Fake Caregiver and Nanny Job Scams on Facebook
How fraudulent nanny, caregiver, and elderly care job postings on Facebook extract fees, deliver fraudulent cheques, or expose victims to personal safety risks.
Part of: Fake Caregiver & Nanny Job Scams
Last reviewed: 8 June 2026
Caregiving and nanny job scams on Facebook are particularly harmful because they target people seeking employment in inherently trusting, domestic roles. The jobs are posted in local community groups, caregiver networks, or on Facebook Marketplace, making them appear organic and community-endorsed. The scam exploits the personal nature of caregiving work to create rapid trust.
Facebook's local groups are used because they lend geographic specificity — a posting in a local parents' group feels more authentic than a generic job ad. Victims may also share more personal information than they would in a formal application process because the informal social context seems less threatening.
Cheque fraud is a common element of this scam type: the 'employer' sends a cheque before the caregiver has started, asks for a portion to be returned for 'supplies,' and the cheque bounces after the caregiver has already transferred funds.
How this scam works on Facebook
A posting in a Facebook community group or Marketplace describes a family or elderly individual needing a nanny, caregiver, or companion. The pay rate is competitive and the requirements minimal. The poster's Facebook profile appears to be a genuine local resident with photos and friends.
Initial contact progresses quickly and warmly. The 'employer' cannot meet in person due to travel or caregiving circumstances, so the entire hiring process occurs over Messenger. An overpayment cheque is sent in advance of the start date, and the caregiver is asked to use part of the funds to buy supplies, pay a previous carer, or cover a background check from an 'approved' provider.
The cheque bounces. The 'employer' profile may have been a hacked or cloned account of a real local resident. In in-person variants of this scam, the risk extends to personal safety in the victim's home.
Common red flags
- Employer cannot meet in person before the job starts despite the position being local
- Cheque sent before any in-person meeting or background check is conducted
- Request to forward part of an advance cheque payment for supplies or a prior employee
- Hiring conducted entirely through Messenger without a phone call or video chat
- Profile of the posting family seems newly created or shows signs of cloning (limited photo history, few connections)
- Unusually high pay rate compared to local caregiver market rates
How to protect yourself
- Insist on a video call and in-person meeting before agreeing to any caregiving role
- Never accept advance cheque payments from an employer you have not verified in person
- Do not purchase supplies or transfer any portion of a payment sent before your first day of work
- Let someone you trust know the full address and details of any new caregiver employer before your first visit
- Verify local caregiver job postings through established agencies rather than informal Facebook groups
How to report it
- Report the Facebook profile and posting using Facebook's built-in report function
- File a report with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov if money was lost through cheque fraud
- Contact your local police if you were put at personal risk or the posting used a real local resident's identity without consent
Frequently asked questions
Why do caregiver scammers send cheques before the job starts?
An advance cheque serves two purposes: it creates a sense of financial commitment from the employer (making the job feel real) and sets up the overpayment cheque fraud where the caregiver loses money when the cheque bounces after they have already transferred funds.