I answered an employment ad at careerbuilder.com for what seemed like a dream-job come true: Entry Level PRO SPORTS Marketing / Advertising / PR. The ad goes on to say, "We recently signed 10 new clients, including the citys PRO SPORTS TEAMS!" No experience needed. They would be offering training for entry level positions in various fields.
I fell for it. The first red flag that came up was that the company I applied to was called Pounder, Inc.in Lombard, yet I received an email offer for an interview from Boomerang Marketing Group, also in Lombard.
The second red flag was that "Andrea" had left me a voicemail, asking me to call her on her direct line. When I called that direct line I got an automated answering system, asking me to press 1 to talk to a live person, or 2 to leave a message. I pressed 1, but I got a message asking me to leave a message. So I left a message for "Andrea, " who never called back.
So I called back after the weekend, first thing Monday morning. I called "Andrea's direct line" again, and got the same automated answering system. I pressed 1 and someone answered the line. I asked for "Andrea" and she said, "Oh, I'm sorry, but Andrea is in a meeting. Is there something I can help you with?" I told her that I was just returning Andrea's call, so she asked me my name and then put me on hold. She came back and said, "Oh yes, I see that Andrea was calling you to set up an appointment for an interview." We scheduled it for the next day at 2.
Then I started researching "Boomerang Marketing" and came across several different websites. More red flags. Would the real "Boomerang" please stand up?
What I found online is that they are a company that helps other companies send out spam. Not the kind of company I'd like to work at.
I dug further and came across an entry in the complaint. What this company is in reality is a lecherous company that feeds off gullible, needy recent grads and others in desperate need of work and sends them out do go door-to-door selling without a license or selling promotional packages in a parking lot.
So I am adding to the already broad (and growing) scam the name of POUNDER, INC. To the D C Advertising, Innovative Marketing, Signature Enterprises, Boomerang Marketing Group, Marketing Sessions, North Star, Victory, GQ Imports, Smart Circle, CYDCOR aka Cydor, DS-Max, and many others.
0 comments