Protecting Yourself When You Use Employment Services
Before you spend any money responding to job ads or completing job placement contracts, the FTC suggests that you:
- Be suspicious of any employment-service firm that promises to get you a job.
- Be skeptical of any employment service firm that charges up-front fees, even if it guarantees refunds if you are not satisfied.
- Don't give out your credit card or bank account information on the phone unless you're familiar with the company and have agreed to pay for something. Anyone who has your account information can use it to commit financial fraud against you.
- Get a copy of the firm's contract and review it carefully before you pay any money. Understand the terms and conditions of the firm's refund policy. Make sure you understand what services will be provided by the firm and what you'll be responsible for. If oral promises are made that don't also appear in the contract, think twice about doing business with the firm.
- Take your time reviewing the contract. Don't be rushed into paying for services. Avoid high-pressure sales pitches that require you to pay now or risk losing out on the opportunity.
- Be cautious about purchasing from a firm that's reluctant to answer your questions or gives you evasive answers.
- Be aware that some listing services and "consultants" may place ads that seem to offer jobs when, in fact, they're selling employment information.
- Follow up with the offices of any company or organization listed in an ad by an employment service, to find out if the company's really hiring.
- Be wary of firms promoting "previously undisclosed" federal government jobs. All federal positions are announced to the public.
- Check with your local consumer protection agency, state Attorney General's Office and the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed about a company with which you intend to do business.
- In addition, federal law prohibits the use of a toll-free number for pay-per-call 900-number services. This means that anyone calling a toll-free number cannot be charged simply for completing the call, and that a toll-free number call cannot be transferred, or connected to, a pay-per-call 900-number service. Federal law also prohibits any telephone message that solicits calls to a pay-per-call 900-number service from failing to disclose the cost of the call.
