Markets Wired

Scammers who prey on people eager for work have turned their attention to the Gulf oil spill.  Bogus ads for oil spill clean-up jobs in the Gulf are appearing in newspapers, online, and in e-mail inboxes.  Con artists may try to get up-front payment from job seekers, or gain access to their sensitive personal or financial information.  Fake job promoters also may claim they have been authorized by BP to hire clean-up crews.

There are legitimate opportunities – some volunteer and some paid – to get involved in the oil spill clean-up efforts.  The FTC has issued a new consumer alert that warns consumers about the tell-tale signs of job scams and lists sources of legitimate employment and volunteer opportunities.  To learn more, go to FTC Warns of Oil Spill Job Scams. 

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them.  To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).  The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,800 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.  The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

(FYI oil spill job scams)