FEDERAL JOB
SCAMS
CONSUMER ALERT - FEDERAL JOB FRAUD
Information on job vacancies with the Federal Government and the Postal Service
is provided free of charge. However, many Americans are victimized by scam
artists selling information about Federal job opportunities. These scam artists
place classified advertisements in newspapers, magazines and periodicals
offering--for a fee--to help job seekers locate and apply for Federal jobs.
Some companies go so far as to use names that imply affiliation with the
Federal Government, such as the "U.S. Agency for Career Advancement," or
"Postal Employment Service."
Many of these companies advertise the availability of large numbers of Federal
jobs in local areas, while in reality few or none may actually exist. For
example, the Postal Service has few vacancies for permanent, full-time jobs.
Postal Service hiring takes place through 85 district offices at the local
level. Openings are announced for a very short time. Your local post office is
the best source of information concerning current or anticipated openings. The
U.S. Office of Personnel Management's Federal Employment Information System is
the official source for employment information and contains Federal job
listings as well as some state, local government and private sector listings.
Remember, information about Federal job opportunities is available to the
public free of charge, with the exception of local phone company charges for
long distance calls. Federal agencies and the Postal Service never charge for
applications, sell study guides for examinations, or guarantee that you will be
hired. If an examination is required, the agency administering the examination
typically offers free sample questions to applicants scheduled for the
examination.
The Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management urge
consumers to protect themselves against job scams. Beware of advertisements or
sales pitches containing:
-
An implied affiliation with the Federal Government, a guarantee of high test
scores or jobs, references to "hidden" or unadvertised job vacancies, or claims
that "no experience is necessary."
-
Referrals to a toll-free phone number. Often in these cases, an operator
encourages you to buy a "valuable" booklet containing job listings, practice
test questions, and tips for entrance examinations. These materials may be
inaccurate, unnecessary, or available at no charge from the hiring agency.
-
Toll-free numbers that direct you to pay-per-call numbers for more information.
Under Federal law, any solicitations for pay-per-call numbers must contain full
disclosures about cost. The solicitation must make clear if there is or is not
an affiliation with the Federal Government. You must have a chance to hang up
before you incur any charges.
If you have concerns about an employment advertisement or a company offering
employment services, you may contact the following:
-
Federal Trade Commission, 1-877-FTC-HELP.
-
Postal Crime Hotline, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, 1-800-654-8896, available
24 hours a day.
-
National Fraud Information Center (a project of the National Consumers League),
1-800-876-7060, available weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard
Time, or on the internet at www.fraud.org.
-
Your State Attorney General or local Better Business Bureau.
The Federal Trade Commission works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent,
deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide
information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint
or to get free information on consumer issues, visit http://www.ftc.gov/
or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The
FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud- related
complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to
hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States
and abroad. AS OF: 12-10-02
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