Fake Job Offers in India: Three Common Scams and a 5-Point Verification Routine

Scam pattern 1: The "registration fee" job

• How it looks: You apply for a data-entry, delivery or office role. The recruiter is quick, friendly and confirms your selection within minutes. Then comes the request: a small amount for registration, uniform, ID card, training kit, laptop deposit or "security". The amount is deliberately small so that paying feels easier than walking away. Often it is followed by a second, larger payment.
• What's wrong: A genuine employer pays you; you don't pay them to start working. There can be exceptions in the form of lawful course fees from training institutes, but those are sold as courses, not as jobs. If the word "job" and the word "fee" appear together, stop.

Scam pattern 2: The "easy task" or "like and earn" job

• How it looks: A message offers money for liking videos, rating products, or completing small online tasks. You are paid a small sum to build trust, perhaps a few hundred rupees, and then you're invited to a group where you "invest" money to unlock higher tasks. At some point the withdrawals stop working and the group goes quiet.
• What's wrong: The early payment is the bait. Real companies do not hire strangers by chat to like videos, and they never ask you to deposit money to continue earning.

Scam pattern 3: The "too-good" overseas or high-salary offer

• How it looks: An email or message offers a high-paying job abroad or in a big company with no interview, no tests and a visa promised quickly. You're asked to send passport copies, bank details and an "agent" fee.
• What's wrong: Real recruitment involves interviews, written offers and employer contact details you can verify. Skipping everything and moving straight to money is the giveaway.

The 5-point verification routine

• Run every offer through these five checks. It takes about fifteen minutes and can save you thousands of rupees.
• Who exactly is the employer? Ask for the company's full name, address and website. Search for the company independently, not via the link you were sent. See whether the address, phone number and website exist and match.
• Is the contact official? A genuine HR person uses a company email address, not only a free email account or a messaging app. Be cautious when the entire process, including the offer letter, happens only on WhatsApp or Telegram.
• Can you meet or video-call? A real employer will have a place of work and someone you can speak with. If you can visit in person, tell a family member where you are going and when you'll be back.
• Is there any money involved from your side? Any fee, deposit, kit, training charge or "refundable" payment before you start earning should end the conversation.
• Does the offer match the market? If the salary is far above what similar roles normally pay and the requirements are minimal, treat it with suspicion.

What a safer hiring process looks like

• A typical genuine process includes a clear job description, a conversation or interview, a written offer with salary, role and joining date, and a first day at a known workplace. Documents like ID and bank details are asked for after the offer, and only for payroll. You are never asked for OTPs, UPI PINs or card details.

Protect your documents and data

• Share only what is needed at each stage. A resume doesn't need your Aadhaar number. A recruiter shouldn't need a photograph of your bank card. Never share an OTP with anyone, and never install a screen-sharing or "verification" app at someone's request.

If you have already paid or shared too much

• Stop all further payments, however much the person pressures you.
• Save every screenshot, number, UPI ID and chat.
• Contact your bank immediately to report the transaction.
• If money was lost, call the national cyber crime helpline 1930 (24x7) as soon as possible. The police operator records the details and you receive an acknowledgement number by SMS. Then complete your complaint on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) within 24 hours using that number. Early reports give your bank the best chance to put the money on hold. For other cyber crimes, you can report directly on cybercrime.gov.in.
• Warn the group, platform or listing where you found the offer.

Looking for work safely

• Prefer employers you can visit or call, and local employers whose shops or offices you know. When you find a job listing, use the app's report option on anything that looks wrong. For employers: a clear, honest job post with the salary, timing, location and a way to contact you attracts better candidates and discourages scammers.

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Safety tips

• Meet in a public, well-lit place and, where possible, take someone with you.
• Inspect the item before you pay and check it matches the listing.
• Never pay in advance, share OTPs, or move payment outside the agreed meeting.
• Keep contact through the listing page — contact details are privacy-gated in the app.
• Report suspicious sellers instead of continuing the conversation.

Frequently asked questions

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