How to Avoid Fake Job Notifications: Protect Yourself from Scams

With millions of job seekers active online, fraudsters have found easy prey. Fake government job notifications are circulated via social media, WhatsApp, email, and unauthorized websites every day. These scams can cost you money, time, and personal data.

WARNING SIGNS OF A FAKE JOB NOTIFICATION:
- No official website link
- Asking for money via UPI or bank transfer
- Promises of guaranteed selection
- Suspiciously high salaries for simple roles
- Unofficial email domains like @gmail.com for a government body

RED FLAG 1: MONEY DEMANDS
Legitimate government recruitment processes charge a small, fixed application fee paid only through the official portal. If anyone is asking you to pay money directly to an individual or through informal payment apps, it is 100% a scam.

RED FLAG 2: UNOFFICIAL WEBSITE DOMAINS
All legitimate central government recruitment bodies have official .nic.in, .gov.in, or .org.in domains.
Official: ssc.nic.in | upsc.gov.in | rrb.gov.in
Fake: ssc-online-apply.com | upsc-recruitment-2024.in

RED FLAG 3: GUARANTEED SELECTION CLAIMS
No one can guarantee selection into a government job. Anyone claiming to arrange a government job for a fee is a fraudster. Report to cybercrime.gov.in immediately.

RED FLAG 4: SUSPICIOUS COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
Government bodies communicate officially through registered email, official portals, and registered SMS. They do NOT communicate through WhatsApp, Facebook, Telegram, or unsolicited phone calls.

HOW TO VERIFY A JOB NOTIFICATION:
1. Go directly to the official website (type the URL manually)
2. Look for the notification in the Latest News or Recruitment section
3. Cross-check with the Employment News official publication
4. Search the organization name on the government's official directory
5. If unsure, call the organization's helpline number from their official website only

SAFE PLATFORMS TO CHECK GOVERNMENT JOBS:
- Employment News / Rozgar Samachar (official GOI publication)
- NCS Portal (nationalcareerservice.gov.in)
- Official recruiting body websites — SSC, UPSC, RRB, State PSCs
- Trusted established job portals that cite original notification links

Golden Rule: Never share your Aadhaar number, bank details, OTPs, or pay any money without first verifying the job notification on the official website.

KEY TAKEAWAY: Always verify through official government websites, never pay anyone directly, and report scams to cybercrime.gov.in. A real government job never requires a personal payment.