10 signs of a fake job offer
- They ask for money. For training, a "starter kit", equipment, verification, access to tasks or a deposit. A real employer pays you, not the other way round.
- They ask for card details. Card number, CVV, SMS codes, bank login or a photo of the card, before any contract.
- The job is to "receive and forward payments". This is how money mules are recruited: other people's, often stolen, money passes through your account, and you are the one the bank holds responsible.
- The job is likes, reviews or "buying" products. First they pay a few dollars, then ask you to "top up your balance" to earn more.
- An offer without an interview. Real hiring means a test task and a call, not an offer after three chat messages.
- "HR" writes from a personal account. A recruiter on Telegram or WhatsApp in the name of a well-known company, with no company email.
- A domain with one letter changed. A site or email that looks real but has an extra or different letter.
- Too much pay for simple work. Thousands of dollars a month for a couple of hours with no experience is bait.
- They ask you to install software. A "work" app or file that gives remote access to your phone or computer.
- They rush you. "One place left, reply within the hour."
Check a company in 5 minutes
- Find the job on the company's own site, under Careers or Jobs.
- Check the email domain: it should be the company's domain, not Gmail.
- Look up the company and the recruiter on LinkedIn: profile age, other employees, activity.
- Search the company name with the word "scam".
How to check it is really us
Our only channels are stafka.com/ge, stafka.com, silkstaff.com, the Telegram bot @silkstaff_bot and hello@silkstaff.com. We never ask for money, card details or SMS codes. The full list and a real-versus-fake comparison are on is it really us?.
If you have already paid or shared details
- Call your bank on the number on the back of your card at once: block the card and dispute the payment.
- Change the passwords to your email and banking app and sign out of unknown devices.
- Keep the messages, numbers, links and receipts.
- Report it to the police.
Questions
Can a real company ask me to pay for training?
No. If training is needed for the job, the employer pays for it. Paid "training before you start" is one of the most common ways to take money from job seekers.
Someone wrote to me on Telegram in Stafka's name. Is it you?
Only if the message came from the bot @silkstaff_bot or from hello@silkstaff.com. We do not write from personal accounts. Forward the message to us and we will tell you.
Is it safe to send a copy of my passport?
Not in a chat and not before a contract. Identity documents for a contract or a payment service are uploaded only in the service's own account (for example Deel or Payoneer) once you have an offer.
We only write what we can back with a source or with our own selection process. Spotted a mistake? Write to hello@silkstaff.com.