(MONEY Magazine) – South Florida, long a haven for boiler-room operations, now harbors a new form of flimflam: phony employment agencies that collect up-front fees -- typically $200 to $300 -- from people around the country and never deliver jobs. MONEY writer John Manners asked Jack Norris, who is pursuing these operators as chief of the Florida attorney general's consumer litigation division, to explain how to spot the scam:

Q. How do these cons work? A. The outfits usually place ads with their phone numbers in out-of-state papers. For example, some are now claiming to have jobs for rebuilding after Hurricane Andrew. Callers hear a pitch about high pay and benefits and then are told to send money to reserve a job. They may be given a ''guarantee'' that they'll have a job within a year or get their money back. Of course, within a year, the agency will have packed up and moved on. And sometimes, even if we shut the agencies down, they start up again under new names.

Q. How do legitimate employment agencies operate? A. Most are paid by employers rather than workers. Those that do charge employees usually collect fees only after you start work -- maybe 8% to 15% of your first year's salary.

Q. What's the best way to check out an agency's record? A. Call the local Better Business Bureau or the state government office that regulates businesses where the firm is located. Ask how long the agency has been in business, and inquire about its consumer complaint record. A history of two years or longer with few complaints suggests that the place is reputable.

Q. What should you ask for before paying any up-front fee? A. At the minimum, get a signed document spelling out exactly what job-search help you're paying for. If the agency won't give you one before you send the money, hang up the phone.