02072441212

Chequepoint is indeed a dodgy company which is reputed for complex incorporation constructions all in an effort to outsmart it's business relations. It is owned by Felix Grovit who is a British, lives technically in Belgium, controls his payments and calls from India and Czech republic. They owe many businesses and are constantly in litigations. They have been booted out of business in Ireland and The Netherlands. Spain is also considering a similar move. Barclays among other UK banks have denied their request to bank with them. They are very restrictive in providing their contact details. Most details on the web lead to junior staffs who cannot accept any responsibility. Well I wonder who will work or do business with them. Simply put it, they are rogues!

I typed in help with chequepoint interview and I see this. To say I'm shocked would be a lie... I'm from Oxford and I got a call from this 02072441212 number, inviting me for an interview on Cornmarket Street in the City Centre.

The email I received was from a Kial Lewis and the contact number he provided was 02072441243 and is shown below:

Following on from our initial telephone conversation today I would like to invite you in for an interview on Wednesday 14th March at 3:00 pm for the role of Cashier.

Please can you bring a copy of your CV with you to the interview (you will need to update why you have out of work and what you have been doing)

Our address is:

28 Cornmarket Street
City Centre
Oxford

I would expect you to do some research on our company before arriving and to please dress in business attire.

My telephone number is 020 7244 1243 should you have any queries in the meantime.

When you arrive if you just let the cashiers know (it's a bureau de change on the ground floor) then someone will come and collect you.

The interview will be conducted by our Area Manager David Baker

We look forward to meeting with you again


Kial Lewis

Recruitment & HR
+44 (0) 20 7244 1243


This is exactly what was written in the email and now that i think about it, it doesn't really sound professional. There's even a word missing and the punctuation is poor. It seems they have opened up a new base in Oxford now. I won't be attending the interview. Thank god I haven't started preparing for it and wasted my time. Let's hope no one else from Oxford will waste their time and read this beforehand.  

Oh and the email address I received this email from is kial.lewis@chequepointm.com.

The scam is as follows. They gleen numbers from job boards etc... they then call them up to confirm there is a person on the other end.  These are then classed as active numbers and they sell the list on to text marketing companies for as much as £3 per number.

I attended an interview for Office Manager - I attended interview in Cromwell St, South Kensington.

Met Claire, took me to room and carried out Interview - very fast interview various questions etc. I was told I would be invited for 2nd Interview with the Mr Big man himself who apparently is in Prauge and herself is leaving that date to assist.

I was told that I would hear back within few days, nothing so I sent email, no reply back, I then called asked for the lady in question who I was told left the company.

Day later I got email back from a total different email address nothing to do with chequepoint at all at 4am in the morning saying I was unsuccessful.

This company is dodgy and its been reported to financial crime and trading standards

yep its a scam, but why, just why? ill keep calling need someone to tell what is going on!

I thought I would relate my experience this week 22nd August 2012.
I applied for a senior job online and was called to an initial interview with Chequepoint a few days later.  Attended their offices in Cromwell Road.  The Company is a multinational with many Bureau de Change store fronts and other businesses in hot tourist destinations throughout London and across Europe. Entry to the main building via the Bureau de Change store front and then into a small waiting area.  The interviewer came downstairs, introduced himself and took me through to a small interview room. The 25 minute initial interview was formal, professional and polite. The interviewer was quite friendly and well educated and asked the normal sorts of questions you would expect. I was asked if I could wait and the interviewer would see if senior management could see me straight away.  I was immediately seen by Mr Grovitt personally and that interview was pleasant and really interesting. At the end of the interview I was asked to indicate my interest in the position when I returned home.  I complied with the request later in the day and not long after received a job offer commencing next morning.

I started next morning after completing the initial contract formalities etc.  Approximately 50% of my first two days work have been spent working closely Mr Grovit and other senior management. The rest of the time I had varying levels of interaction with most of the other staff.

Throughout my career it has been my experience that most initial interviews are short as they are intended to screen applicants and the short listed applicants are then interviewed in depth by senior personnel.  Obviously the bulk of people undertaking initial screening interview don’t get through to the short list and the interviews are likely to be shorter.  

My experience from this whole process is;
•    The business is very real and the interviews are really genuine
•    The atmosphere in head office is formal but friendly.  Everyone from senior management (including Mr Grovit) through to junior personnel has had a ready smile and are very helpful to a new guy (me) and it looks like being a good place to work.
•    The head office is in one of those many large 5 storey buildings in Cromwell Rd London that have been long converted to offices.
•    The company employs a large number of people in lots of places and with so many people coming and going from London, they would have to replace people quite regularly.  It is just normal churn.

Like many companies they use online data banks to look for suitable people and so well may never advertise a job.  If you have registered with an online data base why would you be surprised if you are approached for an interview?  Isn’t that why you registered?  Most people would be happy to be approached!

I you are lucky enough to be asked to an interview don’t listen to those negative people who didn’t get through to a short listing.  Give yourself a break and have a go.  The worst that can happen is you don’t get a job you don’t have anyway.   You get to go out for a bit and also get to practice your interview technique.  If I had listened to the nay sayers on this site (which I read before the interview) and not attended the interview, how could I have been offered this job?

Commonsense will tell you that no company spends a lot of time (and money) on interviews for jobs that don’t exist.

So, give yourself a chance!

No it’s real.  I got the job!…Read my experience further down the list.  Sorry you didn’t make the shortlist

Are you for real?  Do you think someone spend all that time and money having interviewsd when they could get them for next to nothing from CV data bases? My last employer was approached to sell data base infomation at £100.00 per 10000 names and addressdes.  That is 1 penny per name

I have met David and he is a great guy.  You really made a bad call by not attending.....Who knows what might.....?

3 positive posts in an hour? give it up. Pathetic.

When I first received the invitation for a job interview I ran a quick online review of peoples experiences and found this site.  After reading the negative posts I did think about not bothering (like so many others).  However, I simply couldn't think of any reason why a company would advertise jobs and interview people continually for jobs that didn't exist.  It is simply an insane and very expensive thing to do. As Judge Judy says so often, if it doesn't make sense it isn't true!  ( JJ speaks a lot of commonsense).  So, I went and gave it a shot an Hey presto and I got the job!  

I felt sorry for those people who have read this sire and not attended the interviews.  So I thought I would let others reading this site after me know about my experience and make up their own minds.  Just trying to help others

I spent a total of 19 minutes writing up what happened to me and also answering a couple of relatively recent postings.  If you read some sort of conspiracy into that.... well what can I say?.  No matter how much truth I tell you, it seems you already know what you want to believe.

I make the point getting past the screening interview is as much luck as anything else. There are so many factors that intervene.  It doesn't mean an unsuccessful applicant wasn't good. They simply may not have been as good a fit for that particular job as someone else.  Often where you come in the schedule of interviews has a large impact on your chances of getting the job.  If you get another request to attend an interview later on, GIVE IT ANOTHER TRY!

I have personally interviewed and employed many many people over a career in senior management roles and I know just how random the process is.  It is simply humans interacting and that's not science, it is art.
If you reading this after being invited to an interview, don't let the Naysayers get you down.  Read all this stuff and listen to your commonsense, ask yourself the question ... Why would a company of this size act totally irrationally.

Keep trying because it does happen for some, just as it did for me.

Good luck to you.

Hi, thank you for your post, i have an interview tomorrow and was searching some info about the company and after reading all those negative comments...well, you know, it takes you down a little bit. So once again - thank you and have a nice day

Great  Hope you got/get the job

Well, I am still with the company, enjoying the work and the people.  Got promoted so I now have to fly around a bit dealing with various issues that arise in a multinational firm.  

I am writing this to you whilst siting in a nice sunny patch in a lovely company flat in Prague.  Be off to other locations soon

Good luck to you all

Wouldn't have bothered usually with commenting with this type of forum - but after reading "Always Lucky" comments - well it beggars belief.

PLEASE give it in - nobody is going to believe you’re not a shill.

I too received the 15 minute interview in the ‘dark dungeon’ as I called it, felt like there were camera’s recording the session. Poor old Sara was just going through the HR motions – though at least I wasn’t asked what type of tree I would be – I was half expecting that mid interview the phone would ring with a mysterious request to meet the Gov’ner in the inner sanctum.

C’est la vie -  Didn’t get the job (nor 2nd interview, nor them getting back in touch with me – a bit miffed as it cost a bit to attend )  -  but crikey this company doesn’t half seem to number crunch their staff and by default their recruitment.  Accidentally reapplied for the same role twice since – they withheld company name on Reed advertisement - strangely enough Sara’s replacements (and there have been at least two since she left) contacted me for the same brief interview.

I’m guessing, if you’re out of work and fancy the experience of working for company headed by Felix Grovit (and do your google search homework)  - you’ll probably learn a lot (not necessarily always what you want though ) – getting a worth while reference afterwards who can say – and please “Always Lucky” don’t tell us that you have already have yours because it such a great company.

From my own experience  
1)    out going only  telephone numbers contacting you – not uncommon
2)    withheld company name on adverts when applying  – not uncommon
3)    15 minute first interview – painfully not uncommon these days
4)    A company I would really want to work for – not really my cuppa tea

I worked for Berkeley Credit & Finance some time ago in a very senior position.
They were legit and we had some fun growing the business, good to see some of the expansion plans from those days appear to have been implemented. At the time the management of Chequepoint & BC&F were separate and reported into the chairman, Mr F Grovit directly.
I have no idea how the companies are structured now. I spent 18 months there, worked for them in London and New York.
As I said we, as a team at BC&F, had some fun times and enjoyed commercial success.

It all ended on a very sour note, which I am afraid it always invariably did there. However I met someone who became a very good friend there and as a result ended up in a very high profile business venture which was even more fun. So, go for it, keep your expectations in check and keep looking around whilst employed and watch your back.

Just thought I would reply to you "Not Always Lucky".  I think people who read our two posting clearly see why one of us has landed the job and one of us didn't.  What does it matter if the interview is in a small room?  London office space is very expensive.

Try not to be so negative.  Not only will it help you get more jobs, it will give you a much happier life.  It is a medical fact that when you smile at someone it releases endorphins into your body and makes you feel better.  If it makes them smile, then they feel better also and you have done just a small thing to make the world a better place.

I think it is a shame you have descended to name calling.  Life isn't a conspiracy.  As a famous man once said   "Think [***] up before conspiracy".  By the time you get to my age you will understand just how true that is.  Good luck to you and try to keep smiling.  Remember, we make our own luck (or lack there-of?)

Well, just thought I would reply let everyone know I am "STILL" in the job and loving it as I get more into it and make it my own.  If you are good at your work they let you go along your own path as long as you perform and let them know what you are doing.  It the old thing about re-inforcing success. That is a lot better than many companies i know of
Of course there are plusses and minuses as with any job.  But the overall balance of major positives far outweigh the minor negatives.  I have probably finished my trips to Prague for a few weeks.  Will be off some other beautiful city next.
The great thing about the company is that their business deals with a lot of tourists.  Consequently they have locations in the major cities that attract large numbers of tourists, ie beautiful and interesting cities.
Probably won't post much more as I just wanted to let people out there that know the jobs are real and it has got to be worth an interview.  If I had let this site stop me attending, I wouldn't have this job now and that would have been a real shame.
So, why not try and get the job.  
Sure you may not get it if you try but you can be sure to not get it if you don't try.

I'm sorry if you have taken offence – “descended to name calling” - for calling you a ‘shill’ – gosh the horrendous shame on my behalf in defaming your character as to one that has already sat posting your replies “in a nice sunny patch in a lovely company flat in Prague”  so soon after applying “for a senior job online“ within your company……..

…..and after your 9 posting so far its great to see you mention in your most recent post that   “I am ‘STILL’ in the job “……..

……….always good to know that you are ‘STILL’ there still……and after so many weeks……

……….candidates applying will be so reassured

Chequepoint and BCF are real companies, yes they do get through allot of staff and many people move on within a short time period, normally branch cashiers that fill a position whilst looking for something better, they are not exactly well paid, but you will find this to be the case at many other similar businesses!

YES, the interviews are real and you should not expect to be picked up by a limousine and treated to a five-course meal before you have been offered a job, actually some of the comments on here are ridiculous, they actually pay Job boards £££££ to advertise their vacant positions and to say they are making money by somebody going for an interview is pathetic!!

People higher up in the management chain are also prone to leaving within a short time period. The owner (but not on paper) is Felix Grovit, a very strange and reclusive character, extremely paranoid and the worlds worst micro-manager. He has taken a business with massive potential and slowly destroyed it over the past 30 years. His lack of appreciation and the outrageous way he addresses his staff have turned many once loyal employees against him and as a result he has lost parts of his business to illegal take-overs.

His favorite hobby is litigation, he is always suing or being sued by somebody or some company. Even though he is on the the Sunday Times Rich List, he is normally hard pressed to place his hand on liquid cash and money is always a problem!

But in reflection, the company is interesting to work for and can be a real toughening process on the career ladder of life. If you apply for a cashiers position and are diligent you will have little trouble, if the position is at head office and you are in occasional contact with Felix Grovit, you need to be very thick skinned and be able to deal with a paranoid micro-manager who has no qualms about telling you to Fu*@ Off if he feels that way :)