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Show Job seekers ovarned of false advertisements In tough economic times, job seekers may want to believe any company or advertisement that promises employment, but those who are conducting their job search through the newspaper classifieds may end up paying money instead of earning it if they answer ads placed by some job listing services. Better Business Bureaus across 4 the country are receiving inquiries and complaints from job seekers about appealing advertisements that appear to offer jobs with high-paying high-paying salaries in the United States and abroad. Actually, the ads are placed by companies called job listing services ser-vices that merely sell information about employment that is probably available free from public sources or other newspaper ads. The companies com-panies usually charge an up-front fee, although this may not be disclosed in the ad. They lure job seekers by promising high pay and great benefits, even to those with little experience or training. Many fraudulent companies have capitalized on news headlines in the past year by advertising job opportunities oppor-tunities in the Middle East, specifically to "help rebuild Kuwait" after the Persian Gulf War. Job seekers who responded to such ads paid high up-front fees, or were referred to costly 900 numbers for information on resume preparation prep-aration or lists of companies that won government contracts. In another example, listing services ser-vices paint a rosy picture of employment in Australia. According Accor-ding to Australian government officials, offi-cials, unemployment there is at its highest point in ten years. It's highly unlikely that foreigners will find employment in a country that doesn't have enough work for its own citizens. Also, some BBBs are seeing an increase in advertisements for jobs as flight attendants. The airline industry in-dustry isn't likely to have jobs available since many airlines have ceased operations, filed for protection protec-tion under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, or are laying off workers or implementing hiring freezes. BBBs offer the following tips for persons seeking employment in the U.S. or abroad: "Help wanted" ads should lead to a particular job opening or employment agency with openings. Companies that claim to offer refunds for unsuccessful clients often insist that clients follow rigid requirements that may be difficult to meet Be sure you know the cost before calling a 900 number and realize that even if you think the cost is reasonable, the information still may be vague or worthless. Check with the BBB where the company is located for a reliability report before paying any fees. |
