I, a job-seeker, got a call from Lanie Bangs, an assistant at MGA, inviting me for an interview at their Paramus office with Mr. Chris DeLouise. She said they were a professional counseling and placement firm, got my name through CareerBuilder and this was a preliminary interview. They would refer to me jobs after they met me and assessed my skills.
It was a 2-hour trip but I thought it would be worthwhile. DeLouise gave me literature about their firm and although it wasn't explicit, it seems that MGA charges job-seekers a non-refundable up-front fee to "coach" them. I asked if this was true and he became defensive, but acknowledged that it was. I asked about the fee and he said that the up-front portion was $4000. I said that since I was out of a job I couldn't afford that, but would pay them if they actually found me a job.
He became rude and castigated me for "wasting his time" by scheduling the appointment if I couldn't afford the fee. I told him that if his assistant was up-front with me she could have saved both of us time and trouble. He offensively told me that I filled out an online form that made this clear. He showed me a web form that stated how MGA operates. But I'm careful when I fill out forms, and that was not a form I filled out.
These tactics are misleading and deceptive. They take advantage of people who are desperate and will do anything to find a job - people who can least afford to be duped out of $4000 (more in the case of others who have been victimized by them).
"Blaming the victim" is particularly reprehensible. A deliberate effort was made to intimidate me into thinking that the fiasco was my fault so that I shouldn't complain about it.
MGA, DeLouise et al should be compelled to cease their deceptive tactics, to be held criminally accountable for the monies they've stolen, be compelled to refund the victims their funds, be penalized for fraud. All I lost was a few hours and some gas. But apparently others haven't been so fortunate.
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