How do I verify that an employer is real?
US rules and agencies as of 30 Oct 2026. Official links checked on 30 October 2026.
Verify an employer by confirming it exists, confirming the job is theirs and confirming the person contacting you works there. None of that needs a paid tool. It takes about ten minutes and uses the company's own website, public records and a call to a number you looked up yourself.
The seven checks
- Website. Does the company have a real site with specific products, locations and people? A site with only stock text is weak evidence.
- Careers page. Is your job listed on the company's own careers page, which you opened by typing the address?
- Email domain. Does the recruiter's email match the company's domain exactly? Watch for extra words, swapped letters or free mailboxes.
- Public registration. For US companies, the state Secretary of State business search shows whether a company is registered and in good standing. Compare the legal name with the one on your offer.
- Search. Search the company and recruiter name with "scam", "review" and "complaint", as the FTC suggests.
- Contact route. Call or write the company's published general number or HR address and ask whether the role and recruiter are real.
- Money and data. Any request for fees, a deposited check or early SSN fails the test regardless of the rest. See fee scams.
What a badge does and does not prove
On LiveRec, a Verified mark beside a company name means its business registration passed a check. It does not rate the workplace or guarantee hiring practices. Details are on what LiveRec checks.
Found a problem?
If any check fails, stop. You can report a job or an employer on LiveRec; see how to report job scams.
A worked example
Imagine you get an email from a recruiter about a role at a company you have not heard of. Here is how to run the checks without trusting anything in the email.
| Step | What you do | What you want to see |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Type the company's web address yourself | A real site with specific services and locations |
| 2 | Open its careers page | The same role listed |
| 3 | Compare the sender's domain | An exact match with the website's domain |
| 4 | Search the state business registry | The legal name matching the offer paperwork |
| 5 | Call the published general number | Someone confirms the role and recruiter |
| 6 | Notice what you are asked for | No fee, check or early SSN |
If step 1 or 2 fails, it is a reason to pause. If step 6 fails, stop, whatever the other steps showed.
Common mistakes
- Verifying with contact details that appear in the message.
- Treating a nice website as proof; sites are cheap to build.
- Skipping the legal name check. A scammer may use a real company's brand with a different entity behind it.
- Giving up on a small business that has a simple site but consistent registration and contact route.
Signals the FTC points to
The FTC suggests searching the company or person with words like "scam", "review" and "complaint", and talking to someone you trust about the offer before accepting. It also warns against paying for the promise of a job.
Using LiveRec
On LiveRec, look for the Verified business badge on a company page and read what LiveRec checks to know what it proves. Browse postings at /jobs.
FAQ
Does a small business fail these checks? Not necessarily. A small firm may have a simple site. Focus on whether the registration, contact route and requests are consistent.
Is a LinkedIn page enough? No. Pages can be created by anyone. Use it with the other checks.
What should I do if an employer fails a check? Stop sharing information, do not pay, and report the job or employer. See how to report job scams.
Can I verify an employer outside the US? Use that country's official company registry and the same contact-route checks. The Secretary of State step applies to US companies.
Sources
- FTC, Job scams: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- FTC, ReportFraud: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
Next step: Learn what LiveRec checks.
This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. Consult a licensed attorney or qualified adviser.