Fake Offer Letter and Joining Fee Scam
A fake offer letter from a known company asks for a joining, laptop or training deposit. Real employers do not collect fees from selected candidates.
You applied on a job portal and soon receive a neat offer letter on a famous company's letterhead. It has a salary, a joining date and a request for a refundable deposit for a laptop, ID card or training. The email address is an ordinary free one or a lookalike domain. Because it feels like the end of a long job search, many people pay quickly, then discover there is no job and nobody to ask.
How the scam works
The scammer collects phone numbers and emails from job portals or posts a fake vacancy. A 'recruiter' invites you for a short chat interview on a messaging app, which is brief and easy. The offer letter follows within a day, with a company logo, an employee code and a signed paragraph. The speed is a clue, as real hiring involves several rounds and checks.
The pressure is the joining date. You are told that your seat will go to someone else unless the fee is paid today. The fee is called a refundable security deposit, a laptop charge, a medical or background check or a training kit. The letter lists a bank or UPI account, often in a different name from the company, and a 'HR officer' calls you to confirm the payment.
The payoff is the deposit plus anything else you share. Some people pay a second fee for a visa, uniform or insurance. Others send ID and bank details for payroll, which can be misused. When the joining day arrives there is no desk and no one at the number. The company, when contacted, confirms it never made the offer and that it does not charge candidates.
An example of what you may see
Example email (invented): 'Dear candidate, we are pleased to offer you the post of Executive at a package of Rs 6.5 lakh per annum. Joining on Monday. Please pay a refundable security deposit of Rs 12,000 for your laptop to the account below by 5 PM today to confirm your seat. Send scanned Aadhaar and PAN for payroll. HR Team.' The free email address, the deposit and the same-day deadline are all signs of a fake.
This example is written for illustration. Real messages change their wording, names and links all the time.
Red flags
- An offer arrives after a short chat interview.
- A deposit is demanded for a laptop or kit.
- The email domain is a free service or a lookalike name.
- The payment account is in a different name from the company.
- You must pay today or lose the seat.
- Documents are requested before any contract or meeting.
What to do right now
- Do not pay any fee for a job.
- Find the company's careers page yourself and check if the role is listed.
- Contact the company's official HR contact, not the one in the letter.
- Do not send Aadhaar, PAN or bank details until the offer is verified.
- Report the email and number on the job portal and cybercrime.gov.in.
If you already paid or shared a code
- Call 1930 if you paid, giving the account details.
- Tell your bank through the number on your card so it can try to hold the transfer.
- File a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in with the offer letter, emails and receipts.
- Watch for misuse of any ID documents you sent.
National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930. Report online at cybercrime.gov.in. Do it fast: the sooner your bank is told, the better the chance that money can be held.
Where this scam shows up
Read how it looks on each channel:
How Safeavio helps
Safeavio Sentinel's scam check reads the email or chat text you paste and shows reasons such as a deposit for a job, a same-day deadline and requests for identity documents. The link check helps you look at a careers page address before opening it. Money Shield prompts you to verify who you are paying. It cannot confirm whether a company made an offer, so check through the company's own official contacts.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions people ask
Do companies take a deposit for a laptop?
Genuine employers provide equipment and do not ask selected candidates to pay in advance to a personal or unrelated account. A refundable deposit request is a classic job scam sign. When unsure, ask someone you trust first.
How can I check an offer letter?
Find the company's official website yourself, look for the careers page and contact its HR using details from there. Do not use phone numbers or emails in the letter. Use only official apps and sites you open yourself.
The letter has a logo and signature. Is that proof?
No. Logos and signatures are easily copied. Check the sender's email domain, whether you went through proper interview rounds and whether any payment is requested. If so, treat it as fake. Keep screenshots in case you decide to report it.