Fake Fellowship and Job Passport Harvest Scam

High SeverityRisingEmployment / Identity Harvesting ScamVerified 2026-03-17

Elaborate fake government fellowships or prestigious tech company jobs conduct highly professional video interviews. Before any written offer is provided, they demand unredacted passport and driver's license uploads via third-party links. The job does not exist. The goal is harvesting identity documents for synthetic identity fraud.

Annual Losses

$367M+ in job scam losses (FTC 2024)

Avg Loss / Victim

Identity theft damages averaging $1,000-$10,000+ in remediation costs

Primary Vector

Email, LinkedIn, job boards, then video interview platforms

Peak Season

Year-round, with spikes during hiring seasons (January-March, September)

How It Works

Scammers create convincing fake job postings or fellowship programs that appear to be from prestigious organizations, government agencies, or well-known tech companies. Victims go through what seems like a legitimate multi-stage interview process, including professional-looking video interviews. Before any written offer letter is provided, the scammer demands identity documents (passport, driver's license) uploaded via third-party file-sharing links. The documents are used for synthetic identity fraud, and the job or fellowship never materializes.

1Scammer posts a convincing job listing or fellowship on LinkedIn, Indeed, or direct outreach via email
2Listing offers unusually attractive compensation, remote work, or prestigious affiliation
3Victim applies and receives a professional-sounding response scheduling an interview
4Video interview is conducted (sometimes with multiple fake interviewers) and seems legitimate
5Victim is told they have advanced to the "final round" or "offer stage"
6Before any written offer, victim is asked to upload passport and driver's license via a third-party link (Feishu, Google Forms, Dropbox)
7Scammer claims documents are needed for "compliance verification," "background check processing," or "security clearance"
8Once documents are submitted, communication stops or the "offer" is indefinitely delayed
9Stolen identity documents are used for synthetic identity fraud, fraudulent account creation, or sold on dark web markets

Example Scam Messages

Hover or tap the highlighted text to see why each element is a red flag.

EXAMPLE 1

Congratulations on advancing to the final round. Before we can process your offer letterRed flag: Legitimate employers provide a written offer letter before requesting any identity documents, we need you to upload your passport and driver's licenseRed flag: Requesting unredacted passport and license before employment is confirmed is a major red flag via this secure linkRed flag: Third-party file-sharing links (Feishu, Google Forms) are not how real HR departments collect sensitive documents for our compliance teamRed flag: Vague reference to a compliance team without specific names or direct contact information.

“Before we can process your offer letter” — Legitimate employers provide a written offer letter before requesting any identity documents

“upload your passport and driver's license” — Requesting unredacted passport and license before employment is confirmed is a major red flag

“this secure link” — Third-party file-sharing links (Feishu, Google Forms) are not how real HR departments collect sensitive documents

“compliance team” — Vague reference to a compliance team without specific names or direct contact information

Red Flags Checklist

Passport or government ID requested before a written offer letter

Legitimate employers always provide a signed offer letter before requesting identity documents. I-9 verification happens after you start work, not before an offer

Documents collected via third-party file-sharing links

Real companies use their own HR systems (Workday, BambooHR, etc.) for document collection, not Google Forms, Feishu, or Dropbox links

Company has little or no verifiable digital footprint

Search for the company independently. Check LinkedIn for real employees, look for a professional website with history, and verify the domain age

Compensation seems too good to be true

If the salary, benefits, or fellowship stipend is significantly above market rate for the role, it is likely bait

Interview process feels rushed or oddly structured

Real interview processes at prestigious organizations are thorough and take weeks. A fast-tracked process that jumps to document collection is suspicious

What Real Communication Looks Like

Real employers and fellowship programs provide a written, signed offer letter before requesting any identity documents. Form I-9 identity verification is completed on or after your first day of work, not during the interview process. Documents are collected through the company's official HR platform, never through third-party file-sharing services. You can always verify the opportunity by contacting the organization directly through their official website.

What To Do

If you just received this message:

Do not upload any identity documents until you have a signed, written offer letter

Verify the company and the recruiter independently through the company's official website

Search for the job posting on the company's official careers page

Ask to submit documents through the company's official HR system, not a third-party link

Report fake job listings to the platform where you found them (LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.)

If you already clicked or gave information:

If you uploaded your passport or license: place fraud alerts on all three credit bureaus immediately

Consider a credit freeze at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion

Report to the FTC at identitytheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan

Monitor your credit reports weekly for unauthorized accounts or inquiries

If a passport was compromised: contact the State Department about a replacement passport

File a report with the FBI IC3 at ic3.gov

Where to report:

FTC: reportfraud.ftc.gov and identitytheft.gov

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): ic3.gov

LinkedIn, Indeed, or the job board where the listing appeared

The real organization being impersonated (so they can issue warnings)

State Department (if passport was compromised): travel.state.gov

Frequently Asked Questions

When is it normal for an employer to ask for my passport or ID?

In the United States, employers verify identity documents as part of Form I-9 on or after your first day of work. They should never ask for these documents during the interview process or before providing a written offer letter. Any request for identity documents before a formal offer is a red flag.

The interview seemed so real. How can a fake company do that?

Scammers have become sophisticated. They create professional LinkedIn profiles, company websites, and even conduct multi-round video interviews with multiple people. The key differentiator is always the document request. No matter how polished the process, requesting identity documents before a written offer is not standard practice at any legitimate organization.

What is synthetic identity fraud?

Synthetic identity fraud combines real information (your name, date of birth, or Social Security number from your ID) with fabricated details to create a new fake identity. This synthetic identity is used to open credit cards, take out loans, or commit other financial fraud. It is extremely difficult to detect and can take years to surface on your credit report.

Sources

Reddit r/Scams community reports (March 2026)
FTC job scam reports and consumer alerts (2024-2025)
FBI IC3 employment fraud warnings

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