Moving to a new country can be full of challenges. Not knowing the local rules and being careless often make newcomers easy targets for scammers. In this article, we have gathered the most common scam schemes that foreigners face and practical advice on how to avoid them. Let's look at everything step by step so you can protect your money, time, and nerves.
Fake Vacancies: Promises of Gold Mountains
One of the most popular schemes is fake job ads. Scammers lure people with attractive offers with high salaries but without official employment. Often, they demand prepayment for "document processing" or "guarantee of a place." As a result, you lose money, and you never get the job. How to protect yourself?- Check the company on the website orsr.sk to make sure it exists and to find out who its owner is.
- Never agree to work without signing an official contract.
- Look for reviews about the employer online, in Facebook communities, or in immigrant chats on Telegram. In particular, we recommend paying attention to the group “Unscrupulous Employers,” where participants share their experiences and warn about scam vacancies.
Selling Appointments to the Police: When Time is Expensive
Getting an appointment at the Cudzinecká polícia (foreign police office) in Slovakia is a real quest. There are few available slots, and most of them are bought by bots or intermediaries who then resell them for money. Buying such an appointment seems like a quick solution, but it is risky. How to protect yourself?- Do not buy appointments, as the police can cancel such applications.
- Regularly check the official website yourself. The best time to look for available slots is early in the morning (5–7 AM) or late at night (close to midnight) when new dates appear.
Buying Companies with Debts: Cheap but Dangerous
In Slovakia, it is common practice to buy already registered s.r.o. (limited liability companies) instead of creating new ones. This is faster and cheaper, but scammers can sell a company with debts, sanctions, or other problems. As a result, you risk losing much more than you saved. How to protect yourself?- Check the company on finstat.sk to find out about its financial status. This is an online service in Slovakia that provides detailed information about companies registered in the country. The website allows you to check a company's financial status, its debts, profits, owners, court cases, or other legal data.
- To make sure the company is "clean," request a debt register extract from Register dlžnikov, certificates from the tax office, social security, and health insurance confirming the absence of debts, as well as current financial statements.
- Cooperate only with trusted intermediaries whom you fully trust.
Using Your Bank Account: Quick Money with Big Problems
Scammers may offer to "help" with money transfers or open an account in your name for certain operations, for example, on a cryptocurrency exchange. They promise a few hundred euros for this. But such schemes are often related to money laundering, and you could end up under investigation. How to protect yourself?- Never open accounts for third parties.
- Refuse any offers of "quick earnings" for banking operations – it is almost always a scam.
Renting Apartments: When Housing is Just a Lure
Scammers often rent out non-existent apartments or take prepayment and disappear. Foreigners who do not know local laws well are especially vulnerable. A suspiciously cheap apartment or a request to make a prepayment for "reservation" are clear signs of deception. How to protect yourself?- Check the property owner on katasterportal.sk - this is an official online service in Slovakia that provides access to cadastral data about real estate. The website allows you to check information about owners of land plots, houses, or apartments, as well as details about the property, such as its boundaries or legal status. It is useful for checking documents when renting or buying real estate.
- Sign the contract only after checking the owner's documents.
- If possible, contact licensed real estate agents or lawyers who can help verify the deal.
Car Purchase Scams: Defects, Mileage, and More
Buying a car in Slovakia can also lead to problems. Scammers sell cars with hidden defects, rolled-back mileage, or even stolen cars. How to protect yourself?- Check the car's history. stkonline.sk is an official online service in Slovakia for checking the technical condition of cars (STK – technical inspection, EK – emission inspection). It allows you to check the validity of STK/EK. seka.sk is the website of the company S-EKA, which deals with emission controls (EK) in Slovakia. It provides the ability to check the history of a car's emission inspections.
- Be sure to conduct a technical inspection at an independent service center before buying.
Fake Delivery: Traps of Online Sales
Another common scheme involves selling goods through online stores or Facebook. The buyer promises to pay for the item but asks to send it through a delivery service, for example, Packeta. Then, they send a fake website where you need to enter your bank card details. How to protect yourself?- Never enter your card details on suspicious websites.
- Use only official payment systems.
- If a deal seems too good or too simple, it is a reason to be cautious.
