New report shows fake jobs have reached job boards, professional networking platforms
Scams are becoming more and more common in the job market today, according to a new report, which found that jobseekers are already encountering these scams even in reputable job boards and networking platforms.
Monster's 2026 Job Scam Report revealed that 95% of jobseekers have seen at least one questionable job opportunity, with many reporting multiple suspicious offers during a single search.
Email and text messages are the top channels where job scams are most reported, according to the findings.
But they are also reported even in job boards (51%) and professional networking platforms (43%).
More than half of the respondents (56%) said they encountered a job scam through unsolicited recruiter outreach, while others said they encountered them on social media and messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram.
According to the respondents, one of the biggest red flags for job scams is when communication only happens through text or chat (63%).
More than half also believe that offers without a real interview, as well as those that promise high pay for minimal work, can be perceived as a red flag.
The spread of job scams
The findings show the widespread proliferation of job scams amid a competitive job market, where jobseekers are applying to more roles, open to new opportunities, and responding quickly to outreach.
Scammers are taking advantage of these conditions by using urgency, personalisation, and familiar platforms to appear legitimate.
"This creates an environment where awareness is critical," the report read.
Peter Duris, CEO and co-founder of Kickresume, previously urged employers to also be vigilant in the wake of scams, particularly the kind that use legitimate company names for their fraudulent scheme.
Duris advised employers to regularly check if their company name is being used fraudulently in job ads, and ensure that their job listings on job search platforms can also be found on their company's website.
"As well as using third-party sites like LinkedIn, you should make sure jobseekers can apply directly on your website too. This can help to reassure jobseekers," Duris previously advised.
