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Job opportunity verification checklist

Twelve checks across the company, the advert, the recruiter, the process and what to do if something is wrong. Each item explains how to do the check, what it establishes and what it cannot, naming official registers where useful and linking to Luceria's free public-record check. You mark each as checked or a concern and can copy a record of what you checked. A full list of ticks is a record of diligence, not proof that an opportunity is safe.

Everything you type is processed in your browser. A draft is kept in this browser's local storage so you can come back to it, and a visible Clear control deletes it. Nothing is uploaded, stored or logged by Luceria; analytics record only that the tool was used, never its contents.

Use the tool

0 of 12 checks done

Work through each check. Every item says what it can establish and what it cannot, so a full list of ticks is a record of what you looked at, not a verdict that the opportunity is genuine.

The company

Confirm the organisation exists and that the opportunity comes from it.

  • Find the company on the official business register for its country.

    UK: Companies House. US: the Secretary of State business search for the state named in the advert. EU: the relevant national business register. Luceria's free check may find supported public records, but it does not search every national register; confirm the official entry yourself.

    Establishes
    That a registered entity with that name exists, its status and age.
    Cannot establish
    That the person contacting you works for it. Fraudsters often copy real company names.
    Run the free public-record check
  • Compare the email domain and website with the company's own site.

    Type the company's real website address yourself (do not follow the link in the message) and compare the domain character by character.

    Establishes
    Whether the contact uses the company's domain or a look-alike.
    Cannot establish
    That a genuine domain was not compromised; it is strong evidence, not proof.
  • Find the vacancy on the company's own careers page or an official channel.

    Search the careers page for the title. A legitimate recruiter can usually point you to it.

    Establishes
    That the company is hiring for this role, roughly as described.
    Cannot establish
    That this particular message is from the hiring team.

The advert or message

Read what the opportunity actually says.

  • Check the advert names a real location, line manager role, responsibilities and a plausible salary.

    Vague duties, 'earn from home' claims and pay far above the market for the stated skills are common warning signs.

    Establishes
    Whether the role is described like a real job.
    Cannot establish
    Legitimacy on its own: a vague advert can be lazy rather than fraudulent.
    Signs of a fake job advert
  • Check how you are asked to apply and what you are asked to send.

    Question requests for passport scans, bank details, National Insurance or Social Security numbers in an unexpected message. An employer may need identity or right-to-work evidence at different points in a formal hiring process; independently confirm the employer and its secure route before sharing it.

    Establishes
    Whether the process matches normal hiring practice.
    Cannot establish
    That the employer's later checks are safe; keep verifying at each stage.
    Which personal details to share, and when
  • Question requests to pay for access to a job, buy equipment through a supplied link or move money.

    Fees demanded by a recruiter for finding work, equipment bought through a supplied link, and requests to receive and forward funds are serious warning signs. Some legitimate processes have statutory costs, such as a Basic DBS check or a visa; verify who charges the fee and why through the official provider.

    Establishes
    Whether the requested payment or transfer needs independent verification before you act.
    Cannot establish
    That a no-fee opportunity is genuine; fraud does not always involve upfront payment.
    Asked to pay for a job?

The recruiter or contact

Check the person, not just the company.

  • Verify the recruiter through a channel you found yourself.

    Find the agency or company through its own website and call the switchboard, or message the person through a verified profile. Ask for the vacancy reference.

    Establishes
    That the person is reachable through the organisation they claim.
    Cannot establish
    Their competence or the quality of the role.
    How to check a recruiter is real
  • Note whether contact moved to WhatsApp, Telegram or a personal email.

    Pressure to move to a messaging app and decide quickly is a warning sign. Some genuine recruiters use messaging apps for scheduling, so confirm the contact through an independently found company or agency channel.

    Establishes
    Whether the contact pattern matches fraud patterns.
    Cannot establish
    Fraud by itself; some genuine recruiters do use messaging apps for scheduling.
    Messaging-app job scams

The process and the offer

Legitimate hiring takes time and involves people.

  • Check who assessed you and verify an unexpected offer through the employer.

    An unsolicited offer after only a chat conversation merits a pause and an independent check. Hiring processes differ; ask for the named contact and verify the vacancy through the organisation's own channel.

    Establishes
    Whether the process involved real evaluation.
    Cannot establish
    That interviewers are who they say; an audio or video call alone does not prove identity.
    Signs a job offer is fake
  • Read the offer letter for the legal employer name, pay, hours, start date and conditions.

    Compare the employer name with the register entry. Conditions such as references and right-to-work checks are normal; payment or purchase conditions are not.

    Establishes
    Whether the offer is a coherent employment offer.
    Cannot establish
    Whether the employer is a good one to work for.
    Reading a job offer letter

If something is wrong

Act early; shared details can be protected.

  • Report a suspected scam to the right body and the platform where you saw it.

    UK: Report Fraud in England, Wales or Northern Ireland (it replaced Action Fraud) or Police Scotland in Scotland, plus the job board. US: the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, plus the job board. Keep screenshots.

    Establishes
    A record that helps investigators and warns others.
    Cannot establish
    Recovery of money already sent, although early reports help.
    Where to report in the UK
  • If you shared documents or bank details, act on them now.

    Tell your bank, change passwords, and consider identity-protection steps for the documents involved.

    Establishes
    Damage limitation.
    Cannot establish
    Undoing the disclosure.
    Shared details with a scammer? What to do now

How it works

  1. Items are grouped by what you are checking: company identity, the advert's content and application route, the recruiter and their channel, the interview and offer, and reporting routes.
  2. Three items are treated as reasons to pause and verify independently when marked as a concern: suspicious payment requests, unexpected requests for identity or bank details, and an unverified offer after little or no assessment.
  3. The summary counts what you have done and lists concerns; it never computes a safety score or verdict.
  4. The registry item links to Luceria's free public-record check. It can use supported public records but does not search every national company register; readers are told to confirm the official entry directly.

What it does not do

No checklist can certify that an employer, recruiter or offer is genuine; fraudsters copy real company names and real vacancies. The checklist helps you look for common warning signs and record what you found. Luceria's AI Verify review is a separate, metered step tuned for the UK.

Your data

Everything you type is processed in your browser. A draft is kept in this browser's local storage so you can come back to it, and a visible Clear control deletes it. Nothing is uploaded, stored or logged by Luceria; analytics record only that the tool was used, never its contents.

Worked example

Illustrative example with invented details, not a real person’s result.

A fictional remote data-entry offer: inputs

  • A message on a messaging app offering a remote data-entry job at a real-sounding company, with an interview held entirely by chat.
  • A request to buy equipment through a supplied link before the start date, and for a scan of a passport to 'set up payroll'.

What the tool shows

  • Company registry check done: an entity with the name exists, which establishes only that the name is real.
  • Concerns marked on payment, application route and interview: three stop signals listed.
  • The copied record lists each check with its answer and the reminder that completed checks do not prove the offer is genuine.

How to use it well

  1. Do the company and domain checks before you reply to anything.
  2. Mark a concern whenever you are asked for money, documents or to move to a personal messaging channel, and stop until it is explained.
  3. Use the links on each item to the official register or the relevant guide rather than relying on the message itself.
  4. Keep the copied record; it is useful if you later report the opportunity.

Common questions

Can a checklist tell me an offer is safe?

No. It tells you which common warning signs you have looked for and which you found. Treat any stop signal as a reason to stop, and remember that a clean checklist is not a guarantee.

What is the difference between this and Luceria Verify?

This is a manual checklist you work through yourself. Verify's public check queries official registers for you, and its AI review (metered, UK-tuned) compares company, website and recruiter signals. Both surface evidence; neither certifies safety.

Where do I report a suspected scam?

In England, Wales or Northern Ireland to Report Fraud (the service that replaced Action Fraud), in Scotland to Police Scotland; in the US to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Also tell the job board or platform where you saw it.

Keep going

Published 6 November 2026 · Drafted with AI assistance and checked against Luceria’s editorial standards. Spotted a problem? Tell us.