Attorney General's News Release

July 17, 1996

Nixon obtains TRO against St. Louis woman advertising bogus employment service, seeks restitution for victims

Jefferson City, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon this morning obtained a temporary restraining order against a St. Louis woman who charged $75 as a “career consultant” and then failed to find the promised jobs or refund money to her clients. He also is seeking an order for restitution for her clients.

Nixon charged that Nannette Rainey, 3922 Oregon, who did business as Career Consultants and Career Guide, advertised in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch classified ad section on numerous occasions for drivers, warehouse workers and other jobs at wages of $10-$17 an hour. Several people who responded to the ad complained to the Attorney General's Office that Rainey required them to pay $75 up front in order to help them find jobs.

Nixon said that Rainey, who is not registered as an employment agency in Missouri, did not help her clients obtain the promised jobs and job interviews and refused to refund their money when requested to do so, despite giving them a money-back guarantee.

“After paying their fee, these clients were often ignored by Ms. Rainey or sent on a wild-goose chase to employers who had never heard of Ms. Rainey or her business,” Nixon said. “There appears to be little or no legitimate effort made to actually find the promised jobs for the clients, and they ended up $75 poorer for their trouble.”

The temporary restraining order issued today by the St. Louis City Circuit Court prevents Rainey from:

• Conducting activities of an employment agency without a state license;
• Misrepresenting the availability of particular jobs at particular wages;
• Misrepresenting that she would set up interviews with prospective employers;
• Charging a fee from consumers and then failing to provide the services;
• Failing or refusing to refund money to consumers who have not received services or who have not obtained satisfactory employment.

Nixon also asked the court to enjoin Rainey from conducting a job placement service and to order her to repay her clients who did not receive services or a refund.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818