A recruiter says you're hired. Should you pay for the equipment?
No. A real employer does not ask you to buy your own equipment to get the job, and does not move you to a private chat to close the deal. If a job offer asks you to pay or to switch channels, stop and check the company yourself.
Two messages. One difference.
- Ordinary
- Hi, I'm a recruiter at Northwind. Here's the role and a link to apply on our careers site: northwind.example/careers
- Worth a check
- Great news, you're shortlisted. Let's continue on WhatsApp. First, buy the onboarding equipment and we'll reimburse you.
- The one difference
- The first points you to the company's own site. The second moves you to a private chat and asks you to pay money up front.
- What Hunch would say
- Stop. You're asked to pay before you're hired.
- Your next step
- Look up the company yourself and apply through their real careers page. Don't pay anyone to get hired.
- The limit
- Hunch checks the message, not the person. Some recruiters are real. The point is to reach the company through a door you opened yourself.
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Common questions
A recruiter wants to move the chat to WhatsApp or Telegram. Is that a red flag?
It can be. Real hiring usually stays on company email or a known platform. Moving to a private chat is a common step in fake-recruiter scams. You can keep talking, but verify the company and the role independently before you share documents or money.
They asked me to buy equipment and said they'll reimburse me. Is this a scam?
Treat it as one. Legitimate employers provide or buy equipment themselves. Being asked to pay first, with a promise of reimbursement, is a well-known scam pattern.
I already sent money or personal details to a recruiter. What now?
Move fast. If you paid, call your bank to try to stop or recall it. If you shared ID or bank details, tell your bank and watch your accounts. In the US you can report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.