Job candidate bluffs during interview with HR about having a better job offer to get them raise their offer, but begins to panic when asked for a copy of the offer to send to compensation team: 'The problem is, this other offer doesn't exist'

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Emma Saven
Jan 1, 2026 6:00 AM EST

Our parents taught us many lessons growing up. While some tend to go in one ear and out the other, there are those few gem phrases that always seem to stick - not necessarily for any particular reason, but just because some may resonate with us more than others. For me, one of those phrases was: A liar and a cheat always get caught. They always reiterated from an early age that, whether it be in school, in college, in life, or in relationships, the truth will always come out, whether we like it or not. A motivation to keep us on the right path, and always take the most ethical approach. And truly? If you had to ask me now, I'd say it's one of the few phrases that has kept its truth and credibility over the years, proving itself time and time again. 

We may mess up in life, actually, we will mess up in life. But that is why "accountability" exists, in order to be taken…because trying to blame others for your mess will unlikely get you far in life. It will actually do quite the opposite: push others away, stop you from learning valuable lessons, and leave you completely detached from your own sense of accomplishment. So next time you think that the deceitful path, one that pushes others off the track, is the right one…think again, because one's true colors will eventually always shine through! 

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  • Now, here we have the perfect example of this in the career context. If you are sly and sneaky whilst trying to throw your coworker under the bus, you may end up, prepare to be shocked… unemployed!! 

    This logistics employee had been involved in organizing an unsuccessful missed shipment, and after his supervisor wrote a report, the employee went to the shared documents and began rearranging the data. More specifically, rearranging it in such a way that made him look like Captain America, whilst his supervisor became the warehouse villain. 

    So after his supervisor found proof of the edits, he sent them to HR…and what they discovered was that this didn't seem to be a one-time “clearing my name” incident, but a sticky situation that many other employees admitted to having experienced with him in the past…

  • Woman conducting a job interview with stressed candidate
    via gettyimages

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • I bluffed to HR that I had a better job offer, and now they're asking for a copy of it.

    So, I'm in the final stages with a company I'm very excited about. During the salary negotiation call, I pretty much made the mistake of my life.
    via davidsa691
  • My tongue slipped and I told them I had another, stronger offer from a different company to try and get them to raise their number.
    via davidsa691
  • The problem is, this other offer doesn't exist. The HR lady was very understanding on the call and said she'd see what she could do.
    via davidsa691
  • She just asked me to send her a formal email summarizing our conversation, but then she very casually added, 'If you can, please attach a copy of the other offer letter so we can show it to the compensation team to match the number exactly.' She even asked me for the company's name.
    via davidsa691
  • I don't know how to get out of this mess. It's one thing to bluff on a call, but it's a whole other thing to forge a document with logos and names - that's straight-up fraud.
    via davidsa691
  • I don't know what the best move is now. Should I just withdraw my application or try to walk back my statement somehow?
    via davidsa691
  • A stressed man covering his eyes
    via pixelshot

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Any advice would be a huge help right now. Edit: I really don't feel comfortable sharing something like that if it actually existed.
    via davidsa691
  • In any case, I sent them an email in which I clarified that I cannot disclose proprietary information belonging to another company and that it is protected information.
    via davidsa691
  • I don't know if what I did was right or if I just made things worse.
    via davidsa691
  • I have been looking for a good opportunity for 5 months. The job market during this period is in its worst phase; it's a struggle to find a job with a good financial gain.
    via davidsa691
  • sarahthestallion The name of the other company and the "offer letter" is absolutely none of their business. You don't have to tell them anything, tell them you prefer to keep that info confidential and leave it at that.
    via sarahthestallion
  • ho_hey_ Say you signed an NDA and don't feel comfortable sharing the terms of the offer.
    via ho_hey_
  • mochajava23 Plot twist: the HR lady reads Reddit
    via mochajava23
  • Training Tough991 I would never share an offer letter with another company. Tell them it's confidential information and you are not comfortable disclosing it to them. If it were real, they could easily sabotage the other job offer.
    via TrainingTough991
  • Woman reading a documents to sign off on
    via Karola G

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • cottonswab9716 Confidential information
    via cottonswab9716
  • acidity_woolen17 Well, the answer in itself is simple "I'm sorry, I'm not comfortable sharing the exact offer.". You could give privacy or whatever as a reason, but I would personally stay away from giving any reason at all. Having said that, I myself would also give the outline of the (none- existing) offer. Base salary, bonuses, benefits. Don't make it too complicated. Point out the things that matter for you, if it is health insurance or just a high base salary, that's up to you.
    via acidity_woolen17
  • sneekysmiles Just tell them you're not able to do that. You could say you signed an NDA before getting the offer letter, then give them a salary range and basic details.
    via sneekysmiles
  • scaryspice99 Don't send them anything.
    via scaryspice99
  • march41801 "I'm not comfortable sharing, but I'd rather work for you. Please do what you can". This gives them permission to meet you half way instead of risking a rejection.
    via march41801
  • Melodic-Ad-2639 You're not the first one who has done this to them. Probably not even the first one this week. They know the signs of a bluffer - it's their job to recognize them. Comes down to how much they actually want to hire you. Just tell them you're uncomfortable sharing the details don't bullshit about NDA's because that sounds even more contrived. Let the chips fall where they may.
    via Melodic-Ad-2639

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job offer sugar-coating compete fabricate job interview
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