For many migrants, a job offer in the United States can represent the possibility of a higher salary, a better quality of life, and the opportunity to support their families. However, for unscrupulous and fraudulent “contractors,” false promises of work are an easy way to take money from individuals, families, and even entire communities.
In Houston, immigrants are a representative part of the workforce: they account for nearly half of workers in sectors such as construction, and they are also essential in hospitality, food service, health, and engineering.
According to data from the American Community Survey (ACS) of the U.S. Census Bureau and other sources, between 2017 and 2021 immigrants represented about one-third of all workers in the city.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a U.S. government agency charged with protecting consumers from unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent business practices, it announced that losses reported from labor and employment scams have shown significant growth in recent years, the number of complaints in the country tripled between 2020 and 2024, and the amount consumers reported losing rose to $501 million.
According to reports from this agency, email was the most common way consumers reported being contacted by scammers. Phone calls were the second method of contact for fraud cases in 2024, followed by text messages.
These practices are often accompanied by generic or unclear communications, the absence of real interviews and formal contracts, and the alleged employer’s refusal to provide verifiable information or access to the company.
Warning signs and recommendations to protect yourself:
- Ignore any generic or unexpected text message or WhatsApp about jobs, no matter how specific or flattering it may seem.
- Never pay to obtain a job or to receive payments; any request for money is a sign of a scam.
- Be wary of employers who promise payments for rating products, giving “likes,” or writing online reviews, if there is no legitimate and transparent process.
- Verify that the recruitment processes include real interviews and formal contracts.
- Check directly with companies about job offers.
And indeed, labor fraud in the U.S. includes a significant loss of funds from fake job offers—estimated at $737 million since 2019—high levels of unemployment insurance fraud during the pandemic are estimated at between $100 billion and $135 billion, and widespread wage theft.
Wage theft is also a serious problem, and studies reveal that millions of workers receive low wages, lose billions of dollars annually, and in some cases, average losses exceed $2,600 per year for low-wage workers.
Here in Texas, you can report all types of wage fraud or wage theft to the Texas Workforce Commission at the website, www.twc.texas.gov.
