Every month, fake recruitment notices go viral on WhatsApp, Telegram and Facebook, often claiming thousands of vacancies in a ministry or an organisation that does not exist. The PIB Fact Check unit regularly flags such notices, and the Reserve Bank of India publicly warns that fraudsters send fake appointment letters from look-alike email domains. This guide shows you how to protect yourself.
10 red flags of a fake job notice
- Asks for money for selection, as “registration fee”, “medical fee”, “document verification fee” or “security deposit” after selection.
- Promises a guaranteed job or “direct joining without exam”.
- Unknown organisation name that sounds official, such as a “Council”, “Mission” or “Board” you cannot find on any .gov.in website.
- Huge vacancy numbers (10,000+ posts) for an organisation you have never heard of.
- Website address is not official: ends in .com, .in, .org, .online or similar instead of .gov.in or .nic.in (or a known official domain such as ibps.in, sbi.bank.in, opportunities.rbi.org.in).
- Uses a government logo or emblem to look genuine. PIB has clarified that a logo or emblem alone does not prove a notice is real.
- Appointment letter by email without any exam or interview, often from a Gmail or look-alike domain.
- Asks for OTP, Aadhaar, bank details or passwords over phone, WhatsApp or email.
- Spelling and grammar errors, wrong ministry names, or mismatched dates.
- Very short deadline (“apply within 24 hours”) to rush you.
How to verify any notice in 2 minutes
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Open the official website yourself (type it, don’t click links in messages) |
| 2 | Look for the notice under “Recruitment”, “Careers”, “What’s New” or “Notice Board” |
| 3 | Match the advertisement number, dates and number of posts |
| 4 | Check that the application link is on the same official domain |
| 5 | If still unsure, send it to PIB Fact Check for verification |
Official websites of major recruiters
| Recruiter | Official website |
|---|---|
| UPSC | upsc.gov.in |
| SSC | ssc.gov.in |
| IBPS | ibps.in |
| SBI | sbi.bank.in (Careers) |
| RBI | opportunities.rbi.org.in |
| Railway Recruitment Boards | rrbapply.gov.in and regional RRB websites |
| NABARD | nabard.org |
Our Jobs page links only to official websites.
Where to report a fake notice or scam
- PIB Fact Check: email factcheck@pib.gov.in or WhatsApp +91 8799711259 to get a viral notice verified.
- National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930 (for money lost to a scam; call as early as possible).
- cybercrime.gov.in: file an online complaint.
- The organisation itself: most recruiters list a helpdesk email on their official website.
What genuine recruiters never do
- They never ask for money for selection or appointment. Only the application fee mentioned in the official notice is paid, online, on the official portal.
- They never send appointment letters without a published selection process and result.
- They never ask for OTPs or bank passwords.
Quick checklist before you apply
- ☐ I found this notice on the organisation’s official website
- ☐ The application link is on the official domain
- ☐ The fee (if any) matches the official notice and is paid only on the portal
- ☐ Nobody has asked me for money, OTP or bank details outside the portal
Stay updated safely
Follow official recruitment updates on our Jobs page and join our Telegram channel. We link only to official sources.
Guidance is based on advisories by PIB Fact Check and the Reserve Bank of India. If you have lost money, call 1930 immediately.
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