I was asked to pay for a laptop or training for a work-from-home job. Is it a scam?
Yes. A real employer provides the equipment and the training, or lets you use your own; it does not ask you to pay for a laptop, a "software licence" or a "mandatory course" before you start. The payment is the scam, and the job does not exist.
Variants include data-entry jobs that need a "software kit", typing jobs with a "registration", and "international" jobs with a visa-processing charge. The promise is a high income for easy work.
What to do
- Do not pay. Ask for a written offer on company letterhead and verify it with the company directly.
- Search the company name and the job title with "scam".
- Be careful with jobs that need no interview and no skills but promise a high income.
- If you already paid, call your bank and 1930, and report on cybercrime.gov.in.
Frequently asked questions
- They offered to deduct the laptop cost from my salary. Is that a trick?
- If you pay now and the salary never comes, yes. Any upfront payment is the sign.
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