Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.misc From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: GSA warns public on phony bargains Date: Thu, 29 Oct 92 14:38:17 EST Message-ID: \SE C;MONEY \SS (WS) \HD GSA warns public on phony bargains \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS Many consumers are being cheated by groups falsely claiming to have inside information on how to get surplus government property at rock-bottom prices, the General Services Administration said yesterday. To combat the schemes, the GSA has published a free guide that lists the federal agencies that sell used goods, the types of items each offers and how to buy them. But be forewarned, there are no $44 Jeeps or $1 yachts, said GSA Administrator Richard Austin. "Goods are usually sold at fair market value," he said. They are sold at auctions around the country that are widely advertised locally. Here are some samples of items that show up on the block: * Homes, condominiums or resort property acquired from failed savings and loan operations or mortgage foreclosures. * Clocks, television sets, tape recorders, compact discs, books, jewelry and other items lost in the mail and never claimed. * Airplanes used by the U.S. Customs Service. * Thousands of automobiles. Some are confiscated from drug dealers or other criminals; others have been used by the government, which maintains a fleet of 153,000 cars that are bought new and sold after three years. * Office supplies and furniture no longer needed by the government. Mr. Austin said the GSA held 1,163 automobile auctions last year, raising $140 million. A total of $100 billion went back into the U.S. Treasury from sales of all the items auctioned off last year. The new guide tells what is available from the departments of Defense, Justice, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, Treasury, Interior, Agriculture, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., Government Printing Office, GSA, Postal Service, Resolution Trust Corp., Small Business Administration and Tennessee Valley Authority. It is full of phone numbers on how to get more information and it warns readers not to be fooled by those who advertise they can provide a "buyer's ID card" or catalogs of goods for a fee. The free guide is available by writing to Federal Sales Guide, Pueblo, Colo. 81009. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM