You don’t have a job and are desperate to start one ASAP. While searching the job boards and websites, you find an ad for a company that guarantees you a job in 30 days, for a fee.
To lure you into paying, they might even promise you “money back guaranteed”. After you pay, they will say that your resume was sent to all the big companies that you might have a chance of working for.
What they actually do is to spam thousands of companies who don’t even hire for your position. This, however, makes it impossible to get a refund when they do not get you a job that fits you. In addition they cover themselves by sending you a few $8 an hour jobs, not even in your field, which you could easily have found for yourself.
How to avoid: when looking for a job, there is no substitute for doing your own homework, looking personally for every possible employer and applying yourself.