Looks like you avoided the scam: congratulations!
For the benefit of newer players, let's start with the basics: in EVE players get together in groups called Corporations, and then Corporations can get together to form Alliances (and outside of EVE Alliances can form political alliances called Coalitions).
GoonSwarm Federation (GSF) is the main alliance withing the Imperium coalition. Inside GSF are lots of corps, from Section 8 renters, to the main GoonWaffe, to the Reddit-based KarmaFleet.
While the GSF have a set of alliance rules, each corp will have its own rules as long as they don't override the alliance rules. Think the USA: federal vs state laws.
Scamming is a an old-time favourite GoonWaffe way of making ISK. Get the mark to pay a deposit, then keep it. Get them to hand over their stuff for shipping down to null: and keep it. The ONLY way into GoonWaffe corp is via joining the SomethingAwful forums, so the list of legitimate GoonWaffe recruiters is: nobody.
KarmaFleet has different rules. KF is an open corporation where we invite anyone to join. That means we can't have people running recruitment scams, so they're banned.
All you need to do to apply to KF is follow the instructions at the recruitment site which involves: filling in a form, giving us all your account APIs (so we can run a background check) and answering any questions recruiters might have. KF will never ask for a deposit or assets as part of recruitment.
If you ever see a KF character running them, please report them so we can get rid of them as they're not helping our cause!
TL;DR - KarmaFleet doesn't scam, other characters in Goons alliance do. KF will never ask you for deposits or assets before joining.