Recruiters Asking for Documents on WhatsApp
"Send your passport, ID and bank details to complete onboarding." How fake recruiters collect documents on WhatsApp, and when and how to share documents safely.
Early in a job conversation on WhatsApp, the "recruiter" asks for a photo of your passport or ID card, a selfie holding it, your bank details and sometimes your tax number. They call it onboarding. For a fake job, it is identity theft.
Red flags
- Documents requested before any interview or written offer.
- A selfie holding your ID. See selfie verification scams.
- Bank login details, card numbers or one-time codes.
- Pressure to send quickly "to secure the position".
- A generic company name you cannot find, or a personal email address.
When sharing is reasonable
- After a real interview and a written offer from a company you have verified.
- Through the employer's HR system, or in person, rather than in a chat.
- Only what is legally required, such as right-to-work documents.
If you must send a copy, add a watermark such as "For [company] job application only, [date]". See watermarking documents.
If you already sent documents
- Stop contact and save the chat.
- Tell your bank if you shared bank details.
- Watch for accounts opened in your name. See account opened in my name.
- Use protective services where available, such as a credit freeze or protective registration. See what to do if ID copies were shared.
Related: protecting ID documents on WhatsApp. For more, see the complete guide to WhatsApp scams.
Frequently asked questions
When is it normal to share ID for a job?
After you have accepted a genuine offer from a verified employer, usually through a secure HR system, and for legal checks such as right to work.
What can scammers do with my documents?
Open accounts or take out loans in your name, pass identity checks, or sell your identity.
I already sent my ID. What now?
Watch your accounts, consider a credit freeze or fraud alert where available, and follow our identity theft steps.
Sources
- Job Scams, US Federal Trade Commission
- IdentityTheft.gov, US Federal Trade Commission
- Protective Registration, Cifas (UK)
