How do I check if an offer letter is fake?
US rules and agencies as of 30 Oct 2026. Official links checked on 30 October 2026.
A genuine offer letter comes from a company email domain you can match to its website, names a role, manager and start date, and asks nothing from you except acceptance. A fake letter looks polished but asks for fees, equipment purchases, a deposited check or sensitive documents before day one.
Checklist
| Check | Genuine | Suspicious |
|---|---|---|
| Sender | Company domain, matches website | Free mailbox, look-alike domain |
| Process | Applied or spoke with someone, interviews happened | Offer with no interview |
| Terms | Role, pay basis, location, start date, reporting manager | Vague role, "to be discussed" |
| Requests | Signature, and later hiring forms through the employer's HR channel | Money, gift cards, equipment purchase, a check to deposit |
| Contact | You can reach a named person through the company's own number | Only chat messages |
| Pressure | Time to read and ask questions | "Accept in one hour or lose it" |
Steps to take
- Do not reply to the email yet. Look up the company's HR or careers contact on its real site.
- Ask that contact whether the offer was issued and who signed it.
- Read the whole letter. A real offer states pay and conditions; background-check conditions should describe a consent process.
- Sign only after you have confirmed the sender by an independent route.
Hiring paperwork is not the same as the offer
After you accept a real offer, an employer will ask for tax and work-eligibility forms. These go through its payroll or HR system. They should not be requested in the first message. See SSN requests.
Red flags inside the letter itself
- The letter is addressed to "Dear candidate" or to a name that does not match yours.
- It arrives from a free mailbox or from a domain that is one letter off the real company's.
- The pay, location or start date is missing or changes between messages.
- It tells you to buy equipment, software or a starter kit. The FTC lists requests to pay for starter kits, training or certifications as a job scam sign.
- It includes a check, or tells you a check will follow. The FTC says legitimate employers never ask you to deposit a check, keep part and send the rest back.
- It sets a deadline so short that you cannot make a call.
How to confirm who issued it
Use a route you chose, not one printed in the letter. Type the company's web address, find the general phone number or HR contact, and ask three things: Did you extend this offer? Who signed it? Who is my reporting manager? If a staffing or recruiting agency sent the letter, ask the client company to confirm the agency and the role.
Common mistakes
- Signing first and checking later.
- Calling the phone number printed on the letter. A scammer can answer it.
- Replying with scans of your ID "to complete the offer".
- Treating an e-signature page as proof the employer is real.
If you already signed or sent something
Signing a fake letter does not by itself cost you money, but stop sending anything else. If you paid, follow the FTC's advice: contact the company you used to send the money right away, report the fraud and ask for a reversal. See what to do if you paid. If you sent ID or an SSN, go to SSN requests.
FAQ
The logo and signature look right. Is it real? Logos and signatures are easy to copy. Verify the sender, not the design.
Can a recruiter agency send an offer? Sometimes, on behalf of a client. Confirm with the client company directly.
Can I report a fake letter? Yes. See how to report job scams.
Should an offer letter ask me to buy equipment? No. The FTC lists payment for starter kits, training and certifications as a scam sign. A real employer provides equipment or reimburses through payroll, not before you start.
What if the letter came after a real interview? Still confirm it. Scammers sometimes copy the name of a real recruiter or company after a job posting or an interview. Verify the sender's domain and call the company.
Related guides
Sources
- FTC, Job scams: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- FTC, ReportFraud: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov (accessed 30 Oct 2026)
- FTC, What To Do if You Were Scammed: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed (accessed 31 October 2026)
Next step: Verify the employer behind the offer.
This is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change and your situation may differ. Consult a licensed attorney or qualified adviser.