What it is
The advance-fee scam inverts how employment works. Instead of the employer paying the worker, the "employer" gets the worker to pay first. The fee is dressed up as something that sounds reasonable for the role - a certification you must buy, equipment from a named vendor, a processing or background-check fee, a deposit "returned in your first paycheck."
How it reaches you
It usually arrives bundled with other scam signals: a quick offer, no real interview, and pressure to pay today. Some versions add a "you will be reimbursed" promise, where the reimbursement either never comes or arrives as a fake check that reverses later.
The tell
Any requirement to pay money to start a job. There are no exceptions - not a small fee, not a refundable deposit, not a reimbursable purchase. Legitimate employers absorb the cost of equipping and training you.
What to do
Decline, and verify the company independently: find the role on its official careers page and confirm the recruiter's email domain. If you already paid, contact your bank or card issuer at once and follow the recovery checklist. For the full walk-through, see do I have to pay for training or equipment?