Treat urgency and secrecy as warning signs
Scammers try to prevent careful checking. Be cautious when an offer arrives without a credible interview, the recruiter pushes you to act immediately, or you are told not to contact the organisation through normal channels. An unusually easy process is not proof of fraud, but it requires independent verification.
Inspect the identity behind the message
Compare the sender’s full email address with the organisation’s official domain. Look for substituted letters, extra words and free email accounts. Find the employer’s website independently and contact a published number or careers address rather than using details supplied only in the suspicious message.
Search for the exact role on the employer’s careers page. If a third-party recruiter is involved, verify that person through the recruitment company’s official site and ask for a clear explanation of the hiring organisation and process.
Never pay to obtain employment
Do not pay a recruiter to release a job, buy gift cards, transfer cryptocurrency, receive and resend money, or deposit a cheque and return a balance. Be equally cautious about “equipment” payments where the employer sends money and directs you to a particular vendor.
A legitimate onboarding process may eventually require identity and bank information, but that should happen only after the employer and offer are verified, through a secure and explained process. Passwords and one-time codes should never be shared.
Respond quickly if something went wrong
Stop communicating and preserve the messages, payment details and website addresses. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately if money moved. Change reused passwords, enable multi-factor authentication and report the incident to the relevant platform and national fraud or cybercrime authority.
Practical checklist
The recruiter and role are confirmed through independent official channels.
The process includes a credible discussion of the role and team.
No payment, cheque forwarding or money transfer is involved.
Sensitive onboarding information is requested only after verification.
Suspicious messages are preserved and reported rather than deleted immediately.
Further guidance
These independent, official resources provide additional context. Always use the current rules published by the organisation responsible for an opportunity.
US Federal Trade Commission: Job scams
UK Action Fraud: Recruitment scams