Jerrod Outlaw, a former Ford plant worker, didn't know a NewsChannel 3 investigation turned up other job seekers who were promised work, but ended up paying hundreds of dollars for nothing.
He didn't know Virginia Employment Services is under state investigation for dispensing phony job leads. He didn't know because no one from VES told him. So NewsChannel 3 did.
"I am happy I walked away. I am happy. I am extremely happy I ran into you coming out of the building. Because I might have thought about it a little bit more, talked about it with my family, and then walked back in and gave them the $365."
It looks like VES is up to its old tricks. The company had shut down for a couple days after the Virginia Attorney General filed a lawsuit against VES for fraud. But today we found the office open again, taking money from job-seekers like Jerrod Outlaw.
"After she told me about the jobs, she told me it would be a 365 dollar fee to help me get a job and when I asked if I could come back in."
A lightning strike cut power to the building, so VES closed for the afternoon. One of the women charged recently locked the doors walked away when NewsChannel 3 started asking questions today. Jarred said he's glad we've been asking questions because now, apparently, VES has made it harder for people like him to dispute charges paid with a credit card or check. He says VES told him they only take cash payments now.
The state wants to get back all the fees job seekers spent at Virginia Employment Services. The attorney general says he's also asking for an injunction to shut the business down.
He didn't know Virginia Employment Services is under state investigation for dispensing phony job leads. He didn't know because no one from VES told him. So NewsChannel 3 did.
"I am happy I walked away. I am happy. I am extremely happy I ran into you coming out of the building. Because I might have thought about it a little bit more, talked about it with my family, and then walked back in and gave them the $365."
It looks like VES is up to its old tricks. The company had shut down for a couple days after the Virginia Attorney General filed a lawsuit against VES for fraud. But today we found the office open again, taking money from job-seekers like Jerrod Outlaw.
"After she told me about the jobs, she told me it would be a 365 dollar fee to help me get a job and when I asked if I could come back in."
A lightning strike cut power to the building, so VES closed for the afternoon. One of the women charged recently locked the doors walked away when NewsChannel 3 started asking questions today. Jarred said he's glad we've been asking questions because now, apparently, VES has made it harder for people like him to dispute charges paid with a credit card or check. He says VES told him they only take cash payments now.
The state wants to get back all the fees job seekers spent at Virginia Employment Services. The attorney general says he's also asking for an injunction to shut the business down.
