How It Works
Fraudsters deploy AI-powered chatbots on WhatsApp or Telegram that behave like real HR recruiters — responding naturally, answering questions, and conducting "interviews" — to lend credibility to fake job offers and extract registration fees or personal data.
Real Example
A woman in Chennai was contacted by an AI chatbot posing as a recruiter from a fake company, offering a job via WhatsApp and conducting a convincing automated "interview" before asking for a registration fee.
Red Flags 🚩
- Recruiter responds instantly at all hours, like an automated system
- Interview happens entirely over chat, never a real call or video
- Company name is unfamiliar and hard to verify online
- Eventually asks for a fee for "registration" or "training material"
Protection Steps 🛡️
- Verify the company's existence through its official website and LinkedIn.
- Be wary of recruiters who only communicate via chatbot-like messages.
- Never pay any fee to get hired — real employers don't charge candidates.
- Report suspicious recruitment chats to the platform and cybercrime portal.