SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/teen-scam-pay-for-job

A "boss" says you must pay a fee to get hired. What is it?

A scam. Honest employers never make you pay to get a job.

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  1. A normal hiring step
  2. A scam ✔
  3. A tax rule

Why: Real employers pay you, not the other way around. Fake jobs often charge for starter kits, training or certifications that are useless.

Huh, didn't know that: The FTC says anyone who demands payment for a job is a scammer.

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Who can drive all their customers away and still make money? Taxi drivers.
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References

Answer: A scam. Real employers pay you, not the other way around. Fake jobs often charge for starter kits, training or certifications that are useless.

  1. FTC: Job scams consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams
    Honest employers, including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to get a job.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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