What to Do If You Suspect Job-Search Fraud or Impersonation

Protect your job search. Verify who you are dealing with. Know what to do next.

Job-search fraud comes in many forms: a recruiter or employer who is not who they claim to be, a resume writer or career coach who invents or misuses a credential, a job offer that turns out to be fake, or a scam built around checks, cryptocurrency, or stolen packages. If something about a job-search interaction is not adding up, pause and protect what has not yet been exposed. The right next step depends on whether you sent money, shared personal information, disclosed a password, clicked a link, or downloaded a file.

Start with the actions that match your situation.

FIRST: STOP, PRESERVE, AND VERIFY

Stop the interaction. Do not send more money, personal information, passwords, security codes, documents, or account access. Do not deposit a check or follow instructions to move funds.
Preserve the evidence before blocking or deleting. Save screenshots, emails, email headers, text messages, profile links, job postings, offer letters, payment receipts, phone numbers, usernames, wallet addresses, and the exact web addresses involved.
Verify independently. Contact the real company, recruiter, or professional using information you find on its official website. If a real person’s identity was used, let that person or organization know.

If You Sent Money or Deposited a Check

Contact the payment provider immediately. Call your bank, card issuer, wire service, payment app, gift card company, or cryptocurrency platform. Report fraud and ask whether the transaction can be stopped or reversed.
Tell your bank about a suspected fake check. Do not spend or forward any of the funds. A check can appear to clear before the bank determines that it is fraudulent.
Review the affected accounts. Change account credentials as needed, look for unauthorized activity, and ask the financial institution what additional monitoring or account changes it recommends.
Report the fraud promptly. Use the reporting links below. Speed can improve the usefulness of your information and, in some cases, the chance of interrupting a payment.

If You Shared Personal Information

Create a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov. The site provides steps based on the information exposed and the signs of misuse you are seeing.
Consider a free credit freeze. A freeze limits access to your credit file and can make it harder for someone to open new credit in your name. Place it separately with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Review your credit reports. Use AnnualCreditReport.com, the federally authorized source, and check for accounts or inquiries you do not recognize.
Contact affected institutions. If you shared bank, tax, health insurance, driver’s license, or Social Security information, follow the recovery steps for that specific information at IdentityTheft.gov.

If You Shared a Password or Security Code

Change the password immediately. Start with the affected account, then change any other account where you reused the same or a similar password.
Turn on multifactor authentication. Use an authenticator app or security key when available. Never approve an unexpected login prompt or share a one-time code.
Sign out of other sessions. Review logged-in devices, recovery email addresses, forwarding rules, connected apps, and recent activity for changes you did not make.

If You Clicked a Link or Downloaded a File

Stop entering information. Close the page and navigate to the real service through its known website or app.
Disconnect if you suspect malware. If a file ran, an app was installed, or the device is behaving unexpectedly, disconnect it from the internet and seek help from a trusted IT or security professional.
Use a known-safe device for account changes. Change important passwords and review financial accounts from a device you believe is secure.

WHERE TO REPORT WHAT HAPPENED

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Report a job scam, fraudulent career service, payment loss, or impersonation. The FTC uses reports to identify patterns and support enforcement.
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): IC3.gov. Report internet-enabled fraud, including employment scams, account compromise, phishing, and financial loss. File even if you are unsure whether the complaint qualifies.
IdentityTheft.gov: IdentityTheft.gov. Report identity theft and build a personalized recovery plan when personal information was exposed or misused.
Your state attorney general: Find your office through the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) directory. Locate your state consumer-protection office and report conduct that may violate state law.
The platform or job board: Report the account, message, advertisement, or posting through the platform’s official reporting process. Include the profile and posting links before they disappear.
The impersonated company or professional: Notify the real organization through a verified contact channel so it can warn others, preserve evidence, and seek removal of fraudulent accounts.
The NRWA: If someone may be misrepresenting NRWA membership or an NRWA credential, send the evidence to adminmanager (at) thenrwa.org.
Better Business Bureau (BBB) scam tracker: An optional public-awareness report can help other consumers recognize the same name, website, phone number, or approach. BBB is not a law-enforcement agency.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN A REPORT

The story in order: How contact began, what was promised, what you were asked to do, and when you realized something might be wrong.
Identifying details: Names used, companies claimed, email addresses, phone numbers, usernames, profile links, web addresses, and job posting numbers.
Financial details: Payment method, amount, date, transaction ID, receiving account, or cryptocurrency wallet address. Do not publish sensitive account information in a public report.
Supporting evidence: Messages, offer letters, invoices, receipts, screenshots, attachments, and email headers.

Scammers succeed by creating a believable identity and controlling the pace of the interaction. Trusting a professional-looking person does not make you careless. What matters now is preserving the evidence, protecting your accounts and identity, and reporting what happened while the details are still fresh.

If you are in immediate physical danger or have received a credible threat, contact local law enforcement or emergency services.

Watch for the Recovery Scam That Can Follow

People who have already lost money are often targeted again by someone promising to recover it for an upfront fee. Government agencies do not charge victims to file a report or recover funds. Return to the official websites above by typing the address yourself

The National Résumé Writers’ Association

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Baltimore, MD 21234

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