How to Identify a Fake Job Offer, Offer Letter or Job Consultancy
Fake job offers in India follow a small number of patterns, and almost all of them end the same way: you are asked to pay, or to hand over details that let someone else take your money. This page shows how to check an offer letter, a job consultancy and a part-time online job before you pay or share anything, and what to do the same day if you already have.
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The one rule that catches most fakes
A real employer pays you; it does not charge you to be selected. Any fee before you start work, whatever it is called (registration, training, laptop, uniform, verification, security deposit, processing), is the clearest sign of a fake offer.
The second sign is speed. A fake offer arrives quickly, after one chat and no real interview, and comes with pressure: pay today or the seat goes to someone else.
How to check an offer letter
Look at the letter itself, then check it against things the sender cannot fake.
| Check | A real offer | A fake offer |
|---|---|---|
| Sender's email | Ends in the company's own domain | A free email address, or a domain that only looks like the company's |
| Selection process | Came after an interview or a test | Came after one chat, or with no contact at all |
| Company details | Letterhead carries the registered office address and CIN, which you can look up at mca.gov.in | No CIN, or a CIN that belongs to a different company |
| Money | Salary, joining date and place are stated; you pay nothing | Asks for a fee before joining, often with a deadline |
| Contact | HR phone number and office address you can verify | Only a personal mobile number, WhatsApp or Telegram |
Indian companies are required by the Companies Act, 2013 (section 12(3)(c)) to print their name, registered office address and Corporate Identity Number (CIN) on their letterheads. A letterhead without them is a reason to call the company's HR on a number from its own website and ask whether the offer is real.
How to check a job consultancy
A genuine consultancy can tell you which employer the vacancy is with, and the employer will confirm it if you call them directly. A fake one keeps the employer's name secret until you pay.
Be careful with "100% placement", "guaranteed job", jobs at the airport, a bank or a big company through an unknown agent, and any office you cannot visit. If a consultancy asks you for any fee, get the employer's name and the fee in writing, confirm the vacancy with the employer first, and never pay before you have met the employer.
The part-time online job scam
It starts with a message on WhatsApp or Telegram: earn daily from home by liking videos, rating hotels or writing reviews. The first tasks really pay a small amount, to build trust. Then you are moved to "prepaid" tasks where you deposit money to unlock bigger payouts, the deposits grow, and the money never comes back.
The government has acted against this pattern more than once: in December 2023 it blocked over 100 websites run by overseas operators for task-based part-time job and investment frauds. If a job asks you to deposit money to earn money, it is not a job.
Fake jobs on portals and LinkedIn
Fraudsters post on real job portals too. Apply through the portal's own apply button or the company's careers page, and be careful when a "recruiter" moves you to WhatsApp or Telegram and then asks for money, an OTP or an app install.
Check the recruiter: a real recruiter's profile usually names the company, has a history, and the company's own page lists the same job.
If you already paid or shared details
Call 1930, the national cyber crime helpline, or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in, the same day. Call your bank to block the card or account if you shared card details, a PIN or an OTP.
Report the phone number or WhatsApp number on Sanchar Saathi's Chakshu facility at sancharsaathi.gov.in. Keep screenshots of the chats, the offer letter and every payment before the other side deletes them.
Ask these before you pay or share anything
Five questions that expose most fake offers
- Did I have a real interview or test, with someone I can name?
- Is the job listed on the company's own website, and does its HR confirm it on a number from that website?
- Does the letterhead show a CIN, and does mca.gov.in show the same company?
- Am I being asked to pay anything before I start work?
- Am I being asked for an OTP, a PIN, or to install an app from a link?
CVCrisp Jobs: new job postings every morning in one locked Google Sheet, each with a link to apply on the employer's own page. Get the sheet in our WhatsApp community.
Join on WhatsAppHow the job sheet worksNo job or interview guarantee. We never ask for a fee to get you selected.
Common questions
How do I know if a job offer letter is fake?
Check the sender's email domain, whether you had a real interview, whether the letterhead carries a CIN that matches the company at mca.gov.in, and whether you are asked to pay. Then call the company's HR on a number from its own website.
Is it normal to pay a fee for a job in India?
Paying an employer to be selected is not normal, and it is the clearest sign of a fake. Never pay anyone who links the payment to getting the job.
What is the task-based job scam?
A part-time online job that pays small amounts for liking videos or writing reviews, then asks you to deposit money for bigger tasks. The deposits are never returned.
Where do I complain about a fake job offer?
Call 1930 or file at cybercrime.gov.in, inform your bank if money or card details are involved, and report the number on Sanchar Saathi's Chakshu facility.
Can I get my money back?
Sometimes, if you report quickly. Call 1930 the same day: a fast report gives the bank and police the best chance to stop the transfer.
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