Company from Upper Austria warns

ABB

Automation specialist B&R sensitizes job applicants to phishing attacks.(Bild: Markus Wenzel)

Fraudsters pretending to be Microsoft employees on the phone and gaining access to computer networks; fake websites accessing bank details - the risk of falling victim to criminals is high. You could also fall into the trap when looking for a job, as one company from Upper Austria urgently warns its applicants.

From project manager in software development to production controller to service repair technician: 41 jobs are currently advertised online at B&R in Eggelsberg. Interesting: On the website of the automation specialist, which is part of the ABB Group, potential applicants are not only informed about what the job profile looks like and what qualifications are required, but are also referred to the fraud warning, which they should definitely read before applying.

Requests for payment were fake
Background: Some people have received contract offers from ABB via e-mail, but these were not written by the company. Applicants were asked to make payments in order to obtain an appointment for an interview or to guarantee an employment contract. They were also asked to pay fees for the processing of applications. The fraudsters included the company logo in the emails and also referred to the recipients' personal details in the emails because they had in turn published these on social networks.

The aim: to raise awareness
The company emphasizes that bank information is only requested once an employment contract has been signed by both parties. We never ask applicants to make payments, they say. Why is there such a strong emphasis on fraud attempts? The offensive is purely a precautionary measure to sensitize interested applicants to the issue of possible fraudulent phishing emails, ABB replies when asked.

High stock levels force cost-cutting measures
B&R is not immune to the economic challenges. In the summer of 2024, the automation specialist based in Eggelsberg put together a package to reduce costs due to increased stock levels at customers. In the course of this, the cost-cutting pencil was also pulled out for personnel: Jobs were lost throughout Austria, particularly in the administrative area. B&R spoke of up to 240 jobs.

The reduction was to be achieved primarily through natural fluctuation, voluntary retirement, voluntary redundancies and retraining. A social plan and an employment foundation for professional reorientation and further training had also been agreed.