Students are a common target for fake internship offers. A few simple checks can save you money and stress. Use them for any programme, ours included.
Warning signs
- A job or salary guarantee. No honest programme can promise you a job.
- Pressure to pay now, "only 2 seats left", with no time to read the details.
- Payment to a person. Asked to send money to a personal UPI ID, phone number or bank account.
- No company details. No registered name, address, working email or grievance contact.
- Messages only on a chat app, with no website you can read.
- A "free" offer that later asks for fees for a kit, a certificate, or "verification".
- Poor spelling and no terms, refund policy or privacy policy.
What to check before you pay
- Read the website. It should say what you will learn, how long it runs, what you get at the end and what it costs.
- Find the company name. Look for the registered company name and address in the footer or legal pages, and search the company registry.
- Read the policies. A real programme has a clear refund policy, terms and a way to complain.
- Ask what the certificate means. A certificate of completion shows you finished a programme. It is not a guarantee of anything else.
- Search for reviews outside the website and talk to someone who has taken the programme.
Paying safely
- Pay only on the official website's checkout, on a page that shows the programme name and the exact amount. Dnyx Academy payments go through Razorpay.
- Never send money to a person's personal account, even if they say they are from the company.
- Keep the payment receipt and the confirmation email.
- If a link is sent to you, open the website yourself and find the programme there.
Checking a referral code or partner
Many students hear about a programme from a friend or a campus partner. That is fine, but it is worth a minute to check. Dnyx Academy partners are real people with a referral code, and you can confirm a code is genuine at dnyxacademy.com/partner/CODE (use the code you were given). Verified partners show a blue tick. A partner should never ask you to pay them directly: the discount shows on the official checkout.
If something feels wrong
Stop, do not pay, and ask. If you have already paid, contact your bank or UPI app straight away and keep your screenshots. For Dnyx Academy, you can raise a complaint through the grievance page.
Also read what to check before an internship with a certificate.
FAQ
How do I know if an internship is real?
Check that the company has a clear website, registered details, policies and a way to contact them, and that the offer does not promise a job or ask you to pay a person.
Is it safe to pay through a friend or a referral partner?
No. Pay only on the official checkout. A referral code gives you a discount on that page. It is never a reason to send money to someone.
What should I do if I paid a fake internship?
Contact your bank or payment app immediately, keep all messages and receipts, and report it to the cybercrime helpline or website.
Do real internships charge a fee?
Some do, and some do not. A fee is not a warning sign by itself. What matters is that it is clear, paid on an official page and comes with a real programme.