How It Works
Scammers target students with fake internship offers from well-known companies, often via email or social media, requiring a "registration" or "certification" fee. Students may also be asked to share personal documents for a "background check" that's actually used for identity theft.
Real Example
A student receives an email offering a "verified summer internship" with a major company's logo, requiring a ₹999 registration fee and a copy of their Aadhaar card "for verification" before the internship begins.
Red Flags 🚩
- Internship offer requires a registration or certification fee
- Asks for Aadhaar, PAN, or bank details before any actual work begins
- Company logo used without the offer coming through the company's official careers page
- Offer arrives unsolicited via email or social media DM
Protection Steps 🛡️
- Verify internship offers directly on the company's official careers page.
- Genuine internships, paid or unpaid, never charge students a fee.
- Don't share Aadhaar/PAN details until you've verified the offer is genuine.
- Ask your college placement cell to verify unfamiliar internship offers.