Scammers are increasingly targeting job seekers in Czechia

Job seekers in the Czech Republic are being warned to beware of scammers posing as legitimate recruitment agencies.

The recruitment firm Grafton Recruitment says it has noticed criminals misusing the company’s name to contact people via phone and email, asking them to fill out personal questionnaires with sensitive financial information.

“You never pay for job placement,” said Jitka Kouba, Grafton Recruitment’s marketing director. “If you receive an SMS or email asking you to pay a fee or fill in a questionnaire with account or credit card numbers, it may be a scam.”

Kouba said fraudsters are mining data from social media and sending phony emails and texts demanding payments for job placement. The messages may look like real HR communications, but the domain or phone number doesn’t match the actual recruitment agency.

“I recommend that everyone always check the recruitment agency’s website and verify contact details when looking for a job,” Kouba added. "It’s also advisable to check if the agency has a valid license.”

These agencies can be found on the website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic. Recruitment agencies only need basic information such as name, surname, or address. Those seeking work are also advised to check an agency’s reliability via the Association of Personnel Service Providers.

Kouba said legitimate recruitment agencies in the Czech Republic only need basic information like name and address, not sensitive data like ID numbers or passwords.

“If you have any doubts about the credibility of an offer, we recommend you check the information directly with us,” Kouba said. “If you’ve already given the fraudsters sensitive information or made a payment, block your cards, inform your bank, and report it to the police.”