The Arizona attorney general and the Federal Trade Commission have shut down a Tucson-based company that preyed on job seekers by selling materials and services it falsely promised would result in well-paying federal government jobs.
The settlement with the owners of Government Careers, Inc. bans them from ever selling employment-related products or services.
The attorney general’s complaint alleges Government Careers Inc. and defendants, Richard and Rimona Friedberg, lied in their state and national advertisements on job search websites such as Careerbuilder.com or Yahoo! Hot Jobs and in local newspapers. The allegedly false advertisements offered federal “Postal” jobs; “Wildlife” jobs; “Border Patrol” agent jobs; and “Administrative Support and Clerical” jobs.
But according to the complaint filed by Attorney Genera Tom Horne’s Office, when consumers contacted the Friedbergs in response to the false advertisements, the Friedbergs assured consumers that they would get the jobs if they paid $119 for “study materials” necessary to pass the required federal exams.
People are also reading…
In all cases, however, the advertised jobs either did not utilize exams or the federal government had no job openings.
The settlement order filed in United States District Court, requires the defendants to destroy all personal information they have collected from consumers.