1.
The registration fee
A great offer arrives, then you're asked to pay a "registration", "security deposit", "training kit" or "laptop" fee. After you pay, they ask for more, or vanish.
Rule: a real employer never charges you to hire you.
Field guide
Five fake job scams, and how to spot them
Know the patterns and you can catch most of them in under a minute.
2.
The task scam
You're asked to like videos, rate places or products, or finish small tasks for money. The first small payouts are real. Then you must "deposit" money to unlock bigger earnings, and it never comes back.
3.
The fake offer letter
A convincing letter from a real company turns up after a short WhatsApp or Telegram chat, with no interview. Check that the email domain matches the company's real website, and confirm the offer on the official careers page.
4.
The data grab
"HR" asks for your Aadhaar, PAN, bank details, OTP or UPI PIN to "verify" your joining. Never share an OTP or PIN. Share ID documents only with an employer you've verified, and only for a real offer.
5.
Too good to be true
High pay for typing, data entry or part-time work with no experience. Compare the pay with what that role really earns.
Before you reply
- Is the email from the company's own domain, not Gmail or Yahoo?
- Does the company exist on LinkedIn, the MCA registry and its own website?
- Did you actually apply, and was there a real interview?
- Is anyone asking for money, an OTP or a PIN? If yes, stop.
If you've been scammed
- Call 1930 (the national cyber crime helpline) immediately if money was lost.
- Report at cybercrime.gov.in.
- Tell your bank at once, and save every chat, receipt and number.