NORFOLK, Va. — In recent months, people across Hampton Roads have been receiving text messages claiming to be from "recruiters" offering lucrative job opportunities.
While some may be tempted to engage, experts say it's best to delete these messages.
Elizabeth Carter, director of accreditation services at the Better Business Bureau of Greater Hampton Roads, warns that scammers are exploiting the job market's vulnerabilities.
“They know that people need jobs. They know people need money, and they're going to prey on that,” Carter said.
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The scam typically involves a text message, unexpectedly, claiming that a company is offering flexible work opportunities where individuals can earn a daily salary between $201 to $3,000 for leaving product reviews for online retailers, such as Temu.
Carter said, “I don't know of many recruiters, or even headhunters, that are going to be that cryptic or give you really exciting information of all this money for a little bit of work.”
Red flags to look out for include promises of quick cash, free training, and flexible hours — especially when it comes from a stranger.
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Another common tactic scammers use is sending from an email address rather than a phone number.
The Better Business Bureau reports that if a so-called recruiter urges you to move communications to WhatsApp, or another platform, this is often a sign that the message is not legitimate.
Carter said, “I wouldn't click any link at all, ever for any reason. I would automatically just stop what I was doing and go straight to the [company you’re looking to contact].”
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If you did apply for a job, revisit the original referral boards to verify the status of your application and any potential offers.
If you get an unwanted text message, you might see a prompt to press "STOP" to unsubscribe. Carter cautions against this as well — scammers may use it as confirmation that you are a real person and continue to target you.
The bottom line? It's best to ignore these messages entirely to protect yourself from scams.
This article was researched, reported, and written by a WTKR News 3 journalist. AI was used to minimize typos and ensure style continuity.
