Remote job scam: "buy equipment and we'll reimburse you"
Fake employers offer high pay with no interview, then ask you to buy equipment from their "vendor" or send ID photos. The reimbursement never comes.
How this scam works
The offer creates excitement before normal hiring checks happen. The fake employer then makes you pay its vendor or hand over identity documents while promising reimbursement later.
Common versions of the message
- High pay with no interview
- Equipment bought from a required vendor
- An ID photo requested through Telegram
What the message looks like
Text from HR Recruiter
Congratulations! You have been selected for a remote assistant role at $45/hour, no interview needed. Buy your equipment from our vendor and we will reimburse you. Send a photo of your ID on Telegram.
Fictional example based on common, publicly reported scam patterns.
The red flags
- 1
Too good to be true: “$45/hour, no interview needed”
Real jobs interview you first
High pay and immediate selection skip the interview and application steps that would let you verify the employer.
- 2
Pay to work: “Buy your equipment from our vendor”
The "reimbursement" never comes
A required equipment purchase sends your real money to a vendor controlled by the scammer; the promised reimbursement never arrives.
- 3
ID over Telegram: “Send a photo of your ID on Telegram”
Identity theft waiting to happen
Sending ID through Telegram gives sensitive identity material to a recruiter you have not verified.
What to do
- Look up the company yourself and apply through its official careers page.
- Never pay to get a job, and never deposit a check to buy supplies.
- Do not send ID photos to someone you have not verified.
If you already replied, clicked, or paid
- If you deposited an employer check, contact your bank and do not use the funds while the bank reviews it.
- If you paid the vendor, contact the payment provider and your bank immediately.
- If you sent an ID photo, keep the messages and take the identity-protection steps recommended by the organization that issued the ID.
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