Year-round the term also has a more sinister meaning. For consumers who have unknowingly been fleeced by a huckster, the term is analogous to having been “taken for a ride” or “played the fool.”

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has a long history of “smelling a rat.”

This experience keeps the radar on, scanning the horizon for the next new
unscrupulous scheme to surface. In some cases the newly uncovered scams are truly new and devious ideas. In most cases though, the scheme is nothing more than the same old - same old, with an occasional new twist. It is also true that scams wax and wane, depending on marketplace conditions.

For example, given the current environment of high unemployment numbers
and a sluggish economy, the conditions are ripe for employment schemes.

One of the most common employment schemes deals with the availability of government jobs. These schemes advertise in the classified sections of newspapers and offer to help those seeking employment to identify and secure a job with the government. In some cases, the agencies offering the assistance use names that sound official or are easily confused with true departments of the government.

Consumers often report being led to believe that the employment offer is directly affiliated with the government and that the availability of the jobs is abundant and guaranteed. The truth of the matter is that there are no guarantees to government employment. Another salient fact is that the government never charges a fee for listings, applications or the exams they may require to obtain a job.

One common thread to problematic employment schemes is that you have to
pay for information pertaining to the job availability. In addition, consumers are “strongly encouraged” to sign up for training or counseling that will purportedly increase the likelihood of a high score on the entrance examinations required for certain jobs. Of course, the training is not free. It is also noteworthy that most government examinations do not test for skill levels; rather, they test for aptitude.

Aptitude testing is not something that can generally be increased by studying. Finally, the examinations are only one part of the hiring process. Background checks, interviews and a variety of other checks and balances are part of the overall requirements.

The BBB, along with the AG's office and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urge job seekers to avoid falling for these tip-offs to government job rip-offs:

• Advertising or verbal sales pitches that imply an affiliation with the government or guarantee high test scores or job placement.
  
• Ads or solicitations that offer information about “hidden” or unadvertised government jobs.
  
• Toll-free numbers that direct you to other pay-per-call numbers to obtain additional information or solicitations to purchase valuable booklets containing job listings, test questions and exam tips.
  
• The bottom line is to remember that you never have to pay for information about job vacancies or employment opportunities with the U.S. Government.