Fake Sarkari Job Alerts: How to Spot Fake Websites and Letters

Real warnings issued by the government

These are not hypothetical. Here is what official and news sources have reported:

• 3 September 2025 (official PIB release, Ministry of Labour): the ministry warned about two fake websites, viksitbharatrozgaryojana.org and pmviksitbharatrozgaryojana.com, and told people not to share their data or pay money on them.
• August 2026: according to news reports (Outlook Money, 16 August 2026), PIB Fact Check issued an advisory asking job seekers to be wary of any fee for medical tests, registration or document verification, or any promise of guaranteed selection. It also said a government logo does not prove a notice is genuine.
• September 2026: according to news reports (Outlook Money, 15 September 2026), PIB Fact Check flagged fake appointment letters issued in the name of the Ministry of Rural Development, for posts such as Assistant Field Officer. The advice: verify on the official site, and treat any demand for money to confirm appointment or joining as a red flag.
• India Post (official): the Department of Posts says it never calls or texts candidates asking for money for Gramin Dak Sevak (GDS) selection.
• An older case: according to news reports (Careers360, December 2021), a fake "Rashtriya Unnati Kendra" website charged applicants an application fee of Rs 1,645.

Common tricks used in fake job alerts

• Look-alike website names that add words like "yojana", "bharti" or a scheme name to sound official.
• Unofficial domains for real exams. For example, many people search for sscgd.gov.in, but we found no evidence that it is an official SSC website. SSC GD runs through ssc.gov.in. See our SSC GD page.
• Fees after "selection" for training, uniform, medical test, document verification or a "security deposit".
• Guaranteed selection or "setting" through an agent, often for merit-based or lottery-based posts.
• Appointment letters with a logo, a stamp and a signature, but for a post you never applied for, or with no exam, interview or verification stage.
• Requests for OTP, Aadhaar or bank details over phone or WhatsApp.
• Unrealistic deadlines such as "pay within 24 hours or lose your seat".

How to verify any job alert: 7 steps

1. Find the original notice. A real recruitment has a notice with an advertisement number, the name of the organisation, post details, dates and an application method.
2. Type the official site yourself. Do not click the link in the message. Open the organisation's site from your own browser and look for the same notice there.
3. Check the exact web address. One extra letter or word can mean a fake. Genuine portals do move sometimes: for example, India Post's old GDS portal, indiapostgdsonline.gov.in, now says it is no longer active and points to a page on indiapost.gov.in. If the address changed, the old official site usually says so.
4. Cross-check in Employment News. Employment News (English) and Rozgar Samachar (Hindi and Urdu) is the weekly journal of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, out every Saturday. Many central and offline recruitments are advertised there. See our Rojgar Samachar guide.
5. Ask: did I actually apply? An appointment letter for a post you never applied for, or without any exam, interview or verification you attended, is almost certainly fake.
6. Look at the money. Application fees are paid only in the way the official notice describes (usually the official portal), at the amount printed in the notice. Any fee demanded after selection, or paid to a person's account or UPI ID, is a red flag.
7. Check PIB Fact Check. If a notice is spreading widely, PIB Fact Check may already have flagged it. You can also send it to them (details below).

Fake appointment letters: what to check

A letter with a government logo, a stamp and a signature can still be fake, as PIB Fact Check has pointed out. Before you accept any appointment letter:

• Match it to a recruitment you applied for, with your registration or roll number.
• Check whether the result and final selection list were published on the official site, and whether your name or roll number is on it.
• Compare the office address, phone numbers and email with those on the official site, not with those printed on the letter.
• Never pay any "joining fee", "training fee" or "security deposit" to confirm the job.
• If unsure, contact the office directly using contact details from the official site.

For exams where you need to download an admit card or result, use only the steps described in our admit card download guide, starting from the official site.

Protect your personal details

• Never share an OTP with anyone, even if they say they are from a commission, board or ministry.
• Do not send Aadhaar, PAN or bank details on WhatsApp or to a phone caller who promises a job.
• Do not install unknown apps or screen-sharing apps on request.
• Keep your login private. Your registration number and password for official portals are yours alone.

For offline recruitments, send your form only to the address printed in the official advertisement. Our offline vacancy form guide explains how genuine postal applications work.

How to report a fake job alert

According to news reports (Outlook Money, August 2026), PIB Fact Check accepts reports on:

• WhatsApp: +91 8799711259
• Email: factcheck@pib.gov.in

Send a screenshot of the message, the website address and any payment details. If you have already lost money, also report it to your bank at once and file a complaint with your local police. Tell friends in your exam groups too, because fake alerts spread fastest in group chats.

For a status board of genuine exams and official sites we track, visit the Sangam25 home page. Sangam25 is an independent guide and is not a government website.