By Andrew Ramspacher, fpa5up@virginia.edu
You’ve probably figured it out, but here’s confirmation: That random job opportunity, packed with attractive pay and benefits, that you received via text message from a “recruiter” isn’t legitimate.
It’s just part of the latest phishing campaign authored by scammers.
New data from the Federal Trade Commission, as reported by KABC in Los Angeles, reveals Americans lost $342 million in the first half of 2025 as a result of more than 235,000 text message scams.
Chris Maurer has extensive experience in cybersecurity-related fields, including risk management, vulnerability assessment, security awareness and training, business continuity planning and IT governance.
“In quarter one of this year,” the news story reads, “the FTC says there were 29,000 reports of job or employment text scams.”
UVA Today caught up with Chris Maurer, a cybersecurity expert with the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, to learn more about the scam, how it compares to others, and what you can do to protect yourself.
Q. Are scammers trying to take advantage of the job market and economic climate with these texts?
A. Scammers continuously look for creative ways to trick individuals, and they often find inspiration in changing economic conditions and social trends. So, while I cannot say the increased frequency of fake job offer messages is directly tied to current economic conditions, there is most likely some link.
Q. This scamming attempt comes on the heels of the toll text phishing campaign. Are the campaigns related in any way?
A. To my knowledge, there is no concrete evidence that suggests the same individuals or groups are responsible for both campaigns, but I am sure there is overlap. One thing that hurts scammers is awareness of the scam, so when one campaign gets media attention and the public notices, fewer people fall for the scam. As such, they will move on to a new topic.
Q. What’s similar about the two campaigns?
A. The scam works in much the same way: Unsolicited messages are sent to many people. As soon as someone responds, the scammer will try to keep the individual “on the hook.” After attempting to gain some level of trust with the target, the scammer will then request a payment be sent directly to an account they own.
Q. What’s different about the two campaigns?
A. Fake job texts tend to rely less on fear appeals than other types of scam text messages. A fake toll scam is very direct in that they threaten to take away your driver’s license or impose a significant penalty if payment is not made immediately. So those scams rely heavily on instilling fear and immediacy.
Fake job scams don’t try to scare you into taking some action. Rather, they try to lull you into a level of comfort and trust. The scammer is going to try to make you feel valued and will come across as trying to help you out. In doing so, they aren’t trying to scare you, but rather make you so comfortable that you let your guard down.
Both approaches can be effective from a psychological perspective, but do so in very different ways.
Q. What should you do if you receive a text from an unknown source offering you a job?
A. As with any unexpected or unsolicited text message, pause and think for a moment. Ask yourself whether there may be any legitimate reason for you to receive this message, and err on the side of being skeptical.
These examples that were sent to University Communications staff members show the variety of ways scammers try to “recruit” via text message.
If it seems like a possible scam, delete the message and report it as spam or junk.
Also, remember that any legitimate job offer will never ask you to make a payment up front, before starting the job. So, if you do happen to respond to a message and they start asking for payments before hiring you, it is definitely a scam.
Q. Even if you recognize it’s a fake job offer, what’s the potential damage in replying to the text?
A. If you do not disclose any personal information, there’s not a huge risk in replying to the text message. Scammers can, however, be both tenacious and crafty. So as soon as you reply, they will try very hard to get something from you, even if it is not a direct payment.
They could trick you into disclosing some personal information or other sensitive information without you realizing that the information should not really be shared with anyone. As such, it is best to just delete these messages.
Q. Is there a way to block these texts from getting to your phone?
A. Some cell providers offer an additional service that helps to block more spam or scam calls and messages. I personally have never signed up for these services, so I cannot evaluate how effective they are. I think for the average person, these types of messages are a relatively infrequent annoyance, so it is easy to simply ignore or delete them when they come.
This story was originally published on UVA Today on Oct. 6, 2025.
