(WSB Radio) -- If you are looking for work don't fall for an old scam that promises a dream job with the United States Postal Service.

Scam artists are victimizing many Americans by selling information about federal job opportunities. They target their victims by sending out e-mails or advertisements on line.

Frequently, the con artists promoting this "service" offer to provide you with training that they say will help you pass a required Postal Service pre-employment examination. Naturally, this training is expensive and requires you to purchase books, study guides and other training materials.

Some fraudulent companies even try to confuse consumers by using names that sound like those of federal agencies, like the "U.S. Agency for Career Advancement" or the "Postal Employment Service."

WSB consumer expert Clark Howard says it's an old scam that is back again. Howard says "this happens every time we go through a period of tougher unemployment."

Fran Mitchell with Clark Howard's Consumer Action Center says you should never have to pay to get a job or a list of contacts.

You never have to pay for information about job vacancies or employment opportunities with the U.S. government or U.S. Postal Service.

If you have concerns about a company's advertisement for employment services, you can file a complaint online with the FTC.