The demand for jobs in Europe is huge, and fraudsters know it. Fake recruiters advertise attractive jobs, collect "processing fees" and disappear — sometimes after sending documents that turn out to be forged. Some even pretend to represent well-known agencies or employers. The good news: most scams follow the same patterns, and a few simple checks expose them.
Ten warning signs
- A "guaranteed" visa or work permit. No one can guarantee a decision by a consulate or a voivodeship office.
- Pressure to pay quickly. "Only two places left — pay today" is a sales tactic, not a recruitment process.
- Payment to a personal account, a money-transfer service or in cryptocurrency.
- No written contract, or a vague one with no employer name, address or salary.
- Contact only through messaging apps or free email addresses, from personal numbers, with no office you can visit.
- A salary far above the market rate for the job.
- A job offer without an interview or any questions about your skills.
- Advice to travel on a tourist visa and "sort out the papers later" — which would mean working illegally.
- Someone posing as a visa officer. Genuine consular officers meet applicants only at official embassy or consulate premises, and never ask for payments.
- Documents you never applied for, such as a work permit that arrives before you have provided any details.
Five-minute checks
- Check the company register. Polish companies are listed in the National Court Register (KRS), which you can search online for free. Look for the company name, registration number and address.
- Check the employment agency. Employment agencies operating in Poland must be entered in the national register of employment agencies (KRAZ).
- Verify contact details independently. Find the company's official website and phone number yourself — don't rely on the details in the message you received.
- Ask for the case details. A genuine employer can tell you which office is processing your permit and give you the case reference.
- Use official channels for visas. Visa appointments are booked through the official consular system or authorised visa centres. Never pay a third party for a "guaranteed appointment".
If you think you have been targeted
- Stop all payments and do not send any more documents.
- Keep the evidence — messages, receipts, account numbers and documents.
- Contact your bank immediately; it may be able to stop or recall a transfer.
- Report it to the police in your country, and to the Polish police if the fraud involves Poland.
- Report fake job adverts to the website or platform where you saw them.
If you are already working in Poland and your employer is not respecting your contract, the National Labour Inspectorate (Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy) can help.
How we protect our clients
EU Prime Serwis is a registered Polish company (KRS: 0001133506). All payments are made directly to the company — never to individual employees — and we issue a receipt for every payment. No one, including our staff, can influence visa processing times or decisions: those are made only by authorised officials. If someone contacts you claiming to represent us and anything feels wrong, check with us through the official channels on our Contact page before you pay or share documents. Read our full Anti-Fraud Policy.