Fake IIT Madras Internship Emails: How to Spot the Scam

Real internship openings from the IITM BS placement cell (IIC) are listed inside the placement portal at placements.study.iitm.ac.in. You log in there with your official student email. The IIC's address is iic@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab). Some emails and WhatsApp messages offer an "IIT Madras internship" and ask you to pay to confirm your seat. Treat any such message as a scam until you check it through those official channels.

We did not find an official IITM BS page that warns about these emails. The advice below is based on how the real process works.

How the real placement process works

The placement portal and its Terms of Service (4 September 2024) describe these rules:

• The portal is only for enrolled students of the programme. You register with your official student email.
• Internship support starts only after you finish at least one diploma. Job support needs at least a BSc.
• Openings are posted on the portal, and you apply there.
• Recruiters are not allowed to contact students directly outside the portal. All communication goes through the portal or the IIC team.
• Offers must be sent through the portal, not by private email.
• The only fee the Terms of Service mention is the non-refundable subscription plan for placement assistance. You choose it in your own portal account, based on your eligibility. It is not a fee to confirm a particular internship.

The programme email addresses in the handbooks all end in iitm.ac.in, and most end in study.iitm.ac.in. Student emails look like a roll number followed by @ds.study.iitm.ac.in (Data Science) or @es.study.iitm.ac.in (Electronic Systems). The portal also lists a phone number for the placement office: +91 63857 89630.

Warning signs

Be careful if a message:

• Asks for money for registration, training, a certificate, a "security deposit" or to "confirm" an internship.
• Comes from a Gmail or other outside address, or from a domain that only looks like iitm.ac.in, with an extra word or a changed letter.
• Says you are selected even though you never applied or gave an interview.
• Pushes you to pay within a few hours.
• Asks for your portal password, an OTP, or your bank details.
• Asks you to pay to a personal UPI ID or bank account.
• Offers an "IIT Madras internship" to a Foundation student. The real IIC route needs at least one diploma.

A correct-looking sender address is not proof on its own. Email addresses can be faked, so always check through the portal.

How to check an offer

1. Type placements.study.iitm.ac.in into your browser yourself. Do not click the link in the message.
2. Log in and see if the opening is listed there. If it is not, it is not an IIC opening.
3. Email iic@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab), or raise a ticket on the portal's support page, and ask.
4. For a company that contacted you directly, check its own official website and careers page.
5. For any other programme question, raise a ticket with student support. See support tickets and escalation.

A similar warning from another IIT

On 20 March 2026, IIT Roorkee issued a statement about outside groups falsely claiming a link with it, as reported by Careers360. These groups were promoting paid internship and training programmes. IIT Roorkee said it had no link with them and does not authorise third parties to offer internships for it. It asked students to verify offers only through official channels. That warning was about IIT Roorkee, not IIT Madras. But the pattern is the same one to watch for.

If you already paid

• Stop replying. Do not pay any "refund processing" fee.
• Save everything: emails, chats, payment receipts and the UPI ID or account number.
• Call your bank at once and ask them to block or reverse the payment.
• Report it to the national cyber crime helpline 1930 or at cybercrime.gov.in.
• Tell the IIC at iic@study.iitm.ac.in (opens in a new tab), so they know the scam is going around.
• Warn classmates in your groups, without sharing anyone's personal details. More tips in staying safe in student groups.

Common questions

Does the IITM BS placement cell ever charge a fee?

Yes. There is a non-refundable fee for the placement assistance subscription plan, which you choose inside the portal once you are eligible. It is not a payment to secure a specific internship. See how the placement cell works.

A real company emailed me saying it found my profile. Is it fake?

Not always. Companies can recruit people directly. But for openings through the IIC, recruiters must use the portal. Check the company's official website, and never pay to get an offer.

Can I get a genuine internship outside the portal?

Yes. Many students find internships on their own. Apply through the company's official channels. Read how to find an internship.

Is it safe to share my student email or roll number?

Share them only when a real application needs them. Never share your password or an OTP with anyone, including people who say they work for IIT Madras.