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Guide · checked 29 September 2026

How to tell a real job from a scam

A real employer pays you. A scam asks you to pay. Officials in Jamaica and the United States say the same few things. Check them before you send a document or a dollar.

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In this guide 7In this guide
  1. 1Never pay to be hired
  2. 2The cheque that bounces
  3. 3Other warning signs
  4. 4How to check a company
  5. 5Agencies and licences
  6. 6Overseas farm and hotel work
  7. 7If you have been scammed

01Never pay to be hired

The US Federal Trade Commission says honest employers will never ask you to pay to get a job.1

Jamaica's police describe fake agencies that ask for a registration fee, and sometimes for medicals and uniforms. The jobs never appear.2

Our advice: pay nothing to be hired, even for "equipment" you are told will be repaid.

02The cheque that bounces

Another scam sends you a cheque and tells you to deposit it, keep part and send the rest on. The US commission says the cheque is fake, and the bank will want its money back from you.1

Our advice: if an employer sends money and asks for some back, stop.

03Other warning signs

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security lists these signs:3

  • unexplained processing fees, or payments to personal bank accounts;
  • an unrealistic salary, or pressure to decide quickly;
  • vague details about the employer or the work;
  • recruiting from a vehicle or a public space, not an established business location.

04How to check a company

The US commission suggests searching the company or the recruiter's name with the words "scam", "review" or "complaint".1 Police also say to be wary of an agency with no working telephone number or address.2

The Ministry says fraudsters misuse its name and logo to advertise fictitious jobs.3

Our advice: look at the sender's email address. A real employer writes from its own website's address, not a free webmail one. Find the website yourself and compare.

05Agencies and licences

Anyone recruiting for local or overseas jobs in Jamaica needs a Ministry licence, valid for 12 months.4 The Ministry publishes the list of licensed agencies on its website, mlss.gov.jm.5 To check one, call its Employment Agencies Unit on 876-676-5806.5

06Overseas farm and hotel work

The Ministry runs the overseas programmes for farm work in Canada and the US, and for hotel work in the US.6 It says application forms are not for sale.6

The Government warns of fake overseas offers trapping people into human trafficking, and says to use authorised recruitment channels.7

07If you have been scammed

The Ministry takes reports on WhatsApp at 876-553-5457, and says to report the matter to the police Fraud Squad.5

Police also give 119 for emergencies and Crime Stop on 311.2 The US commission says to contact your payment provider straight away.1

Checked29 September 2026

Sources

  1. US Federal Trade Commission, "Job Scams"consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams
  2. Jamaica Constabulary Force, "Half-Way-Tree Police Warn Citizens"jcf.gov.jm/half-way-tree-police-warn-citizens
  3. Ministry of Labour and Social Security, "MLSS Warns Against Fake Job Opportunities" (Jamaica Information Service)jis.gov.jm/mlss-warns-against-fake-job-opportunities
  4. Ministry of Labour and Social Security, "Ministry of Labour and Social Security Ramps-Up Measures to Curtail Employment Scams and Illegal Operators of Unlicensed Employment Agencies"www.mlss.gov.jm/news/ministry-of-labour-and-social-security-ramps-up-measures-to-curtail-employment-scams-and-illegal-operators-of-unlicensed-employment-agencies
  5. Ministry of Labour and Social Security, "Ministry of Labour and Social Security Advises Caution in Responding to Job Fairs Advertised on Social Media"mlss.gov.jm/news/ministry-of-labour-and-social-security-advises-caution-in-responding-to-job-fairs-advertised-on-social-media
  6. Ministry of Labour and Social Security, "Overseas Employment"www.mlss.gov.jm/departments/overseas-employment
  7. Jamaica Information Service, "Jamaicans Urged to Look Out for Online Job Scams"jis.gov.jm/jamaicans-urged-to-look-put-for-online-job-scams

Every fact above was checked against its source on 29 September 2026. Rules and fees change: if one is wrong, tell us.

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