Friday, June 13, 1997

FEDERAL JOB FRAUD

If you check the employment section of your local newspaper, chances are you'll see ads for U.S. Government or U.S. Postal Service jobs. The ads claim that - for a fee - the scammers can help you find and apply for federal jobs. Some companies even use names that sound like government agencies to confuse consumers. Don't believe it.

Information about U.S. government jobs is available free. Federal agencies and the USPS NEVER charge application fees, sell study guides for job tests, or guarantee that an applicant will be hired. If you have to take a competency exam, the agencies usually offer free sample questions to help you prepare.

You might be dealing with a scam if the classified ad:

• or sales pitch implies a special relationship with the government, guarantees high test scores or a job, or claim "no experience necessary."
  

• offers information about "hidden" federal jobs about which no one else knows.
  

• refers you to a toll-free number where an operator tries to sell you a "booklet" with job listings, practice tests and exam tips. Remember that information is free from the government.
  

• refers you to a toll-free number which then instructs you to dial a pay-per-call number for more information. If that number is a 900#, you must be informed of the full costs of the call. The ad must also make clear that there is no affiliation with the federal government and you must be given a chance to hang up without being charged. However, not all pay-per-call lines are 900#s. Some international pay-per-call lines begin with 011 but others look just like a standard phone number. If you are instructed to call an obviously international (011) or a long distance number whose area code you do not recognize, check the rate for that number with your long distance provider.

For information about federal jobs, check out the Office of Personnel Management on the Internet.

To ask a question or report an incident, call NCL's National Fraud Information Center at 1-800-876-7060 or use one of our online forms.

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