Employment-Related Scam Losses Totaled $363 Million in 2025

Employment-related scams generated 24,688 complaints in 2025, with victims reporting $362,934,762 in losses. Reported losses rose from $70,234,079 in 2023 to $264,223,271 in 2024 before reaching the 2025 total.

The figures reflect complaints and reported losses; they do not capture every scam or its full cost. Almost $13 million in reported losses in 2025 involved employment scams using artificial intelligence.

Online interviews may involve voice spoofing or deepfakes. A possible clue is a mismatch between a person’s lip movements and the audio. The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center report described the sign as “the actions and lip movement of the person interviewed on-camera do not completely coordinate with the audio.”

Some AI-involved employment scams appear aimed at gaining access to private computer networks. The figures do not establish that this is the goal in every such scam.

Job seekers should check openings on an employer’s official website. Legitimate employers do not require applicants to pay to get a job.