How do I spot a fake offer letter in India?
Fake offer letters in India: official channels as of 30 Oct 2026. Official links checked on 30 October 2026.
A genuine offer letter follows a real selection process, comes from the company's own email domain, names the role, joining date and reporting manager, and asks nothing from you but a signature. A fake offer letter arrives without an interview and soon asks for fees, a kit payment or your documents.
Checklist
| Check | Genuine | Suspicious |
|---|---|---|
| Interview | You applied and were interviewed | No interview, or chat only |
| Sender | Company domain matching its website | Free mailbox or look-alike domain |
| Content | Role, CTC basis, location, joining date, manager | Vague role, unrealistic pay |
| Signatory | A named person you can confirm with HR | Unknown signatory |
| Money | None | Fee for kit, ID card, training, medical |
| Documents | Collected at joining through HR | Asked on first contact |
CTC (cost to company) is the total yearly cost of an employee to the company, including pay and benefits. If the letter is vague about it, ask.
How to confirm
- Do not reply to the letter's email. Find the company's HR contact on its real website.
- Ask HR to confirm the offer, the signatory and the reference number.
- Ask for the offer on a company-domain email.
- Join, pay or travel only after confirmation.
For a genuine format to compare against, see the offer letter format.
FAQ
The letter has a logo and stamp. Is it genuine? Logos and stamps are easy to copy. Verify the sender.
A relocation or joining kit fee was demanded. Pay? No. See registration fee scams.
What if I resigned based on a fake offer? Report it and contact the real employer; see how to report.
What the labour rules say about appointment letters
The Ministry of Labour and Employment's handbook for employers lists, under the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, that an employer must issue an appointment letter to all employees. The Press Information Bureau backgrounder of 21 November 2025 says appointment letters will specify job details, wages and social security. Wage slips must be issued in the prescribed form on or before payment of wages. These are central-government-sphere summaries; your sector or state can add detail.
So a genuine employer should be able to give you, in writing:
- The job title and place of work
- Wages and how they are paid
- Whether PF and ESI apply
- The date you join
- The name and role of the person signing
If the letter is missing most of these, or only a "registration receipt" arrives, ask HR to clarify.
Offer letter and appointment letter
In everyday use, the offer letter comes before joining, and the appointment letter is the formal document at or after joining. Companies differ in practice. What matters is that you receive the terms in writing from a person you can confirm.
Common mistakes
- Joining on an offer that has no pay terms.
- Resigning from your current job before confirming the new offer with the employer's HR.
- Ignoring a letter from a free mail address, or one that spells the company name slightly differently.
- Treating the letter as proof because it asks you to pay "refundable" fees. No genuine letter should.
- Taking a government crest or logo as proof. The NCS warns that some sites and people falsely use its name and logo, and says job seekers should not pay fees to employers.
Step by step: confirm a letter
- Find the company's HR email or phone from its own website.
- Send the reference number, role and signatory name, and ask for written confirmation.
- Compare the company email domain letter by letter with the website.
- Wait for the reply before you resign, travel or pay anything.
- If the company denies the letter, report the sender. See how to report job fraud.
More questions people ask
Is a digitally signed letter always real?
No. Check the sender and confirm with HR.
How long should the company take to confirm?
We do not give a number. Be wary if the "recruiter" tells you not to contact HR.
Sources
- Sanchar Saathi, Chakshu (Report Suspected Fraud Communication): https://sancharsaathi.gov.in (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and helpline 1930, as named on Sanchar Saathi: https://cybercrime.gov.in (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- Ministry of Labour and Employment, Compliance Handbook for Employers under the Four Labour Codes (Central Government sphere): https://www.labour.gov.in/static/uploads/2026/02/83978455025732b99b0165def80ab171.pdf (accessed 31 October 2026)
- Press Information Bureau, India's Labour Reforms backgrounder (21 November 2025): https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2192524®=3&lang=2 (accessed 31 October 2026)
- National Career Service, home page and FAQ: https://www.ncs.gov.in (accessed 31 October 2026)
Next step: Verify the employer.
This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. Consult a licensed attorney or qualified adviser.