Fake OSHA Cards & Training Scams

Many jobs, cities and states require an OSHA 10 or 30 card, which has created a market for fake cards and phony courses. Workers who buy them lose money, may lose the job, and can face fraud charges, and they miss the training that could keep them alive.

• Workers
• Employers
• Construction

How real OSHA cards work

• OSHA 10 and 30 cards come from the OSHA Outreach Training Program.
• Classes are taught by trainers authorized through an OSHA Training Institute Education Center, or online by providers OSHA has authorized.
• Courses have required minimum hours and topics; you can’t finish a real OSHA 30 in an afternoon.
• The card is issued by the authorizing organization after the trainer reports completion.

See OSHA 10 & 30 Cards.

Red flags

• “Get your OSHA card today, no class needed”
• A course much shorter than the required hours
• Payment only in cash, gift cards or payment apps, with no receipt
• A trainer who can’t show their OSHA trainer authorization
• An online course from a site that isn’t on OSHA’s list of authorized online providers
• Ads on social media or flyers promising cards for a fee
• Cards with spelling errors or that look different from official ones

Before you sign up

• Ask the trainer for their current OSHA authorization and check it.
• For online training, use a provider on OSHA’s authorized list (linked from OSHA’s Outreach Training Program page).
• Use union training centers, community colleges and OTI Education Centers, which offer legitimate classes.
• Keep your receipt and course completion information.

Other training scams

• Fake CDL schools and certificates. See Entry-Level Driver Training.
• Fake forklift, crane or scaffold “licenses.” Real qualifications include hands-on evaluation.
• Fake asbestos and lead certifications. See Asbestos Licensing.

For employers

Check cards against the issuing organization’s verification process when available, ask new hires where they trained, and remember that a card shows awareness training, not that someone is qualified for a specific task.

Report fraud

Report suspected fake trainers or cards to OSHA and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. See Reporting Scams.

Last updated: October 1, 2026