Fake Job 'Pay for Equipment / Onboarding' Chat Scam Examples
After a fast, informal hiring process, often for a remote job, a new employer tells you that before you can start you need to pay for equipment, training materials, or a background check yourself, sometimes promising reimbursement in your first paycheck. Once payment is sent, often via gift card or wire transfer, the employer stops responding and no job, refund, or reimbursement ever arrives. The promise of a job and future reimbursement is used to justify the unusual upfront cost. Legitimate employers cover their own equipment and background check costs; never pay to start a job.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Sanitized example messages
Illustrative, sanitized examples. Personal details are replaced with placeholders such as [phone number] and [fake link].
Congratulations — you have been selected for the role. Before we can send your laptop, please pay the [amount] equipment deposit. It will be refunded on your first paycheque.
Your onboarding pack is ready. To activate your account, please purchase [amount] in Amazon gift cards and send us the codes to cover initial software licensing.
We require a background check before you can begin. Our approved provider charges [amount] — please pay directly and we will reimburse you within a week.
To confirm your position, please transfer [amount] to our HR department to cover uniform and access card costs. This is fully refundable.
What the scammer wants
To collect upfront payments from multiple job seekers, disappearing before any work begins. Gift-card requests allow them to extract cash instantly with no traceability.
Red flags in the message
- Job offered with no interview or only a very brief chat interview
- Request to buy gift cards or make a wire transfer for equipment or training
- Employer email from a free domain (Gmail, Yahoo) rather than a company address
- Promise that all costs will be 'reimbursed' on first pay
- Role involves handling money, packages, or crypto transfers
A safe response
Legitimate employers never ask new hires to pay for equipment, background checks, or training. Decline any request for upfront payment and verify the company independently before proceeding.
What not to send
- Gift card codes
- Wire or bank transfers
- Personal identity documents at the application stage
What to do if you already replied
- Contact your bank to try to stop or reverse any payment
- Report the fake job to the job board it was listed on
- File a report with your national fraud or consumer protection authority
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot the full message or call details
- Note the sender number, email, or profile
- Save any links (without clicking) and payment details
- Record dates and times
Frequently asked questions
They promised to reimburse me in my first paycheck — is that a normal arrangement?
No, legitimate employers almost always cover equipment, training, and background check costs themselves rather than asking new hires to pay upfront and wait for reimbursement. Any job requiring you to pay before starting, regardless of a reimbursement promise, should be treated as a serious warning sign.
I already paid for the equipment — can I get the money back?
It depends on the payment method: card payments may be disputable through your bank, while gift cards and wire transfers are usually very difficult to recover. Contact your bank or the gift card issuer directly to ask about your options, and stop any further payments.
How can I check if a job offer and company are legitimate?
Contact the company directly through its official website or verified phone number, not any contact details the recruiter gave you, and ask if the position and hiring process are genuine. Be cautious of any hiring process that skips normal interviews, moves very fast, or asks for payment before you've started work.
The whole hiring process felt professional with real-sounding paperwork — how could it be fake?
Scammers can produce convincing offer letters, onboarding documents, and even fake company websites, so professional-looking paperwork alone doesn't confirm legitimacy. Independently verifying the company and the specific recruiter through official channels is the only reliable check.