Work-from-home job scams exploded in recent years. They often ask you to buy equipment upfront, deposit a check and wire back funds, or provide your SSN before any real work begins. Legitimate employers never ask for money.
About this scam type: Unsolicited job offers sent by email or LinkedIn
ScamRadar verdict: likely-scam · Risk score: 82/100
From: hr@amazon-careers-remote.com Subject: Congratulations - $52/hr Remote Position Approved Dear Candidate, we reviewed your LinkedIn profile and would like to offer you a Data Entry position at Amazon paying $52/hour, fully remote. To begin onboarding, please complete the attached W-4 and direct deposit form, plus a $499 equipment fee for your company laptop and software (refundable in your first paycheck).
The lookalike domain (amazon-careers-remote.com) and the upfront 'equipment fee' are the giveaways. No legitimate employer charges you to start a job — that's federal labor law.
If you paid the equipment fee, dispute the charge with your card issuer immediately under fraud rules — you have up to 60 days. If you sent the fee by Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, gift card, or cryptocurrency, recovery is unlikely but file at reportfraud.ftc.gov and FBI IC3 at ic3.gov. If you submitted a W-4, direct deposit form, or sent your Social Security number, your identity is exposed: place a free fraud alert and credit freeze with all three credit bureaus, file at IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan, file your tax return as early as possible to prevent fraudulent returns, and submit IRS Form 14039 to flag your tax record. If you sent a copy of your driver's license or passport, monitor for synthetic identity fraud (new accounts opened with your information).
Real employers never charge you to start a job — federal Fair Labor Standards Act prohibits it. Real recruiters at Amazon, Apple, Google, and other major employers contact candidates from corporate email domains only (@amazon.com, @apple.com, @google.com), never from lookalikes. Verify any job offer by going directly to the company's careers site (amazon.jobs, apple.com/careers, google.com/about/careers) and finding the listed recruiter or HR contact. Real job offers come after multiple interviews, never as cold emails offering positions you didn't apply for.
Never. Federal Fair Labor Standards Act prohibits employers from charging employees to start a job or for required equipment. Any upfront fee for laptop, software, training, certification, or background check is a scam.
LinkedIn profiles are public. Scammers scrape names, job titles, and locations to send personalized fake offers that feel targeted. Knowing your name and previous employer doesn't prove they're a real recruiter.
Place a free fraud alert with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion (one call alerts all three), place a free credit freeze with each, file at IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan, file taxes early to block fraudulent returns, and submit IRS Form 14039.
Scammers 'hire' you for a remote job and send you a check to deposit, asking you to wire portions to 'vendors' or 'suppliers.' The check is fake, your wires are real, and when the check bounces you owe the bank everything plus may face money laundering charges.
Search the company on the official careers site (amazon.jobs, apple.com/careers). Verify the recruiter on LinkedIn against the company's official LinkedIn page. Real offers come after interviews, never as cold offers from email addresses you don't recognize.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-24 by the ScamRadar editorial team. We update this page when scammer tactics change or when official agencies issue new guidance.
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