How to Spot Job Scams in St. Louis and Where to Report Them
Last verified: September 29, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm reporting steps with the agencies linked below.
If you have searched for work in St. Louis lately, you have probably seen the post: "Hiring now, $28 an hour, work from home, no experience, message us on WhatsApp." It shows up in Facebook groups, in text messages you never asked for, and sometimes on big job boards. Some of these are real openings. Many are not.
The Federal Trade Commission says reports about job scams tripled between 2020 and 2024, with reported losses rising from $90 million to $501 million. The Better Business Bureau says reports to its Scam Tracker about employment scams doubled in 2025 compared with the year before, and that half of the more than 23,000 employment-scam reports it received that year involved text messages. People who are between jobs, new to the workforce, or need income quickly are the easiest targets, which is why this is worth ten minutes of your time.
The four scams you are most likely to meet
1. The fake check (overpayment) scam
You are "hired," often for a remote assistant or personal-shopper role. The company mails or deposits a check for more than you need, for example to "buy equipment," and asks you to send part of it back or to a vendor. The FTC describes the pattern this way: the check eventually bounces, and you are on the hook for the money you sent.
Why it works: banks often make deposited funds available quickly, so the money looks real in your account for days before the check is found to be counterfeit. A balance that shows up is not proof a check has cleared. If any "employer" sends you money and then asks you to send money anywhere, stop.
2. Reshipping jobs
The listing calls it "package inspector," "logistics assistant," or "shipping coordinator." You receive packages at your home and mail them on, often overseas. The FTC and BBB both list this as a scam. The packages are typically bought with stolen cards, and the person whose address is on the shipments is the one police find first. There is no legitimate job that consists of receiving strangers' goods at your house and forwarding them.
3. Upfront fees
Training you have to pay for. A "starter kit." A background-check fee paid by gift card. A certification sold by the person who is hiring you. The FTC's line is blunt: honest employers, including the federal government, never ask you to pay to get a job. The BBB adds that you should never pay fees to access earned wages or to begin work.
Be careful with the gray zone. Some real jobs do require you to obtain a license or certificate (a CDL, a food handler card, a nursing assistant certification). The difference is that you pay a public agency or an accredited school directly, not the person offering you the job.
4. Fake recruiters and task scams
Fake recruiters copy a real company's name and logo and send you a slick offer. Task scams are newer: someone contacts you out of the blue offering pay to like videos, rate products or complete "tasks," and then asks you to deposit your own money to "unlock" earnings. The BBB reports a median loss of $2,300 for task scams in 2025. Task scams often start with an unsolicited text.
Red flags checklist
Screenshot this list or save it. Two or more of these together is a reason to walk away.
- They contacted you first about a job you never applied for, especially by text or a messaging app.
- The interview is text-only. The BBB notes scammers ask you to move to a messaging app rather than talk by phone or video.
- You are hired almost instantly after almost no questions.
- The pay is high and the duties are vague. The FTC flags promises of thousands a month for minimal effort.
- They ask for bank details, Social Security number or ID photos before a real offer. A real employer needs this for payroll paperwork after you accept, and usually on an official form.
- Any request for money, gift cards, crypto or a wire transfer, whether framed as a fee, a deposit or a refund of an "overpayment."
- A free email address (Gmail, Outlook) for a company that claims to be large, or an address that is one letter off from the real company's domain.
- Pressure. "Reply in the next hour or we give it to someone else."
How to verify an employer in ten minutes
The BBB's advice is simple, and it works. Do these in order:
- Search the recruiter's name and the company name together with the word "scam" or "reviews."
- Go to the company's own website yourself. Type the address into your browser, do not click the link in the message. Look for the same job on its official careers page. If the posting is not there, call the main number listed on the site and ask if the recruiter works there.
- Check that the pay, hiring process and benefits are normal for that type of work. A warehouse job in the St. Louis area that pays double the going rate without an interview is not a bargain.
- Search BBB Scam Tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker. You can look up phone numbers, emails and websites that other people have reported.
- Meet or talk in real time. A legitimate hiring manager will get on a phone or video call. If it is only chat, that is a red flag.
- Check the address. If the job is on site, look up the location on a map. A "St. Louis office" that is a mail drop or a vacant lot tells you something.
A good habit for Facebook groups, including ours: a post that says "DM me for the job" with no company name, no address and no link to an official application is a lead to check, not a job.
What to do if you already sent money or information
Do not be embarrassed. These scams are designed by professionals. Speed matters more than pride. The FTC's step-by-step guidance depends on how you paid:
- Bank transfer or Zelle: contact your bank or credit union right away and ask them to try to reverse it.
- Payment app (Venmo, Cash App, PayPal): contact the app and ask for a reversal.
- Wire transfer: tell Western Union or MoneyGram you were defrauded and ask for a refund.
- Credit or debit card: call the number on the back of the card and dispute the charge.
- Gift card: contact the card company with the card number and receipt.
- Cryptocurrency: contact the exchange or ATM operator, though protections are weaker.
- Cash sent by mail: call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 to try to intercept it.
If you gave out your Social Security number, ID or bank login, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan, change passwords, and turn on two-factor authentication. If you deposited a suspicious check, tell your bank before you spend or send anything.
Keep everything: screenshots, phone numbers, email headers, payment receipts, the original posting. Reports are stronger with evidence.
Where to report
Reporting rarely gets your money back on its own, but it can stop the next person and feeds cases against these operations. Use more than one:
| Where | Best for | How |
|---|---|---|
| FTC ReportFraud | Any job scam | ReportFraud.ftc.gov |
| Missouri Attorney General | Missouri consumers; enforces the state Merchandising Practices Act | Online complaint or PDF form at ago.mo.gov; Consumer Protection Hotline 1-800-392-8222 |
| BBB Scam Tracker | Warning others, searchable public record | bbb.org/scamtracker |
| FBI IC3 | Cyber-enabled fraud, especially online or crypto | ic3.gov |
| Your bank or card issuer | Trying to reverse the payment | Phone number on your card or statement |
The Missouri AG's office says it cannot give individual legal advice because it represents the state, and the FBI notes that any follow-up on a complaint is at the receiving agency's discretion. Set expectations accordingly. If you live on the Illinois side, report to the FTC and your own state's attorney general as well.
For the platform where you found the post (Facebook, Indeed, LinkedIn, a text carrier), use the built-in "report" option too. Your mobile carrier may also have a way to report scam texts, so check its website.
Mistakes people make
- Waiting to see if the check clears. Banks may show funds long before a fake check is caught.
- Paying "just a small fee." Small first payments are how larger requests begin.
- Trusting a logo. Logos are copied in seconds. Check the domain and the official careers page.
- Moving the conversation off-platform to WhatsApp, Telegram or text because a stranger asked.
- Not reporting because "it was only $60." Reports build the pattern investigators use.
FAQ
Is every remote job a scam? No. Plenty of real employers hire remote workers. What matters is the process: a real interview, a company you can verify, and no request for your money.
Can a real employer ask for a background check? Yes, and many do. The employer arranges and normally pays for it. Be suspicious if you are asked to pay a stranger for one by gift card or app.
A recruiter texted me out of nowhere. Should I answer? Do not click links or share information. Look up the company yourself and contact its official HR line. If the recruiter is real, they will be listed there.
I already sent money. Is it hopeless? Not always. Contacting your bank or the payment service quickly can sometimes reverse a payment. Then report it to the FTC and the Missouri Attorney General.
Can I get in trouble if I unknowingly reshipped packages or cashed a fake check? It can create problems, since your name and address are on the transactions. Report it promptly to the bank and the FTC, keep records, and consider talking to a licensed attorney or a legal aid organization.
Sources
- FTC Consumer Advice: Job Scams
- FTC Consumer Advice: Job Scams (article)
- FTC Consumer Advice: What To Do If You Were Scammed
- BBB: How to spot a job scam, no matter how sophisticated
- BBB Employment Scams 2026 Update
- Missouri Attorney General: Consumer Complaint
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Seen a suspicious post?
Join the free Now Hiring In St. Louis Facebook group and tell us before you apply, or sign up for free job alerts that link to official employer applications. We can't promise a job, but we can help you check the posting first.