Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Competition Development Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan has issued an official warning to citizens regarding the activities of certain consulting companies offering employment and education services abroad. The statement was prompted by numerous cases of fraud, where individuals paid substantial sums of money but never received the promised services.

Since the beginning of the year, the Committee has received around 20 complaints from affected individuals. According to the complainants, companies presenting themselves as intermediaries for overseas employment or education collected payments but either never began processing the paperwork or ceased operations without returning the funds.

For instance, citizen A.B. transferred over 16 million soums to a Tashkent-based company called Konsalting N1 B2B for assistance with labor migration to Latvia. A resident of Fergana, Sh.M., paid $2,000 to Vivat Viz, a company based in Kokand, for visa processing and supporting documentation for employment in Latvia. O.X., a resident of Yangiyul district, transferred 36 million soums to Black Mountain Pro, a company operating in the Yakkasaray district of the capital. He was promised employment in Germany, but the company failed to deliver on its commitments and ceased operations.

The Committee reminded the public that, according to the Law “On Private Employment Agencies,” providing overseas employment services is only permitted with the appropriate license. Nevertheless, many entities continue to operate without authorization, in violation of the law.

It was noted that dishonest firms actively use social media to gain clients’ trust and portray themselves as legitimate professionals. The organizations named in citizen complaints include: Diamond Ideal, Work and Study Abroad, SJ Team, Consulting Fly, Asia Consult Edugately, Euro Asia Consulting Centre, Exclusive Assistant, Doch Consult, Global Consulting Effort, and Poland Business Support and Viza.

In response, the Agency for External Labor Migration has already imposed sanctions on several firms. Specifically, Everyone Consult and Worldviza were fined 300 basic calculation units (equivalent to 112.5 million soums) for violations in service provision procedures. Measures have also been taken against Rich Result, Ravon Consult Group, and Adworld Group.

The Committee urged citizens not to trust unverified claims by intermediaries, to carefully check for valid licenses on the official "License" portal, and to thoroughly review contract terms before making any payments.