Work-From-Home or Work-From-Hoax?

Logging in to your next role…or into a scam? 

More Australians are working from home than ever before. In fact, 36% of employed people usually work remotely (Australian Bureau of Statistics, August 2025). For many, that means flexibility, freedom and the chance to earn regardless of location. 

For scammers though, it means opportunity. Because while you’re scrolling job boards looking for your next role, they’re building ones that don’t exist.

The Job that looks perfect

It starts like any other opportunity. A message. A listing. A recruiter reaching out. The role sounds easy. The pay feels high. The hours are flexible. No experience needed. Work entirely from home. 

It doesn’t feel like a scam, and that’s the point.

A typical scam job ad 

Remote Admin Assistant

• $35–$45 per hour
• Work from home
• Flexible hours, start immediately
• No experience required
• Weekly payments guaranteed 

Responsibilities:

• Process simple payments
• Assist with basic admin tasks
• Receive and forward packages  

To get started, simply provide your details and complete a quick onboarding payment. 

It reads like an opportunity. But hidden in plain sight are the warning signs. 

Where things start to glitch  

The “job” moves quickly. Too quickly. 

You’re hired almost instantly. No real interview. No reference checks.  

Then come the asks: 

• A fee for training or equipment
• A request to move money as part of the role
• Personal details like your TFN, bank info or other personal identification details 

What they’re really taking 

Sometimes it’s your money. Sometimes it’s your identity. Sometimes it’s your involvement in something you didn’t sign up for. 

Common scam roles often involve: 

• Payment forwarding where you unknowingly move fraudulent money
• Reshipping stolen goods through your address
• Fake admin roles designed to collect personal information
• Upfront fee jobs that disappear once you pay  

How to read between the lines 

Real jobs don’t rush you or avoid real conversations. 

Watch for these red flags: 

• Pay that feels too high for the work
• Being hired instantly with no interview
• Communication only through messaging apps
• Requests for payment to get started
• Email addresses that don’t match the company
• Vague or copy-paste job descriptions  

If it feels off, trust that instinct. 

Logging out before it’s too late

If something doesn’t feel right, stop engaging. Don’t send money or personal information. There are real opportunities out there. 

But scammers are working just as hard to create fake ones. And when a job looks effortless, fast and a little too perfect, it might not be a new role. 

It might be a scam.