Is this recruitment agency real? Check the business and the job separately

What the official warning establishes

A three-department recruitment warning published by the Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau advises job seekers to verify that any agency conducting licensed recruitment activities holds a valid human-resources service licence. The warning does not declare every agency illegal; it is risk-prevention guidance. Seeing a familiar employer name in an advertisement does not prove that the intermediary is authorised to recruit for that employer. You must check the agency's licence, the employer's authorisation, and the job offer separately.

Prepare three separate identity checks

Write down the agency's legal name, the named employer, and the person who receives your application. Compare the agency name on its licence, service agreement, and any payment request. Independently contact the employer to ask whether the vacancy and the recruiter belong to it. Ask for a job reference number or the name of the hiring manager, and do not forward sensitive documents such as your ID card or bank details at this stage.

Test the promise before relying on it

Request in writing the workplace, tasks, fixed pay, variable pay, working hours, and screening conditions. If the agency promises an internal referral, ask what specific service it provides and who makes the hiring decision. Keep a copy of the answer. A statement like "we know someone" does not confirm that the employer has approved an offer or a start date.

If the identities or terms do not match

Pause any new payments and ask the agency to explain the mismatch in writing. Keep the advertisement, agreement, receipts, and contact history together. Describe the exact discrepancy to the recruitment platform or the local human-resources authority. If you suspect fraud or a threat to personal safety, contact the police through the appropriate channel. Do not publish other applicants' documents to support your complaint.

What to bring if you seek help

If you report a problem, bring the agency's full name, the licence number if shown, the employer's name, the job advertisement, the service agreement, payment receipts, and a timeline of messages. State clearly which fact is disputed: the agency's authorisation, the employer's identity, or the promised terms. This helps the authority or platform verify the specific issue rather than re-checking the whole process.

A hypothetical example of the check

Hypothetical illustration: an advert names a familiar logistics company and requests a fee payable to an agency. Even if the agency’s displayed licence can be verified, separately confirm whether the employer authorised that recruitment and whether the vacancy and terms are genuine. Ask through the employer’s independently verified channel: “Is this vacancy and agency authorised by you, and what conditions remain before hiring?” A licence is not confirmation of a particular job; the employer’s website also may not list every genuine vacancy.

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