BBB: Nearly 50,000 reports of employment scams since 2023

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Reports of employment scams are surging and may be far more widespread than official complaints suggest, according to new data cited by the Better Business Bureau.

The BBB says nearly 50,000 people have reported falling victim to an employment scam since 2023. The number of reports jumped sharply in 2025, more than doubling from the year before, the organization said.

Text messages are a common tool for scammers. The BBB says more than half of the roughly 23,000 employment scam reports last year listed texts as the method used to reach victims.

But the BBB warns the problem is likely vastly undercounted. A 2021 study using federal data found fewer than 5% of victims reported scams to the BBB or a government agency, according to the organization.

The BBB urges job seekers to watch for red flags, including unprompted job offers, pay that seems too good to be true and any request for upfront costs to start work. It also says you should never pay money to get your paycheck, and always use video in an interview if possible. If an employer offers you a job without an interview, be wary.