A recruiter asked for your OTP or bank details
By Bhagirath Sheela, founder of JobCatch ·
Already paid, or shared an OTP? Call 1930, the national cybercrime helpline, straight away, tell your bank, and report it at cybercrime.gov.in. The sooner it is reported, the better the chance the money can be frozen.
A message like this
Dear candidate, for salary account verification please share the OTP you received just now. This is required to complete your onboarding today.
This looks like a scam
- It asks for an OTP, PIN or bank details. No recruiter needs these. Never share them.
This is what the scam check in the JobCatch app says about the message above, word for word. The message is an example written the way these scams are written; the names and numbers in it are made up.
How this scam works
A one-time password (OTP) authorises a payment or a login. A scammer who gets yours can move money out of your account, link your number to their UPI app, or take over an account. Fake recruiters ask for it with a reason that sounds routine: "salary account verification", "background check", "to activate your employee ID".
Variants ask for your UPI PIN, ATM PIN, card number and CVV, or net-banking password, or ask you to install a "screen-sharing" or "HR" app that lets them see the OTP themselves.
What a real employer does
A genuine employer needs your bank account number and IFSC to pay your salary, usually after you join and through an HR form. It never needs an OTP, PIN, CVV or password, for any reason.
What to do
- Do not pay anything, and do not share an OTP or PIN.
- Look for the same job on the company's official website.
- If you have already paid, call 1930 (the national cybercrime helpline) straight away and tell your bank.
Questions
I shared an OTP with a recruiter. What should I do?
Call your bank immediately using the number on your card or the bank's website, and block your card, UPI or net banking. Then call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in. Change any password you shared.
Is it safe to share my Aadhaar or PAN with a recruiter?
Only after an interview, and only through the company's own channel such as an official HR portal or a company email. A copy of your Aadhaar and PAN is valuable to fraudsters.
Other warning signs: Registration fees · Task scams · Penalty threats · WhatsApp-only recruiters · Selected without interview · Pressure to act now · Gmail recruiters · Shortened links · all nine, in one guide