Nike Retail BV scam?
I have applied to a remote customer service position on Indeed posted by Nike Retail B.V. The employer page on Indeed seems legit, 14000 reviews and lots of information about salary, schedule, just general employee experience.
2 days after the application, I was called by a Laura (?) saying how she saw my application and would like to conduct a short phone interview. This lasted 20 minutes, the questions she asked did not raise any red flags, she asked about how I do my job and how I can differentiate myself from the hundreds others customer service agents. Overall I had a good feeling that I will join the team and bring in valuable experience.
Laura said I will get an e-mail and a WhatsApp message with the next steps. 4 days later, I get the e-mail and WhatsApp message, I am asked to provide my personal details and bank account number so the administration can draft up my contract. I thought it is a bit odd since we did not agree on an official start date, but I provided my passport because all my other employers requested it before providing the contract.
After submitting the documents, I was once again asked via e-mail & WhatsApp by a Hellen from HR to join a Zoom meeting to order my work equipment. I was supposed to provide a deposit. This is where I stopped and said I’m not doing anything else and paying anything unless I have a contract from Nike Retail B.V.
Laura then called me to explain why the deposit (allegedly multiple candidates got the work equipment and then never replied), so I gave her the benefit of the doubt. I still refused to pay, but told her that once I have the contract I will pay if this is their policy since I do want to collaborate with Nike.
It’s now been a week and I have heard nothing. All my calls go straight to voicemail (both for Laura and Ellen). I tried contacting Indeed to verify the legitimacy of the job but to no avail.
I am a bit lost and worried that I have sent my passport to some random scumbags that just want to scam people. Can this even be a scam or did I just miss a job opportunity?
EDIT: the email I received from this Hellen from HR was sent by jobs@nikeretail.com