I already paid a "registration fee". What now?

Stop any further payment immediately and report it through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) or the 1930 helpline. Keep every message, payment receipt and the offer letter as evidence.

Can a real company ever ask for money before joining?

Practically never for salaried employment in India. The few legitimate exceptions, like a refundable security deposit for company-owned equipment at some BPOs, are rare, clearly documented, and never demanded through a personal payment app.

Where do I report a fake job offer in India?

The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in, or the national cybercrime helpline number 1930, both run by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Fake job offer checker

Job offer scams in India follow a small number of repeating patterns, almost all of which involve getting money out of you before, or instead of, actually employing you. None of them require you to have done anything wrong; they rely on the offer feeling too good to slow down and check.

Go through this list against the actual offer you received. The more of these that match, the more this looks like the pattern rather than an unusual but genuine employer.

What matches your situation

Asked to pay before joining: a security deposit, laptop fee, or training feeThis is the core pattern behind nearly every job offer scam in India. A real employer pays you, not the reverse.Asked for a "registration charge" or "processing fee" to confirm the offerA rebranded version of the advance fee, often described as a formality rather than a payment.Told the fee is "fully refundable" once you join or complete trainingThe refund almost never arrives. It is used to make the initial payment feel lower risk.The offer letter came from a personal email address, not a company domainA real offer letter comes from the company’s own domain, with a verifiable HR contact.You were offered the job with no real interview, or a two-minute chatGenuine hiring, even when fast, involves someone actually assessing you for the role.The whole process happened on WhatsApp or Telegram, with no company email at any pointNo calendar invite, no company portal, no email thread you can point back to.Pressured to pay immediately or the offer will be withdrawnUrgency is used deliberately to stop you from checking the company or asking anyone else first.The HR contact has no LinkedIn profile or any verifiable employment historyA real recruiter usually has a professional footprint you can independently find.

Low scam risk

0 of 8 patterns matched

None of the common scam patterns matched. Still verify the company independently before paying anything.

Patterns matched: 0
Patterns clear: 8

Everything above is worked out in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or saved anywhere.

How this is worked out

Each matched pattern adds one point, but a request for money before joining is called out on its own regardless of the total, because it is the single most reliable signal in this list.
The rest of the patterns compound: one alone can be a poorly run but real hiring process, several together match how these scams are actually run.

What this does not cover

This checks patterns, not the specific company. It cannot confirm whether the company you were contacted by is real or fake.
If you have already paid money or shared sensitive documents, report it through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in, or call the helpline at 1930.
It does not cover every scam variant. New patterns appear regularly; treat any request for money as reason enough to stop, regardless of whether it matches a line here.

Questions people ask

I already paid a "registration fee". What now?: Stop any further payment immediately and report it through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) or the 1930 helpline. Keep every message, payment receipt and the offer letter as evidence.
Can a real company ever ask for money before joining?: Practically never for salaried employment in India. The few legitimate exceptions, like a refundable security deposit for company-owned equipment at some BPOs, are rare, clearly documented, and never demanded through a personal payment app.
Where do I report a fake job offer in India?: The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in, or the national cybercrime helpline number 1930, both run by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Where these figures come from

Rates and rules on this page were last checked against the source on 31 August 2026. Tax law changes; check the source before you rely on a number for a decision.

National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal

Related calculators

Running these numbers because you are weighing a move? See what is open right now.