8 Ways the Job Scammers Get You

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- It's tough enough looking for a job without being scammed by con artists and financial fraud artists, but that's exactly what's happening to more and more Americans seeking employment in a rough-and-tumble economy.

Take the case of National Sales Group, which was brought down by the Federal Trade Commission this year for "falsely promising employment opportunities to financially distressed consumers."

The FTC charged the firm with demanding (and getting) fees for services such as background checks that were never conducted. Not only that, but the company would overcharge. Job-seekers who had agreed to pay up to $38 were ultimately charged $97, the agency says. The FTC said National Sales also charged consumers "recurring fees" the job-seeker never agreed to.

The FTC says job scams are rampant, and that Americans seeking employment should be vigilant when responding to job ads, especially from placement firms that overpromise and underdeliver.