Shady Background Check

A Washington Heights woman had been pounding the pavement looking for a job.

Rachel Tingle answered an ad by a Brooklyn employment agency she saw on Craig's list and was told to come in the next day.

She was told to bring two pieces of id; her resume and $50.00 for a background check.

Rachel did go to Brooklyn, but asked for further clarification on what the $50 was for.

Again she was told it was a fee, so they could run a five-year background check on her, and by the way, if she paid them another $50 that would help also.

Skeptical, Rachel did not pay the money and left, then she called Help me Howard.

We contacted the New York City department of consumer affairs, which regulates employment agencies. The D.C.A. sent an undercover inspector to check them out.

They found out the agency did not have a license to operate, so they were issued two violations, including charging a fee for a background check, which is illegal!

According to the DCA, "employment agencies can only charge you for one thing, finding you a job...not for trying to find you a job, not for processing your application and not for a background check. they can only charge you if they find you a job."