To check whether a recruiter is legit, verify three things independently: that the person exists and works where they say, that the job appears on the employer’s own careers page, and that the conversation follows a normal hiring process. Look the recruiter up on the company website or a professional network, compare their email domain with the company’s real domain, and find the role yourself rather than through their link. A real recruiter will never ask you to pay a fee, buy equipment or move straight to a chat app. If any of those checks fail, stop before sharing personal details.
Recruiters genuinely do reach out to people they have never met. That is a normal part of hiring. Scammers copy the same approach, which is why a quick, methodical check is worth a few minutes. This guide gives you the steps, the questions to ask, and the warning signs that mean you should walk away.
Two kinds of real recruiters
Before verifying anyone, it helps to know what you are expecting.
- In-house (internal) recruiters work for the employer. Their email should be on the company’s domain, and the role should be listed on the company’s own careers page.
- Agency (external) recruiters work for a staffing or search firm that fills roles for client companies. They may not name the client at first, but the agency itself should be easy to verify, with a website, a physical address and a track record.
Neither kind charges candidates to apply or to be placed. The FTC’s job scams guidance notes that legitimate placement firms usually do not charge candidates, and advises walking away from any firm that wants a fee, especially upfront.
Step-by-step: how to verify a recruiter
1. Check the email address and domain
Compare the domain after the @ with the domain of the company’s official website. Watch for lookalikes: an extra letter, a hyphen, a different ending such as “.co” instead of “.com,” or a free email service. An in-house recruiter at a large employer writing from a free webmail account is a strong warning sign.
2. Find the person yourself
Search for the recruiter’s name and the company together. A real recruiter usually has a professional profile with a work history, connections at the company and activity over time. Be wary of brand-new profiles, very few connections, or a photo that looks like a stock image. While you are checking them, make sure your own profile tells a consistent story too; our guide on optimising your LinkedIn profile for a job search covers what recruiters look for.
3. Find the job on the employer’s own site
The FTC’s 2022 alert on phony job postings warns that scammers use the names of well-known employers to advertise jobs that do not exist. Its advice is to verify openings before you apply, by checking the company’s official website and its careers or jobs section. Navigate there yourself; do not use a link from the message.
4. Call the company through a number you found yourself
If you still have doubts, contact the company’s main switchboard or HR department using details from its official website and ask whether the recruiter works there and whether the role is open. For agency recruiters, call the agency’s main office.
5. Search for complaints
The FTC suggests searching the company or person’s name together with words like “scam,” “review” or “complaint.” Reports from other job seekers often surface quickly.
6. Watch how the process unfolds
A real hiring process has a recognisable shape: a screening call, interviews with people who work at the company, and a written offer. A process that jumps straight to an offer, skips any real interview, or happens entirely by text should worry you.
Questions to ask a recruiter
Good recruiters are used to questions and answer them easily. Vague or evasive answers are informative too.
- Which company is the role with? If you cannot say yet, when will you be able to?
- Is this a permanent role, a contract, or temp-to-hire?
- What is the salary range or pay rate?
- Who would I be interviewing with, and what are the stages?
- How did you find my details?
- Is there a written job description I can read?
If you are dealing with an agency, it is also worth asking how they work with candidates, how often they will update you, and what happens if the client passes. Russell Staffing has a longer list of questions worth putting to an agency recruiter before you agree to be put forward.
Warning signs of a fake recruiter
| Warning sign | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| They want to move to WhatsApp, Telegram or text immediately | The FTC advises ignoring unexpected job messages on these apps; legitimate employers do not recruit that way |
| They ask for a fee for training, placement, certification or equipment | The FTC says legit employers will never ask you to pay to get a job |
| They send a check before you start | The FTC says an honest employer will never send you a check and ask you to send part of it back |
| They ask for your Social Security number or bank details before a written offer | Real employers collect these during onboarding, after an offer is accepted |
| The offer comes without a real interview | No genuine employer hires without assessing the candidate |
| Pay is far above the market for the role | Unusually high pay for little work is a common lure |
| Pressure to decide today | Urgency stops you from checking |
Some red flags only show up in the interview itself, such as an interviewer who cannot describe the role or keeps the camera off. Our list of interview warning signs covers those.
What personal information to share, and when
A simple rule: share only what the current stage of hiring actually needs.
- Applying: name, email, phone, CV, location (city level is enough).
- Interviewing: work history, references once requested, salary expectations.
- After a written offer you have verified: ID documents, tax forms and bank details for payroll, usually through the employer’s HR system rather than by email or chat.
Anyone who asks for your bank account or a copy of your passport before you have even spoken to a hiring manager is asking for too much, too early.
If you think you have been contacted by a fake recruiter
- Stop replying. You do not owe them an explanation.
- Do not click further links or download any files they sent.
- If you shared personal or financial information, change passwords, enable two-step verification and alert your bank.
- If a real company’s name was used, let that company know through its official contact channels.
- Report the contact to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and to the platform where it happened.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal for a recruiter to contact me first?
Yes. Recruiters regularly approach people whose skills match open roles. What matters is whether you can verify who they are and whether the process looks like a real hiring process.
Should a recruiter ever charge me a fee?
No. Employers pay recruiters and agencies, not candidates. The FTC advises walking away from placement firms that ask for a fee, especially upfront.
Why won’t an agency recruiter tell me the company name?
Agencies sometimes keep the client confidential at first. That is common, but they should name the client before submitting your application, and the agency itself should be easy to verify.
How can I tell if a recruiter’s email is fake?
Compare the domain with the company’s official website, look for lookalike spellings, and be wary of free email accounts. If unsure, contact the company directly using details from its website.
Is it safe to interview over a chat app?
A text-only “interview” on a messaging app is a common scam tactic. Real employers normally use phone, video or in-person interviews with identifiable staff.