RALEIGH, N.C. (October 28, 2025) – There has been a rise in job and employment agency text hiring scams with money lost by consumers rising by over $400 million and reports tripling between 2020 and 2024. In the midst of this peak hiring season, consumers have been contacted in various ways, one being via text, with fake job offers. Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Carolinas (BBB) has tips for determining if the message you’ve received is a legitimate offer or a scam.

Unfortunately, text hiring scams are becoming increasingly prevalent, and consumers must be vigilant.

The rise in text hiring scams is alarming and requires immediate attention from job seekers.

“Searching for employment can be a stressful experience. Since the beginning of this year, over 300 local consumers in our service area reported hiring scams to our Scam Tracker,” said Mallory Wojciechowski, BBB President and CEO. “It is important for job seekers to approach with caution when they receive a text with a job offer. Research the person and company claiming to be contacting you and don’t click on any links.”

BBB Provides Warning Signs for Text Hiring Scams and Tips to Avoid Them

• Read over the message you have received. Grammatical errors and misspelled words are signs of text hiring scams. Double check the content of the message you received. 
• Watch out for easy hires. If a company claims they want to hire you without meeting you either virtually or in person, and if they don’t conduct a job interview, you’re probably dealing with a scammer.
• Do research on the person and company that reached out. A quick search should show if your contact is actually employed by a legitimate company. Do an internet search with the company’s name and the word “scam” to see if anyone has reported a fake job offer. Read online reviews about the company or search on bbb.org. Check the URL and website quality, then search for contact information to reach out and see if they are hiring for the position advertised.
• Beware of jobs that involve receiving and returning money. Legitimate companies don’t generally send money to new employees before work is done. They certainly don’t ask you to return funds that you’ve already been paid.
• Check to see if you applied for the position. If you’ve applied for multiple positions, it can be easy to lose track of the specific position you are waiting to hear back about. Once you’ve checked to make sure you applied for the position, research the company’s hiring process and offerings to see if it aligns with what was advertised.
• Do not click any links or respond. Scammers want your personal and financial information. They may ask you “hiring questions,” but proceed with caution as the responses you provide could be used to hack into your accounts. The links within the message could also contain viruses causing your information to be stolen. Never let someone pressure you into giving up your personal information because it’s a “now or never” offer.

For More Information

Learn more about imposter scams.

Visit BBB’s employment scams page for information on specific job scams.

About BBB of Eastern Carolinas

Remember, being informed about text hiring scams can help you avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes.

Better Business Bureau serving Eastern Carolinas is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit corporation serving 48 counties in North and South Carolina. The organization is funded primarily by BBB Accredited Business fees from over 5,200 local businesses and professional firms. BBB promotes integrity, consumer confidence and business ethics through business self-regulation in the local marketplace. Services provided by BBB include reports on companies and charitable organizations, general monitoring of advertising in the marketplace, consumer/business education programs and dispute resolution services. All services are provided at no cost to the public, with the occasional exception of mediation and arbitration. Visit BBB.org.

Our mission is to educate consumers about the risks associated with text hiring scams.