On 6/3/09 I received a phone call for a job interview for an administrative position, to come that afternoon. Well I have been job hunting everywhere and figured that I must have applied to this position somewhere online and they were the "agency" that I had to go through to get the job. She stated over the phone that I had to first interview with them at their corporate location in Norfolk, VA but the job was in Newport News. I agreed and with my last $15 dollars I fueled up my SUV, lept and bound to get their on time, being a 45 min one way trip for me.
Desperately clutching my resume and 2 forms of identification as instructed to bring, at arrival of the building and their small office suite, I wait in a barely decorated office, couple of fake plants, couple cheap broken pictures, few chairs and empty desks. It was barely on office environment at all, this was the initial indicator for me that this could be a "fly by nite" scam or something. I spoke with a very nice young lady who looked briefly over my resume without asking any in depth clerical/secretarial skills, she had me look over a list of job categories while she listed them on her half sheet of paper that had my profile info on it and asked what locations I would prefer to work.
Like all this wasn't questionable enough, she then brought out her contract copy like a punch to the gut, and as in other victims' reports I have just read about this same company, she asked for exactly
$365.00 "membership fee". I was blown away, I came all the way here and they wanted not just some money but ALOT of money I didn't have. I told her that I didn't have that kind of money right now and she was so kind to recommend payments! Upon asking for further information, she gave me vague info about the 3 month "membership" and the limitations etc and I could be in a job as early as a week, sounded like a scam immediately!!!
I told her that I was going to have to go home with and make a decision and would call her before our next scheduled appt the next day. After digging the internet to find information on them, I found plenty! They have changed their name a few times as a result of losing a legal battle with someone who they scammed using this same process AND there are PLENTY of horrible reviews from alot of unfortunate people who were so desperate for work that they did not see this as what it was.
I am very happy that I was able to find information about these scammers before it was too late. I cancelled my appt, she didn't even have to ask why I'm sure. Good Luck for all who are in this sad situation.
Haley
Hampton, Virginia
U.S.A.
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