Curious encounter at the mall today

[Talon]

Today I was out shopping for new interview pants. Didn't find any of interest, but I did find a replacement belt for under $20CAN.

On my way out I heard someone asking me if I worked here. We were not inside any store now, nor was I dressed in anything that could resemble a uniform. I thought this was going to be an SC sighting.

It was an older gentleman who asked the question. He asked me a few other questions, am I vacationing here, which school do I go to etc. I jokingly asked if he was doing a survey.

He claimed he was starting up a new company, and was looking for reliable employees. We ended up exchange contact info, he said he would be calling me shortly. I only gave him my first name and cell#. I did ask him if he had a business card, but apparently he didn't. He wrote his full name and phone# on a piece of paper.

Now my instincts/social firewall didn't throw up any warning flags, except for the obvious: "does he usually search for new employess from a bench in a mall?" Now that I think about it, his not having a business card seems odd.

So has anyone else experienced something like this? If that was an interview, I wasn't exactly dressed for it. Unshaven, badly in need of a haircut.
I still don't know what to make of it.

[lupo pazzesco]

I got one of those in Target one day. Sure, it's a GREAT job...after you play for getting your license, recruit some more people, and take all the necessary training, which also costs a hefty fee.

Plus, the lady who talked to me wouldn't tell me what, exactly the name of the company was, nor did she have a buisness card, either. And when she did eventually call me, I asked again what the name of the company was, and strangely, got hung up on, when i didnt' agree to come in for the "orientation" (i'm going to assume that'd cost money, too.)

She didn't set off alarm bells, either, except for the same question you asked yourself. But it kinda went downhill from there, so...

But then, it could be legit for you. I just found it hinky that she wouldn't answer ANY questions, and gave me almost word for word, the speil you said. "I'm working for this great company, and am about to start up my own branch. I'm looking for some reliable employees, who have a lot of drive and determination."

[protege]

Sounds like a typical Scamway, er, sorry *Amway* recruiter. I had an interview with one...and he wouldn't answer what the company was about. He wasn't with Amway, but with Quixtar. Same idea, different name. Big pyramid scheme in other words. When the guy kept going on about bringing new members into the "company," I knew something was up. Well, that and he couldn't tell me what types of products the company sold.

At least I got the last laugh--the idiot left me with the company's "promotional" materials, even though I decided it wasn't for me. I took those materials...and forwarded them to my cousin, who works for a certain TV station in NYC. They actually used the materials in a story they were doing about that sort of scam

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Yeah, I was gonna say that very thing. This has the stink of Amway on it.

Nobody freaking recruits employees like that. Exept Amway. You better believe Amway does.

An Amway rep will stalk your ass through a grocery store at 2am. That's the God's honest truth. And they will not tell you who they work for.

Yeah. Don't talk to that guy, he'll be harder to get rid of than a fungal infection.

[Rapscallion]

Most places are turning away jobhunters, yet he's having to accost people in the mall?

Arooga! Arooga!

That was a warning.

Rapscallion

[Stormraven]

Oh, and Amway and Quixtar are the same company. For a time, Amway went by Quixtar in some places because of the associations people had with the name Amway. Or so I understand.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Oh, and Amway and Quixtar are the same company. For a time, Amway went by Quixtar in some places because of the associations people had with the name Amway. Or so I understand.

And yet it never seems to occur to them to adjust the way they do business. Some people are unteachable.

[Talon]

And yet it never seems to occur to them to adjust the way they do business. Some people are unteachable.

I almost got scammed by a private college. They used to be called CDI, now they're called Evergreen or Evercrest or EverScam or some other bullshit.

I was almost ready to open up my pocketbook to enroll in CDI's program. Until I discovered they had been investigated by CBC's whistleblower segment, and sued for false advertising

When the CDI sleazeball called back, I politely told him I wasn't interested anymore. I SO wish I had given him a piece of my mind.

So if this is a scam (which it most likely is), I'm wondering how I can mess with them a little

[Bella_Vixen]

now they're called Evergreen or Evercrest or EverScam or some other bullshit.

I soooooooooooo hard.

[prb]

I almost got scammed by a private college. They used to be called CDI, now they're called Evergreen or Evercrest or EverScam or some other bullshit.

I was almost ready to open up my pocketbook to enroll in CDI's program. Until I discovered they had been investigated by CBC's whistleblower segment, and sued for false advertising

When the CDI sleazeball called back, I politely told him I wasn't interested anymore. I SO wish I had given him a piece of my mind.

So if this is a scam (which it most likely is), I'm wondering how I can mess with them a little

Everest College, I got on their mailing list somehow, they got it from... wait for it... the guy who came installing blinds at our house, they only had my first name because I signed the work order once he installed them, and I told him I wasn't interested when he brought it up. I know it was him because the last name was the mis-spelling of my grandmother's last name that he had on the contract.

[Talon]

UPDATE:

The guy from the mall called me back. At first I thought he was an old college buddy, until he ID'd himself, and remembering this topic threat I became more reserved, giving one-word answers.

He gave some spiel about insurance and getting families out of debt, all very jovial and all, then asked for an interview. Before I agreed to anything, I asked for his company name which he still had not given. It was Primerica.

I B.S.'ed the guy about being too busy for an interview for the next few days, he said he'd call back later. Then I immediately googled Primerica.

Two words: Pyramid Scheme. Or should I say Pyramid Scam.

Hehe, how did we survive without the internet. Sorry Scam-erica, no money for you here. I am wondering when he calls back, if I should tell him just how far up his arse he can shove his pyramid scam.

I soooooooooooo hard.

I aim to please

[Geek King]

Ug. Primerica.

The first time I was laid off (Dot- Bomb-era), I posted on several job hunt sites. Probably 9 of 10 calls I got were from various "agents" of Primerica. What a waste of time! I even went to one of the "interviews" before I knew anything about it. Mass interview and asked for money upfront for the training classes--money not to be refunded if you didn't pass the certification test, of course. Pay structure is actually set up so you make more money recruiting people for Primerica than doing the supposed debt counculing. 50% More Sham than Shamwow.

I even modified my resume on the job sites at one point to specifically say "Primerica job offers will be refused." They still called. I stopped being nice to them after the tenth call in a week.

Oh, and I specifically remember the not wanting to tell you the name of the company thing. I think they're trained not to tell you that until you get roped into the interview.

[LewisLegion]

No legitimate job will make you pay to be hired. You may have to purchase your own equipment or uniform after being hired, but anything that makes you pay in order to get the job itself is a scam.

[Talon]

Well they haven't called back at all. Good riddance I say, except I wouldn't have minded hearing the deafening silence on the other end of the phone when I told the guy I knew all about Primerica's games.

[XCashier]

I believe I've found yet another job scam. I answered an ad on Craigslist regarding a Clerical Assistant position. Shortly after, I got an e-mail from Rexo Corp, bubbling over with enthusiasm about my qualifications and asking me to click on a link and fill out the questionaire. I decided to google "rexo corp" before proceeding and found loads of complaints about them, scamming people's bank information. Needless to say, I did not fill out the questionaire. And when I went back to craigslist to report them, I found the original ad missing.

I just thought I'd post here to warn anyone else who's looking for a job about these people. Rexo Corp, remember the name.