Federal employees are being targeted by scammers during the government shutdown

Federal employees are being urged to be on the look-out for scammers offering “too good to be true” deals during the Government shutdown.

Scammers are reported to have been posing as lenders offering aid to federal employees who haven’t received a paycheck since the shut-down began and may be desperate for financial assistance.

According to local law enforcement, these lenders will cold call you and claim you’ve been pre-approved for a loan and that you just have to pay a processing fee. The scammer then makes off with the cash and leaves you high and dry without any assistance.

Authorities urge that consumers should never share personal information over the phone or engage with businesses that seem to be offering “too good to be true” deals out of the blue.

The Better Business Beurue (BBB) is also reminding consumers that no reputable lender will enter an agreement without first doing a credit check. Always do your research before agreeing to doing business with someone.

Federal employees may also be the targets of common employment scams as many of them look for side work as the government shutdown continues. Employment scams ranked as the second most common scam of 2018 and shows no signs of slowing down.

Law enforcement suggests that if confronted with such a scam, use your instincts. Always take a step back and ask yourself if the deal you’re being offered seems fishy.