Pen & Polish

When job scams have lousy grammar and shady email addresses, they’re easy to spot. But what happens when the email looks completely legitimate?

This week, I received two emails from companies that seemed 100% real—polished writing, a company-branded email, a professional signature, and even an official logo. But something felt off… and I’m glad I checked.

Here’s what I learned about how scammers are getting smarter—and how you can avoid falling for it.

🛑 5 Red Flags That Even Good Fake Job Emails Show

✅ 1. The Email Address Feels ‘Off’ (But Only Slightly)

The scammer’s email included the company name but added an extra word (e.g., careers@[company]jobs.com instead of @company.com). These small changes make the email look official at first glance!

🔹 How to Check: Search for the official hiring email on the company’s website and compare.

✅ 2. No Immediate Ask for Personal Info (But Still Suspicious)

This email didn’t immediately ask for banking details or Social Security numbers—instead, they played the long game. They asked me to fill out a pre-interview screening questionnaire about my editing and technical writing skills.

🔹 How to Check: Look up the company’s actual hiring process. Many real companies won’t send detailed questionnaires without an official application process first.

✅ 3. The Signature & Branding Look Professional

This scam included the company’s actual logo, a polished email signature, and even links to the company website. On the surface, everything looked legitimate.

🔹 How to Check: Hover over links before clicking. Scammers often use authentic company branding but link to a fake site to collect information.

✅ 4. The Job May (or May Not) Exist on the Company Website

In one case, the job wasn’t listed on the company’s official website. That was a huge red flag.

On the other email I received – the job was posted on their Careers page, making the scam seem even more real. However, when I contacted the company directly, they confirmed the email I received was fake.

🔹 How to Check: If the job is listed on the official website, apply through their portal instead of replying to an email. If you’re unsure, contact HR directly to verify.

✅ 5. It Passes the Quick Scan… But Fails the Deep Dive

Scammers know we look for typos and obvious mistakes—so these emails were grammatically flawless and well-written. What made me dig deeper?

🔹 My gut feeling. Something about the phrasing, hiring process, and email address felt slightly off. Trust your instincts, and always verify.

🔍 How I Confirmed It Was a Scam

I contacted the company’s HR team directly, and they confirmed they never sent that email. That was all the proof I needed.

💡 Lesson learned: If something feels slightly off, take a step back and research.

💬 Have You Encountered a Job Scam Like This?

I’d love to hear from you! What’s the most convincing fake job offer you’ve seen? Let’s share experiences and help each other stay safe!