The job seeker’s safety guide
Job scam warning signs: check before you pay.
By OfferVerity · Updated
A convincing message is a starting point, not confirmation. Use this checklist to slow down a pressured decision and identify what still needs independent verification.
1. Money is required before you can earn
Pause if a recruiter asks for a deposit, training fee, or payment to secure a role. Do not rely on a promise that it will be refunded. The FTC’s job-scam guidance warns against paying for a promised job.
2. A cheque comes with equipment instructions
Be cautious if you must deposit a cheque and send money onward or buy equipment. Funds appearing in your account do not establish that the cheque is genuine. Read the FTC’s explanation of fake-cheque job scams.
3. A familiar company name is the only evidence
Compare the full email domain, not the display name. In OfferVerity, a reviewed employer-domain match is context only: it does not authenticate a sender. A missing directory entry means we cannot make that comparison.
4. The hiring process is hard to confirm
A text-only interview or an offer without a meaningful assessment deserves questions. Ask the employer to confirm its process using contact details found independently. A real company website or vacancy still does not confirm this particular recruiter.
5. Private credentials are requested
Do not send OTPs, passwords, or banking login details. Before providing onboarding documents, establish who is collecting them and why. Do not upload those details to a scam checker either.
Already sent money?
Contact your bank or payment provider promptly, explain the suspected fraud, and ask about recovery options. Preserve messages and transaction references. Recovery is not guaranteed. The FTC provides reporting and payment guidance.
- India: call 1930 for help reporting financial cyber fraud and use the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. The Ministry of Home Affairs describes these reporting services.
- United States: report suspected scams through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Elsewhere: contact your local police or official cybercrime-reporting service.
What this tool can—and cannot—tell you
OfferVerity combines your answers, limited warning-phrase matching, and available domain evidence. It does not understand the full context of pasted text, authenticate offer letters, or guarantee a job is genuine. A low warning score is not a safety certificate. Read our method and limitations and how check data is handled.