A 21-year-old says a job she found online turned into a costly scam. Here's how it happened and what to watch for.
A 21-year-old Texas woman says what she believed was a legitimate job opportunity has turned into a financial nightmare, and left her thousands of dollars in the negative. She's one of the thousands of people who experience job-related scams every year.
Madelyn Ackerman was searching for work when she came across a remote personal assistant job listing on Indeed.'I was desperate for a job because I work in the fast food industry. I've been working in there for several years now, and unfortunately, I can't afford to go back to college yet,' said Ackerman. 'I was trying to find something more flexible, something that would pay me well. It checked all my boxes.'Ackerman says finding the listing on the well-known platform gave her a sense of security that the job listing was legitimate.“I didn’t think something like this could happen there,” she said.How the job scam workedAfter applying, Ackerman says the process quickly moved off of Indeed's platform.She was sent an external link with job details and told to communicate over email and text. Then, she was offered the job without a formal interview.Soon after, she was given her first 'task' and told the job would officially be hers once she completed it. “They sent me a check and told me to deposit it,” she said.The check was for nearly $5,000.Ackerman says the money appeared in her account the next day.'But I didn't realize that that money still technically isn't mine. It's the bank's, because that check didn't get fully verified yet,' said Ackerman. She says she was then instructed to withdraw the funds, deposit some into a cryptocurrency ATM, and send the rest through a money order.Days later, her bank, Chase, flagged the check as fraudulent and she was on the hook to pay the money back to her account.“My bank told me I was most likely the victim of a job scam,” she said.Why victims end up owing moneyConsumer experts warn this is a common tactic, and according to the latest data from the FTC, job scams are on the rise. Banks are often required to make funds available quickly after a check is deposited, but that does not mean the check has cleared. If the check later bounces, the customer can still be responsible for the money.In Ackerman’s case, she was sent nearly $5,000 negative. She's now set up an arrangement with Chase to pay it back over time. 'It's very devastating. It's really hard. I don't have money like that. I've never had money like that, so it seems impossible for me to do right now,' says Ackerman.What Indeed and Chase say Reported losses from job scams exceeded $636 million in 2025, according to the FTC. Job listing platforms and banking institutions are trying to bring awareness to the issue.In an official statement to Hearst Television, Indeed said the following:'Job seekers are at the heart of everything we do at Indeed, and their safety is a top priority. Fraudulent job postings are a clear violation of our policies. Our dedicated Trust and Safety Team uses a combination of advanced technology and human review to help identify and prevent fraudulent activity on our site and to assess whether job listings meet our quality standards. Every month, we remove millions of job posts that don’t meet our strict quality standards. We also take action against misuse of our platform, which may include disabling accounts of job seekers and/or employers who violate our policies. If a job seeker sees a job they believe to be suspicious, they can report it directly to Indeed here. 'We reached out to Ackerman's bank, JP Morgan Chase, as well and they said financial scams can happen to anyone. The bank urges customers to stay alert to common tactics.Financial scams can, and do, happen to anyone. It’s important to stay aware of common and emerging scam tactics and best practices to keep your information and money safe. To make staying informed easier, Chase hosts 1,000+ free fraud and scam prevention workshops each year across the country.” – Meghan Durant, Chase SpokespersonThey also provided guidance, based on what they've learned about job scams impacting their customers.Scammers will send unsolicited job offers, typically via email or social media and will send you a check to deposit in your bank account to pay for expenses such as a work laptop. However, they’ll then tell you they sent too much and to immediately send back the difference. The check will then bounce, and the customer will be on the hook for the full amount. In other cases, a fake employer may ask you to send money to apply or confirm a job opportunity that does not exist. Red flags to watch forExperts say there are several warning signs of a job scam:A job offer without a real interviewBeing asked to move a conversation off a trusted platformReceiving a check before doing any workBeing asked to send money, buy equipment or transfer fundsWhat to do if you’re targetedIf you believe you have been the target of a job scam:Stop communication immediatelyContact your bank right awayDocument everythingReport the incident to the FTC at IdentityTheft.govFile a police reportAckerman did file a police report with the Fort Bend Sheriff's Office in Texas, but has not received any updates as of the time of this publication. A warning to othersAckerman says the experience has made her more cautious—and she hopes others learn from it.“If it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” she said. “Just trust your gut.”
JP Morgan Chase Madelyn Ackerman Bank Check Fraud Crypto Crypto Atm Debt Desperate For Work Fake Job Listing Indeed Job Scam Victim Job Scams Need Job Need Work Payment Arrangements Remote Personal Assistant Job Victim Of Job Scam Money Job Scam Check Bank Madelyn Ackerman Chase Well-Known Platform Customer Account Ftc Year Thousand Listing Safety Employer
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