FTC Shuts Down Business Opportunity Scam Running Postal Job Ads

Under final orders stemming from charges brought as part of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) Operation Lost Opportunity, two more operators of alleged federal jobs scam have been banned from selling employment products or services. Last week, the FTC announced the settlement with Career Exams, Inc., also doing business as Career Advancement, O’Brien Marketing, Inc., also doing business as O’Brien Consulting and O’Brien Answers, Jeryn B. Lee, and Derek Jackson. The defendants were charged in November 2012 with multiple violations of the FTC Act, including violations of the Business Opportunity Rule. The Rule requires business opportunity sellers to provide specific information to help consumers evaluate a business opportunity and additionally requires sellers to provide the consumers with a disclosure form. The agency alleged that the operation was a nationwide job scam involving the placement of ads in classified sections of newspapers and on job search websites. The ads appeared to be postings for jobs with the U.S. Postal Service in geo-location specific areas. In fact, the jobs were non-existent and were not affiliated with the Federal Government in any way.