What to do when a recruiter asks for money

# What to do when a recruiter asks for money

When a recruiter asks for money, treat the conversation as unverified. The question is not whether the ask is reasonable. It is whether the recruiter is real.

The payment test

A recruiter is paid by the employer. A recruiter who asks you for an onboarding fee, a training deposit, or a background check fee is not operating inside that payment relationship. In the scams we flag, the first concrete ask is almost always money.

What we see in reports

One report from our queue

In one report we reviewed, a candidate received an offer that looked complete. The sender asked for an onboarding fee before the background check. The company named in the signature had no record of the conversation. The recruiter's LinkedIn profile was not on the company's verified roster. The candidate checked before paying and stopped responding.

This pattern shows up in other reports. A recruiter claims urgency. The fee is small enough to feel like paperwork. The request arrives before any verified employee has spoken with you.

The check that matters

Do not debate the recruiter. Do not ask for more receipts. Verify the person.

A company can publish a verified roster of its real recruiters. If the name is not on it, the request is not from that company. If the profile is not issued by the employer, you are not talking to an employer recruiter. That single check answers the question.

What to do

Ask the recruiter for their company email address. Then compare the name against the company's verified recruiter roster. If the name does not appear, stop responding. Do not send a payment, a deposit, or a fee.

A recruiter asking for money has already told you what the conversation is about. Your only job is to confirm who is on the other side.