Is a registration fee for a job a fraud?

LiveRec EditorialUpdated

India: official channels as of 30 Oct 2026. Official links checked on 30 October 2026.

Yes, a registration fee for a job is fraud in the typical case. A genuine employer does not charge you to hire you. Fake recruiters ask for registration, security deposit, training, uniform, ID card, laptop or "file" charges, then ask for more. If someone wants money before you have a verified offer and a joining date, do not pay.

How registration fee job fraud runs

  1. A job is offered, often for a popular company or a government-style post.
  2. A small first fee is asked, to "confirm" your name.
  3. Further charges follow for a kit, a medical check or a "refundable" deposit.
  4. Contact stops after you pay, or a new reason for payment appears.

Why people pay

The amounts start small, the documents look official and the message creates urgency. Fraudsters count on you thinking the money is already spent, so one more payment is worth it. It is not.

What to do instead

  • Reply that you will verify the offer with the company and pay nothing.
  • Use the company's own website, not numbers from the message. See verify an employer.
  • If the post claims to be a government job, check the department's official notice yourself.
  • Do not use payment links, QR codes or UPI requests from an unknown recruiter.

A legitimate cost looks different

Some courses or exams have fees. These are paid to an institution you chose, with a receipt, and are not a condition set by a recruiter who contacted you first.

If you paid

Act at once: what to do in the first hour. Call 1930 or use cybercrime.gov.in, as Sanchar Saathi directs victims who lost money.

FAQ

The fee is "refundable". Is it safe? No. A promise of refund is part of the script.

Can I report the number? Yes, see Chakshu and reporting.

What official sources say about fees

  • The National Career Service (NCS) says on its portal that it does not charge any fee at any stage of registration, job application or interview processing, and that job seekers should not pay fees to employers.
  • For wages, the Ministry of Labour and Employment handbook says an employer must not make deductions from wages except those authorized under the Code on Wages, 2019. The handbook lists deductions for absence, damage or loss, recovery of advances or loans, fines imposed after hearing the employee, and house accommodation or amenity accepted, and says deductions must not exceed 50 percent of wages in the wage period.

The pattern, step by step

  1. You receive an offer you did not seek, or you apply for a post with high pay for easy work.
  2. A "fee" appears: registration, ID card, training, security deposit, software, courier or medical.
  3. After you pay, a second fee appears, or the contact disappears.
  4. If you complain, you may be told the fee is "refundable" once you complete a task.

A simple rule

Money should come to you from the employer. If the first money movement is from you to them, pause and verify. See verify an employer.

Common mistakes

  • Paying a "small" amount because it is small. Scams repeat small amounts.
  • Paying to a personal account or UPI ID with a different name from the company.
  • Believing a receipt. Receipts are easy to fake.
  • Thinking a fee is fine because the "HR" sent an ID card.

What to do instead

Stop. Do not argue. Report the sender on Chakshu if you can see the number. If you paid, call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in and tell your bank. See lost money to job fraud.

More questions people ask

Is any fee legitimate?

Official recruitment bodies publish their own application fees on their own sites for government exams. That is different from a private "registration" fee asked by a recruiter. See how to read a government job notification.

Can a placement agency charge me?

Do not assume so. Ask for the rule in writing and check the agency. For jobs abroad, see checking a recruiting agent.

Sources

  • National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal and helpline 1930, as named on Sanchar Saathi: https://cybercrime.gov.in (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
  • Sanchar Saathi, Chakshu (Report Suspected Fraud Communication): https://sancharsaathi.gov.in (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
  • National Career Service, home page and FAQ: https://www.ncs.gov.in (accessed 31 October 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)
  • Sanchar Saathi, Chakshu and TAFCOP: https://sancharsaathi.gov.in (accessed 31 October 2026)

Next step: If you paid, act now.

This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. Consult a licensed attorney or qualified adviser.