Is a job offer that requires me to buy a starter kit or materials before I can begin working a scam?
Almost certainly. Legitimate employers provide tools and training at their own cost — requiring workers to purchase starter kits is a defining sign of a scam.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Starter kit job scams are common in work-from-home listings for craft assembly, envelope stuffing, product testing, and content creation. The employer asks you to purchase a starter kit, training materials, or initial stock before you can begin. Once you pay, you either receive nothing, receive materials of no practical use, or discover that the promised work does not exist. A variation involves multi-level marketing schemes that technically call kit purchases 'business investment'. Real employers bear the cost of onboarding tools and training. Any situation where you spend money to start a job should be treated as a strong warning sign regardless of how convincingly it is framed as an 'investment in your future'.
Common red flags
- Required to purchase a starter kit, training, or materials before starting
- Kit can only be purchased through the employer or a linked site
- Job found through a social media ad promising flexible high earnings
- Employer has no verifiable address or phone number
- Terms of the work are vague or only revealed after the kit is purchased
What to do now
- Never pay to start a job
- Research the company on a business register and independent review sites
- Report fee-charging job listings to the platform and consumer authority
- Seek employment through established job boards rather than social media ads
Frequently asked questions
What if the seller promises to refund the kit cost from my first earnings?
This promise is designed to overcome your objection and is almost never honoured. The refund commitment has no value if the employer disappears after the purchase.