Learn How to Recognize Possible Human Trafficking

Knowing what human trafficking is, and what to look out for, may help keep you and others safe. Some common signs of human trafficking are listed below. This isn’t a complete list, so even if you answer no to these questions, if you think that you or someone you know may have been trafficked, get help by letting someone know.

And if you answer yes to some of these questions, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve been trafficked, but help is available if you need it or want to talk to someone about your situation.

• Does a job seem too good to be true? For example, does it offer very high pay for easy work or offer to make you a star, model, influencer, or actor quickly?
• Did you seek out the job, or did the person offering the job reach out to you online as a stranger?
• Do you feel pressured to take the job? For example, were you told that you had to say yes right away or someone else would get the job? Did the person who offered you the job only offer to date you if you took the job? Did the person threaten you, your family, or your friends if you refused to take the job?
• Do you have to pay money to get the job or after you take the job? For example, is there a recruitment, placement, or travel fee?
• If you are required to travel, is someone else planning your travel or forcing you to travel? Was your wallet, phone, passport, visa, license, or other important items taken from you and not given back to you?
• Does your employer require you to live at a certain place (for example, with them or with other employees)?
• Is your job different than the job you were promised?
• Are you forced to work? For example, does someone at work threaten to hurt you, your family, or your friends, or threaten to have any of you arrested or deported if you don’t work or if you complain about work?
• Does your employer hurt or insult you or force you to do things that make you uncomfortable? 
• Does your employer try to stop you from leaving where you live or work?
• Does your employer refuse to pay you or get angry if you ask for your pay?  
• If you are paid, are you paid less than you agreed to, or less than you expected to get?
• Are you paid with housing, food, or things like gift cards instead of money?
• Do you have control of your pay or does your employer control where your pay is kept and when and how it is used?
• Are you working to pay off money your employer says you owe them? Does your employer keep some of your pay to repay money they say you owe them?
• Does your employer give you drugs or alcohol? Does your employer require you to use drugs or drink alcohol?
• Does your employer compliment your looks, make sexual comments about you, show you pictures or videos of naked people, ask you for naked pictures or videos, or threaten to send such pictures or videos to others or post them online?
• Does your employer make you participate in sex acts at work for money or something else of value?
• Does your employer offer you fancy gifts or special treatment?
• Does your employer refuse to let you eat, rest, or get medical care, or limit the amount of food, rest, or medical care you get?
• Does your employer try to keep you away from your friends or family in person or online?
• Are you afraid of your employer or people working for your employer?

Information based in part on Commission Meeting testimony of Florrie Burke, Consultant and Co-Chair, Freedom Network USA, https://www.eeoc.gov/meetings/meeting-january-19-2011-human-trafficking-and-forced-labor/burke