The signal confirmed by a second body
The Better Business Bureau (BBB), a US consumer-mediation organization, published a study in May 2026 confirming the same trend independently: employment-fraud reports doubled in 2025 compared with the previous year, with 23,234 reports logged through its tracking tool (BBB Scam Tracker).
Why this channel has shifted
A fake job offer historically arrived by email — a fake recruiter, a fake company, an address that didn't match the official domain. The verification reflex was built around that email. The shift toward text and messaging apps changes things: fewer visual cues to check a domain, more perceived urgency ("reply fast, the role is filling up"), and a channel where the victim is used to receiving informal messages from real professional contacts.
Frequently asked questions
How much does recruitment fraud cost on average?
According to the FTC, the median loss per victim is $2,000. Total reported losses went from $90 million in 2020 to $501 million in 2024.
What channel does a fake job offer usually arrive through?
Increasingly by text or messaging apps rather than email — a channel where the usual checks (looking up the company, checking the email domain) are harder to do.
How can you spot a fake job offer?
Warning signs: unsolicited contact, being hired without a real interview, being asked to pay for equipment or training, or being asked to cash a check and send back part of the money.