> The company is trying to get out of a contract, not by finding a legal flaw, but by trying to not let the other side know that the contract's terms have actua

> The company is trying to get out of a contract, not by finding a legal flaw, but by trying to not let the other side know that the contract's terms have actually triggered. From the excuses the company is giving (presuming truthfulness from a company that seems to be anything but), there was never a contract between either party with the recruiter. There may have been a more formalized verbal agreement, but if the terms of the recruitment fee weren't disclosed until after the interviewing process, it sounds like there wasn't much more than a "Yea, I'd be interested in talking to your candidate" from the cold call. In that case, I can feel sympathetic to the company not wanting to pay a rip-off rate that wasn't ever agreed to, even if they had intention to pay a market rate until the recruiter tried to rip them off. That said, it sounds like an issue between the company and the recruiter. To the OP: the recruiter found your information before, it'll be just as easy for them to see when you switch jobs. At which point the recruiter is going to take issue with your company, regardless of if you told the recruiter anything. So I'd accept the offer, not tell the recruiter, and let those parties deal with the fallout between themselves. If you talk to the recruiter again, just tell them that you have a job now and if he asks where, tell him that you're not allowed to disclose that information. He'll figure it out quickly, but you'll have kept your agreement with the company.