State National Training Service, Inc. Career Development Scam that appeared to be legitimate. Pressure. Red flags. Don't fall for it like I did. Voorhees, New Jersey

I attended a seminar at a local community college on June 10, 2008.  The Student Services Admin. at the college told me that the seminar was to find out about Federal employment.  My parents had strongly encouraged me to apply for work in the Federal government because of the excellent salary and benefits available; and I attended the seminar to learn more and to improve my chances.

I had to pay a small fee for the seminar.  I arrived about 15 minutes before the start of the seminar, professionally dressed, only to find out that most people there were dressed very casually.  Only the semar speaker was dressed professionally.

I listened very intently to everything he said, took the practice civil service exam, and mistakenly signed up for the State National Training Service.  I assumed that SNTS is a Federal school and is legitimate.  I would pay my $50 per month to a local business which has a contract with SNTS, until the end of the 2-year contract.  Thus, what would have cost me $995 up front will end up costing nearly $1200 total.  The seminar speaker told us that we could write to SNTS and cancel our enrollment, if the postmark was within 3 days of signing up.  I decided to give SNTS the benefit of the doubt.

My first packet arrived, as promised, 10 days after I signed up.  However, the course took much longer than 2 1/2 months to complete.  In fact, it took a full year.  I had read some rip-off reports about SNTS during my enrollment.  However, I didn't want to believe it was a scam because I didn't believe that I had been scammed.  Looking back, I can only say that I wish I had believed other people's rip-off reports.  I received a memo from SNTS, dated December 17, 2009, telling me:

Dear Student,

Please be advised that C_____ A_________ C__________ is no longer authorized to accept payments for State National Training Service effective immediately.  You should send your payments to P.O. Box 448, Voorhees, New Jersey  08043, payable to S.N.T.S. Inc.

If you have any questions, please call (609) 828-1447.

Very Truly Yours,

Joan A. Bell

I immediately called the number on the memo, expecting it to be the new phone number for SNTS; and I found it to be a man's private number.  I called again, to make sure I didn't make a mistake; and I got the same message.  Finally, I looked up the number I had on file for SNTS, from 2008; and I found out that that number was the business number for "Career Development," aka, "State National Training Service."

I mistakenly gave the people at SNTS my credit card information for future payments.  I ignored all the red flags I had seen go up already, until this month when two payments were taken from my bank account, one by SNTS and one by the local company.

I learned from the local company that SNTS forwards payments to CAC, whereas SNTS wanted me to believe that CAC forwards payments to SNTS. To prevent SNTS or any of its employees or owners from accessing my account after my balance owed reaches $0, I had to go to my financial institution and have their access permanently revoked.  Don't fall for the scam that I fell for.  Use usajobs.gov and thejobmatrix.com to find work.  Look through your state's Employment Developmen Department Website for work.  Whatever.  Just don't fall for the scam of SNTS or any other company.