I thought a recruiter had found me the perfect job — then he asked me to pay. These are the warning signs I missed.

I’ve spent six years writing about the workplace, and though this job market has been unexpectedly difficult, I thought I had learned its ins and outs.

I’ve seen readers go through this, and as a freelancer open to a full-time position, I’ve experienced it, too.

Apply online, post on LinkedIn, get contacted by a recruiter, interview, take a test, interview again— and then get ghosted.

When hope began to feel scarce earlier this year, I woke up to an email from a “recruiter.” His message was long, detailed, and complimentary.

He praised my writing and portfolio and explained how closely my experience aligned with a role he was hiring for.

At first, all he asked for in return was my résumé.

The email was kind, detailed, convincing — and a scam.

I received this from the recruiter: “I’m currently partnering with the recruiting team supporting a confidential Senior Editorial Strategy Lead Workplace & Career Content opportunity with Indeed, and I wanted to reach out personally because your profile is unusually aligned with what this team is trying to build.” His email included a photo of himself, and his signature linked to a LinkedIn profile that he claimed was his.

The verified profile was filled with endorsements, an image of himself, and years of experience listed on his page.

I’d heard of recruiter scams before, but I didn’t see any harm in his email.

He complimented my work again, gave me a more detailed overview of the role, and laid out the pay range of $125,000-$165,000.

I was excited to see the range, especially because it was higher than I had anticipated and more than I had earned in my previous roles.

I thought, He’s not asking for anything.

After a few days had passed, he told me the hiring team had reviewed my candidacy and, though “the feedback was positive overall,” my résumé needed improvement before we could proceed.

To move forward, I’d need to have my résumé redone through a service he worked with.

He said: “My intention is simply to connect you with a resource that can help present your experience at the level the hiring team is looking for.

You can then decide for yourself whether the service and investment make sense for you.” I replied and asked him if there was a fee for the résumé service.

Within the hour, he replied: “The service does involve a fee.

I don’t want to quote a specific amount on their behalf because I’m not directly involved in their current pricing structure, and the cost may depend on the level of support and tools you choose.” They confirmed the recruiter was not affiliated with the company and that the job opportunity was not real.

I received this from Indeed: “Regarding the outreach you received, it appears to be a fake recruiting email from an impersonated recruiter.

Our People team has confirmed that we are not hiring for this position, and that Indeed does not work with outside agencies to fill open roles.

We’ve also found that this email domain has recently been involved in other fake recruiting schemes.” I stopped replying.

LinkedIn’s 2026 Job Search Safety Pulse found that 36% of recruiters say they’ve been victims of impersonation, and 67% say job scams are making it harder to build trust with candidates.

How can job seekers tell the difference between a real recruiter and someone pretending to be one?

Erica Rivera, a career coach and former recruiter at Indeed and Meta, said these scams can be hard to spot — but there are signs.

If a recruiter reaches out about a job opportunity, applicants should be able to find the position somewhere outside the recruiter’s message, ideally on the company’s website or a reputable job platform.

It can also be a good sign when the recruiter or their colleagues are actively sharing the opening on LinkedIn, she said.

You might also be able to tell by their email address. “If they have their email included, and it’s truly a company email,” that’s another green flag,” she said.

To check, she suggested looking at the company’s website for an official email address.

Not every unusual recruiting practice means someone is trying to scam you, but some situations should prompt applicants to verify who they’re dealing with.

A recruiter’s LinkedIn profile can offer some clues about whether they are who they say they are.

Rivera said applicants should be cautious if a recruiter has very little activity or only a few connections.

A suspicious-looking LinkedIn profile photo, a newer profile, or a lack of verification can also be reasons to take a closer look. “I’m always suspicious when I see a recruiter reaching out that isn’t endorsed, because if you’re going to be reaching out to people, you should validate your profile,” Rivera said.

Text messages from a recruiter can also warrant some caution.

Recruiters are more likely to call a candidate unexpectedly, she said, although texting can happen in some circumstances.

For example, recruiters may text someone like a CDL driver because they may be difficult to reach by email.

If a recruiter reaches out via text, Rivera recommends moving the conversation to a phone call and asking them to send the job information by email.

If a recruiter starts asking for sensitive personal information or money, Rivera said applicants should cut off communication. “Anything tied to Social Security, date of birth, bank account information, marital status, anything like that should be an automatic flag,” she said.

Recruiters may reasonably ask for a résumé, portfolio, work samples, or other information directly related to the position, but requests that go beyond that should raise immediate concerns.

Being asked to pay for something is another major warning sign.

Rivera said legitimate recruiters should not require candidates to pay for résumé services, equipment, or other costs as part of the hiring process.

If you’re asked to pay for something, stop communicating.

She also recommended reporting the account on the platform the recruiter used to contact you and, when appropriate, reporting suspicious activity to Google.

If you’re comfortable doing so, Rivera suggested sharing your experience to warn other job seekers.

Even after years of experience, I was still willing to consider a recruiter who appeared to know my work, understood my experience, and seemed to have a legitimate opportunity.

That’s exactly what makes these scams so dangerous.

Sometimes, they look like the job you’ve been waiting for.

After not replying to the alleged recruiter for four weeks, I thought I had heard the last from him, but he has since followed up again and asked if I’m still interested in the role.