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According to the GSA, the arm of the U.S. government that handles the selling of items direct to the public, when U.S. Customs confiscates an imported necklace, or the Department of Defense no longer needs a power tool, or the U.S. Marshal's Service seizes a sports car from a drug dealer, all these items may become available for purchase by the public. Although some surplus and forfeited items of the Federal Government are transferred to other Federal agencies or given to state and local governments, a staggering variety of items from vehicles to office equipment to real estate finds its way to the public through Federal Government sales. The GSA warns the public to be wary of offers to sell them information about how to buy at auctions. They say that this information is often out of date or just plain erroneous. Information about Federal Government sales programs is typically available for free or at low cost from the government itself. Some Federal agencies maintain mailing lists with names of people interested in being notified about upcoming sales. In these cases, agencies may charge a subscription fee to maintain the list and cover mailing costs. Non-governmental organizations that sell information about these sales often don't tell consumers that they can receive sales information just by contacting the agency's local or regional office. You may see advertisements offering to sell you access to little-known sources of Federal Government property. It's likely that they are selling the names and addresses of the Federal Government agencies listed in this publication. Again, be aware that the information sold by non-governmental entities may not be accurate or up-to-date. The complete text of the U.S. General Services Administration Guide to Federal Government Sales is available online (and once again, it's free). Now you know the real story -- and it didn't cost you a dime!
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