Fake Employment Contract Scams
Official-looking contracts and offer letters used to legitimise fees, data theft, or mule activity.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
What this scam is
A fake employment contract scam uses professional-looking offer letters and contracts to make a bogus job feel real, lowering your guard before fees, data requests, or mule tasks.
How it works
After a quick process, you receive a polished contract with logos and legal language. It reassures you enough to pay 'fees', share ID and bank details, or begin moving money — all part of the scam.
Common red flags
- Contract arrives unusually fast with little vetting
- Document used to justify upfront fees or data sharing
- Company details don't match official records
- Signatures/branding look generic or copied
Sanitized example messages
Illustrative, sanitized examples. Personal details are replaced with placeholders such as [phone number] and [fake link].
Please sign the attached contract and pay the [amount] onboarding fee to activate your role.
Payment methods used
- Fees
- Bank/ID details harvested
Who is usually targeted
- Job seekers
- Remote workers
What to do immediately
- Verify the company in official business registers
- Don't pay or share sensitive data based on a document alone
- Report the scam
Evidence to preserve
- The contract/offer letter
- All communications
- Company details
Where to report it
- Action Fraud (UK) — UK national fraud & cybercrime reporting centre
- FTC ReportFraud (US) — US Federal Trade Commission fraud reports
- FBI IC3 (US) — US Internet Crime Complaint Center
- Scamwatch (Australia) — Australian competition & consumer reporting
- Your bank's fraud line — Use the number on the back of your card or in your banking app — never a number the caller gives you
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Frequently asked questions
Doesn't a signed contract mean the job is real?
No. Contracts and offer letters are trivial to fake. A document is not verification — confirm the company exists through official registers and contact it via details you find yourself.