Pressured to accept a job offer today
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
Hurry! Only 3 seats left for work from home jobs. Offer valid within 2 hours. Confirm your seat now to avoid losing this opportunity.
Be careful with this one
- It pushes you to act quickly. Pressure is how a scammer stops you from checking.
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
Urgency stops you thinking. "Only 3 seats left", "offer expires in 2 hours", "confirm today or lose the slot" — every version is designed to make you pay or share details before you ask a friend, search the company, or read the message twice.
What a real employer does
Real employers do give deadlines, but they are measured in days, and they do not ask for money or sensitive details to hold a place. A genuine recruiter will answer your questions and wait for you to check.
When it can be innocent
A deadline alone is normal in hiring. It is a warning sign when it comes with a payment, a request for an OTP or documents, or a job you never applied for.
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
How long does a genuine company give to accept an offer?
Usually a few days to a week, and you can ask for more time. A company that withdraws an offer because you wanted to check it was not a safe employer.
What should I do when a message says to act now?
Stop. Do not pay or share anything. Search the company and the exact wording of the message, and use the scam check before you reply.
Other warning signs: Registration fees · Task scams · OTP and bank details · Penalty threats · WhatsApp-only recruiters · Selected without interview · Gmail recruiters · Shortened links · all nine, in one guide