How to spot a fake job offer: 8 warning signs

Fake job offers target freshers because they are eager and new to hiring processes. Almost every fake offer has the same goal: getting money or personal documents from you. These eight signs catch nearly all of them.

8 warning signs

1. They ask for money. A "registration fee", "training fee", "security deposit", "laptop charge" or "document verification fee" for a company job is the clearest sign of fraud. Real companies do not charge candidates. Government exam fees are paid only on the official exam portal, never to a person.
2. A guaranteed job. No genuine employer guarantees selection, especially without a test or interview.
3. Contact only on WhatsApp or Telegram. Real recruiters use their company email and official portals.
4. A free email address. Offers from Gmail, Yahoo or similar addresses, instead of the company's own domain, are almost always fake.
5. A look-alike website. Check the spelling of the address carefully. Government recruitment sites usually end in .gov.in or .nic.in.
6. Shortened or strange links. bit.ly-style links, or a Google Form instead of a careers portal, hide where you are really going.
7. Pressure and secrecy. "Pay today or lose the seat" or "don't tell anyone" are pressure tactics.
8. Too good to be true. A very high salary for a fresher with no interview, or a job you never applied for.

Check any offer in five minutes

1. Open the company's or department's official website yourself (search for it, do not use the link you were sent).
2. Find the same job on its careers or recruitment page.
3. Compare the email domain and phone numbers with those on the official site.
4. Search the company name with the word "fraud" or "fake offer".
5. If anything still looks wrong, do not pay and do not send documents.

Never share

• OTPs, UPI PINs or bank passwords, with anyone, for any reason.
• Scans of Aadhaar, PAN or certificates with someone you have not verified.

If you have been cheated

Report it quickly: call the national cyber crime helpline 1930 or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in, and inform your bank if money was paid. Acting within hours improves the chance of stopping the payment.

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