Fake Recruiter Scams in Italy
Bogus job offers on LinkedIn and local Italian platforms extract personal data and fees from job-seekers under the guise of employment screening.
Part of: Fake Recruiters
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Italy's elevated youth unemployment rate creates fertile ground for fake recruiter scams. Fraudsters post convincing vacancies on LinkedIn, Indeed Italy and local portals like InfoJobs, often impersonating well-known Italian companies such as Enel, Ferrero or ENI. Victims are invited through elaborate multi-stage interviews before being told they must pay for background checks, uniforms or certification courses.
The Polizia Postale and the Guardia di Finanza have both issued advisories about recruitment fraud, warning that legitimate employers in Italy never charge candidates. Losses are compounded when scammers also harvest national identity numbers and codice fiscale data submitted during fake onboarding.
How this scam works on Italy
A message arrives via LinkedIn or email congratulating the target on being identified for a senior role, requesting a CV and identity documents. After a video call — sometimes using a real cloned LinkedIn profile — the 'HR manager' requests €200–€500 for a mandatory health or background-check fee.
Alternatively, victims are sent a fake employment contract and told they must register with a named 'private employment agency' that charges a fee. The agency is not listed with the Italian National Labour Inspectorate (INL).
Data submitted during these fake processes, including copies of carta d'identità and codice fiscale, are sold on dark-web markets or used for identity fraud.
Common red flags
- Job offer arrives without you applying, claiming to have found your profile
- Company email uses a free domain (Gmail, Hotmail) rather than the corporate domain
- Request for payment for background checks, uniforms or training before starting
- Interview conducted entirely by text or through an unusual app
- Offer requires you to send copies of identity documents immediately
- Salary and benefits are unusually high for an entry-level or unspecified role
How to protect yourself
- Verify the company exists and is registered on the Italian Companies Register (Registro Imprese) at registroimprese.it
- Call the company's official switchboard to confirm the recruiter works there
- Never pay fees of any kind before starting a job — it is illegal under Italian employment law
- Limit personal information shared until an offer is formally confirmed
- Report suspicious job ads directly to the platform and to the INL
How to report it
- Ispettorato Nazionale del Lavoro (INL): ilavoratori.gov.it — report fake employment agencies
- Polizia Postale: commissariatodips.it — cyber-fraud reporting
- LinkedIn Trust & Safety: report the fraudulent profile directly on the platform
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal for a recruiter to charge a fee in Italy?
No. Under Italian Legislative Decree 276/2003 and subsequent labour law reforms, charging job-seekers fees is prohibited. Any recruiter requesting payment is engaging in fraudulent conduct.