Fake recruiter scams: how to tell a real job offer from a trap
Last reviewed: 2026-08-01 · Checked with Hunch’s on-device engine, the same one inside the extension. How Hunch checks →
Part of our guide: How to spot a fake job offer →
If a recruiter reached out first with a flattering opener, a famous employer, and a link that is not on the company official domain, treat it as a scam until proven otherwise. Fake-recruiter messages copy the same template across brand names, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, staffing firms and more, swapping only the logo. The tells are constant: an unsolicited message, a look-alike domain, a push to move onto WhatsApp or Telegram, and any request for money, equipment, or personal details before a real interview.
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How to verify it yourself
- Read the domain after the @ and in every link, a real company writes from and links to its own exact domain, not a look-alike with extra words or an odd ending.
- Search the exact role on the company official careers site; a genuine opening exists there.
- Never move to WhatsApp or Telegram to continue, and never pay for equipment, training, or onboarding.
- A real recruiter, or a staffing agency, which is paid by employers, never asks a candidate for money.
Common questions
how do I know if a recruiter message is a scam
Check the sender and link domain against the company exact official domain, confirm the role on the official careers site, and be wary of any unsolicited offer that rushes you onto WhatsApp or asks for money.
do real companies recruit over WhatsApp
Occasionally a later interview stage may use a scheduling tool, but a real first contact and offer come from the company own domain, not a cold WhatsApp or Telegram DM.
why would a recruiter ask me to pay for equipment
They would not. Requests to pay for equipment, training, or onboarding, often reimbursed later, are a hallmark of the fake-recruiter and task-scam playbook.
Source: FTC, Job Scams