More than 1.17 million U.S. workers were laid off in 2025, and New Jersey authorities say scammers are taking advantage of job seekers looking for new opportunities.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office is warning that scammers may create fake job advertisements on social media, online marketplaces and job search websites or impersonate legitimate companies and staffing agencies. Some may direct applicants to fraudulent websites designed to appear legitimate.

Authorities warn that unusually high pay for little work, requests for money or fees and job offers made without an interview can be signs of a scam.

Job seekers should also avoid providing banking information, Social Security numbers, copies of government-issued identification or other sensitive information before verifying the source, according to the fraud alert.

Authorities recommend independently researching a company and using official contact information to verify that a recruiter or hiring manager actually works for the organization. They warn that fraudulent postings can also appear on reputable job-search websites, including LinkedIn and Indeed.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted should stop communicating with the suspected scammer, preserve emails, text messages and job postings and report the incident to local police. Scams can also be reported to the Federal Trade Commission or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.