Fake assistant role uses home-office equipment vendor

The offer looked more formal than the usual spam job. The target received a message from a supposed recruiter, an interview by chat, and a written offer for an assistant role. The next step was equipment setup. The employer said a check would cover a laptop, printer, software, and onboarding materials from an approved vendor. The vendor was part of the fraud. The check would fail later, while the payment sent to the vendor would clear immediately. The target would be left responsible for the bank loss. In some versions, the equipment never existed. In others, the goal was to collect identity documents during onboarding. Red flags include hiring without a real interview, pressure to move quickly, personal email addresses, and a requirement to use one vendor before work begins. Verify the employer through its official website and call a published phone number, not the one provided by the recruiter.