How to Verify a Job Offer Letter in India (2026): 8 Checks Before You Resign or Pay Anything
If you've just received a job offer and something feels slightly off β the email address, the urgency, a request for money β trust that instinct. Offer letter fraud has grown alongside India's hiring boom, and the most common victims are freshers who are excited, inexperienced with HR processes, and afraid to ask "too many questions." This guide gives you eight concrete checks to confirm a job offer is genuine before you resign from your current role, share sensitive documents, or pay anyone a single rupee.
Why Offer Letter Scams Are Rising in 2026
As remote and hybrid hiring has expanded, scammers now run entire fake recruitment funnels β fake job postings, fake interviews over WhatsApp or Telegram, and finally a polished-looking "offer letter" PDF. The goal is almost always one of three things: collect an upfront "registration" or "laptop deposit" fee, harvest your Aadhaar/PAN and bank details for identity fraud, or get you to resign from a real job so you're desperate enough to keep paying.
The 8-Point Offer Letter Verification Checklist
1. Check the Sender's Email Domain
A legitimate offer always comes from the company's official domain (e.g., @infosys.com), never from Gmail, Yahoo, or a domain that's almost-but-not-quite correct (like @infosys-careers.com or @infosysindia.net). If in doubt, go to the company's official careers page and compare domains directly β don't trust a link inside the offer email itself.
2. Call the Company on Their Official Number β Not the One in the Email
Search the company's official customer care or HR number independently (via Google or their website), and call to confirm the offer and the recruiter's name. Never use a phone number printed only inside the offer letter, since scammers control that number too.
3. Look for an Employee Reference Number / Requisition ID
Most genuine corporate offers (especially from IT majors like TCS, Infosys, Wipro, Accenture) include an internal job requisition or reference code. You can usually verify this against the original job posting on the company's careers portal.
4. Be Suspicious of Any Upfront Payment Request
This is the single biggest red flag. No legitimate Indian employer asks candidates to pay for "training kits," "security deposits," "laptop/equipment fees," or "registration charges" before joining. If money is requested at any stage β refuse, and report it.
5. Check the Letterhead and Formatting Carefully
Genuine offer letters use consistent fonts, correct company logos (not stretched or low-resolution), accurate legal company names, and a real registered office address. Search that exact address on Google Maps β fake offers often list addresses that don't match an actual corporate office.
6. Verify the Signatory on LinkedIn
Search the HR manager or signatory's name on LinkedIn and confirm they currently work at that company in an HR or hiring role. If the person doesn't exist, or their profile was created days ago with no history, treat the offer as compromised.
7. Cross-Check Salary Against Realistic Market Rates
If the offered CTC is dramatically higher than typical fresher packages for that role and company (you can check our salary guide for high-paying fresher roles for realistic ranges), that's a warning sign. Scammers often over-offer to make the opportunity feel irresistible.
8. Use a Verified Job Portal as Your First Filter
The simplest way to avoid this entire problem is to start your search on a portal where listings are manually checked before publishing. On Employee Table, every job is verified by our team before it goes live β so you're not relying on guesswork after the fact.
What To Do If You Suspect a Fake Offer
- Do not resign from your current job until the offer is fully verified
- Do not share Aadhaar, PAN, or bank account details over email or WhatsApp
- Report the listing to the job portal where you found it
- File a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in if money has already been paid
Final Word
A genuine employer will never penalize you for asking questions, requesting written confirmation, or taking 24-48 hours to verify an offer. If you're being rushed or pressured, that urgency is itself the red flag. For more on spotting scams earlier in the process β before you even reach the offer stage β read our guide on how to spot fake job postings in India.
Want to skip the guesswork entirely? Browse 100% manually verified job listings on Employee Table β free, always.