How to spot a fake remote job in 60 seconds
Scam listings are everywhere. Here are the warning signs we check before anything goes live on our board.
October 25, 2026 · 4 min read · By the RemoteJobsListing team
Fake remote jobs often look convincing at first glance. Run through these checks before you share any personal information.
The red flags
- ✦They ask you to pay — for training, equipment, software or a “starter kit”.
- ✦They send you a check before you start and ask you to send part of it back.
- ✦The interview happens entirely by text message or chat app.
- ✦They offer you the job immediately, without any real assessment.
- ✦The email comes from a free webmail account rather than the company's domain.
- ✦The description is vague about what you'd actually do.
- ✦The pay seems far too high for the work described.
What to do if you're unsure
Look the company up independently, find the role on its official careers page, and never move money for an employer. If you see a suspicious listing on our site, use the “Report this listing” link and we'll review it promptly.
Put it into practice