'He literally scammed us with fake salary slips': Beauty brand founder’s hiring horror story sparks fierce online debate

A business owner’s candid account of a disastrous hiring decision has gone viral, igniting a heated debate on workplace trust, hiring practices, and red flags that employers often overlook.

Arshia Kaur, founder of Indian beauty brand Tint Cosmetics, took to Instagram to narrate what she called her “most shocking hiring story yet,” sharing the details in a two-part video that has since sparked polarised reactions from viewers.

From Perfect Resume to Problem Employee

According to Kaur’s first video, posted on her official Instagram handle, the incident dates back to November 2024, when Tint Cosmetics was looking to fill a head of marketing role.


The company needed someone who could manage performance ads, growth, e-commerce, and overall marketing strategy. Responding to a post in a founders’ group, a candidate with seemingly stellar credentials reached out.

On paper, he looked ideal. His past work appeared impressive, his portfolio checked out, and even a background check raised no alarms. “We ended up hiring him,” Kaur recalled in the video posted on Instagram, “and within a month, something felt off.”

Communication issues surfaced almost immediately. Tasks were left incomplete, work had to be reassigned, and despite repeated warnings, performance failed to improve. Within two and a half months, the company decided to let him go.

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A post shared by Arshia Kaur (@arshia.vijan)

The Fake Salary Slip Shock

It was only after revisiting his paperwork that the shocking discovery was made. In her second video, Kaur revealed that the salary slips submitted during the hiring process were fake. “Turns out he worked 31 out of 31 days, with no leaves, which means he also worked on Saturdays and Sundays,” she said, adding that the documents lacked any official stamp or signature and appeared to have been created in Excel.

Before processing his full and final settlement, the company confronted him and requested proof of the credited salary from his previous job. He froze, eventually claiming that much of it had been paid in cash — a claim Kaur says raised even more doubts.

“This was a huge wake-up call for us,” she said. “Founders must do their due diligence and ask the right questions early. Please don’t learn the hard way like we did.”

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A post shared by Arshia Kaur (@arshia.vijan)

Social Media Divided Over the Blame

The viral post has drawn hundreds of comments, with opinions split down the middle.
Some sided with the founder, agreeing that dishonest candidates can waste valuable time, resources, and energy. “People have legit zero experience and are asking for salaries that a two-year working individual gets,” one commenter wrote.

Others criticized Tint Cosmetics for not conducting thorough verification earlier. “Why would you pay based on the previous organization? Such a red-flag company,” one user remarked. Another asked, “If you have the budget and he did well in the interview, why should past pay matter?”

Several recruiters in the comments echoed the difficulty of modern hiring. One shared, “We conduct a two-hour interview after the technical round just to cross-question candidates until they fumble on numbers and get caught.”