Beware of Government Job Scams

Looking for a job in this shaky economy? The government is hiring and con artists are taking advantage of eager job seekers.

Beware of Government Job Scams Female: If you’re looking for a job in the shaky economy, career forecasters say that Federal Government is a good bet. Look online or in any local paper and there are plenty of companies willing to help you secure a job with Uncle Sam but out of price. Male: I was looking for a job with government just because of the job security, the great benefits, the lasting career. Female: —answered that ad for a job with the US Postal Service. Male: They say, well, we really want to get you in the post office, we’re hiring right now, here’s what we’re going to need to do. We’ve got training pockets, we need to send out there to you. Everyone has to use them. This is the—what you need to pay and we need some bank information for you. I even asked specifically, is this is scam? No, we work directly with the post office was their answer. Female: Bret agreed to pay $120.00 to the company and thought it would get him one step closer to his dream job with the government. Male: I actually got a little excited because of what they promised me in the ads. Female: But his excitement turned to disappointment. When he learned that instead of hiring the post office was in fact cutting jobs. It seemed he paid money for nothing. Male: I was angry, I was furious. Alison: There are many more people out there who are susceptible to job offers that are ultimately only scams. Female: Alison Southwick is with the Better Business Bureau. She says, nationwide consumers have complained of being ripped off by companies charging fees to find government jobs. Alison: You don’t need to pay money to get a federal job. All of this information is available for free online to the government’s website. That free government website is USAJOBS.gov. and we found plenty of jobs for free. But we also found those same jobs listed on other site for a fee. Male: Just watch what you do I mean watch who you give your information to. Female: Bret says after his bad experience he now put his plans of finding a government on hold. Male: I definitely was one of the people that didn’t think it could happen to them. I always thought that the people left themselves out there and that’s what they got taken advantage of, it’s not like that I mean it’s so easy one minute you want a better yourself the next minute you’re going to get taken advantage of.