Florida Job Offer Text Scams: Sheriff's Warning

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno warned residents May 20 of a surge in job offer text scams that have cost Floridians over $9 million in the past year.

Scammers use artificial intelligence to target roughly 400,000 unemployed people across Florida. They pose as recruiters for legitimate companies and text unsolicited job offers for positions like "online assessor" or other remote work, often citing attractive daily or weekly pay without specifics.

Rather than including links, scammers now ask recipients to reply "YES" or "INTERESTED." Once they establish contact, they deploy two tactics: sending a fake check for deposit and requesting the victim return a portion of it, or assigning online tasks like posting positive reviews while eventually demanding the victim deposit their own money.

Sheriff Marceno advised residents to ignore unexpected job texts, never pay money to secure work, and distrust offers promising high pay for minimal effort. Real employers do not recruit through text, WhatsApp, or Telegram.

Residents can report scams to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or learn more at ftc.gov/scams. Discuss these tactics with older family members.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office offers free crime prevention programs on online and public safety. Schedule a program by calling (239) 477-1CRU or emailing [email protected].