Job hunting can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, as you showcase your talents for potential employers in hopes of landing that position. While you’re certainly eager to impress, and want to show that you’ll go the extra mile for your future employer, those instincts can also lead you into trouble. With so much competition for jobs as the country crawls out of a recession, employment scams have emerged as a common way for criminals to take advantage of job-seekers’ enthusiasm.

Employment scams not only damage the spirits of well-meaning job seekers, but can pack a financial punch as well, leaving victims out hundreds or thousands of dollars. So if you’re on the job search, it pays to be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.

“Knowing the warning signs can help people steer clear of employment scams. Warning signs of employment scams may include claims of guaranteed employment and requests for payment of up-front fees,” says Shelley Bernhardt, director of consumer protection at Western Union, a leader in global payment services. She says employment scams usually fall into three categories: