Upfront fee requests to secure fake job offers
Summary: Scammers offer fake job opportunities that require victims to pay before starting work. Scammers demand upfront fees for scheduling interviews, processing applications, conducting background checks, securing the job, or providing training materials, equipment, and software. These are costs which no legitimate employer would request from the job seeker.
Tactic used: Impersonation and creating a false sense of fear and urgency. Scammers create convincing job descriptions, copy legitimate company branding, and produce official‑looking invoices, payment requests, and documents that mimic real HR processes. By presenting the fee as a routine step and insisting it is necessary to secure the role, scammers pressure victims to pay before realising the job is fake.
Top recommendations:
Never pay any upfront fees during any stage of recruitment. Avoid such job offers because they are likely fake.
Verify suspicious or unusual requests with the company by reaching out directly through the contact details listed on their official website, by manually searching for it on your browser.