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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 Â鶹´«Ã½ 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 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)