The short version: Don't believe the hype!
Got a Voicemail at work, offering me an "exciting opportunity" for employment.
It actually set off my shady detector in three different ways:
1) The caller never said where he got my name from, and I'm familiar enough with the current economy to know that no one is calling other people to give them jobs right now, in fact, job seekers are lucky to get a fuad call rejecting them.
2) He offered me substantial income, part-time or full-time, if I'm interested in doing something different from my current position or looking for some extra money on the side. But he didn't say what my current position was, nor what the new thing was. How does he know I'm not doing it already? Hell, how do I know? If he can't (won't) tell you even what the hell it is: Beware.
3) When saying what company he represented he mumbled, so that I couldn't hear it well at all. Even if this had been accidental, he didn't provide any detail on how I would go about finding out more information on his company, which is a logical first step for any job seeker (or legitimate employer).
I'm not really even looking for another job at the moment, but I was curious enough to check into it some more. I called, and (luckily) I got his voicemail, which allowed me to at least find the name of the company: Primerica. This wasn't actually the name he mumbled on my voicemail, which was Citigroup. While they are related in a corporate sense, it seems that their ways of doing business are very different. In any case I did a Google search and the second link was this:
PrimericaBuster
It would appear that this is a system which is not *just* multi-level marketing, but insurance fraud rolled into it at the same time. The basic idea is to call people and talk them into cancelling their existing life-insurance and convert it into term (read: temporary) life-insurance. While there could be some reasons for doing this, the methods outlined in the warning site don't seem above-board. And as a bonus, you make more when you recruit more "members" to sell under you. That's right, It's Amway Insurance Salesman. Yeah and there's a $200 fee to join.
In any case, the site above goes into much greater detail. I just wanted to share since, while I don't figure any of you would be taken in by this, it is possible you might waste some time like me just trying to pin down what the hell its about. And Primerica very directly targets the unemployed, who just might be a little more willing than most to "give it a try".
Note: If you've had great experience with multi-level marketing in your own life and have some great opportunities or products you'd like to share, then I'm happy you're happy, but please don't share. I don't care even a little.
Ah, Primerica! How I missed hearing about you.
The recruitment method I've heard of before is to pull people in by use of debt consuling, which is how my in-laws, I won't specify which ones, got hooked for a while (I think they're out now).
You can rest assured, to become a seller, you will be giving Primerica much much more than that initial $200.
You have to love the balls of a company which offers financial services, but recruits "employees" (who aren't paid a traditional wage) from a pool made up exclusively of people who have absolutely no education or experience in finance.
"was Citigroup. While they are related in a corporate sense, it seems that their ways of doing business are very different."
Really? I've always assumed that Citigroup was primarily built on squeezing unsuspecting consumers as much money as the ridiculessly lax usery laws of Deleware would allow, and had seen Primerica as a logical extention of their credit card operations. But don't listen to me, I'm a corporate apologist...
Well, I guess that's right. Citigroup is crooked in a different (and more traditional) way. They just happened to buy Primerica because they liked the racket. Or the other way around.
Yeah, I read some of the ways they use debt-counseling to draw people in, too.
My guy just called me on the phone like 10 minutes ago. He wasn't very good, all I had to say is that I'm not interested and he gave up pretty easy. Of course, maybe I'll get home and there'll be a dead bunny on my doorstep.
Hi i just have to answer Andy's comment. I know Primerica is bad. My sister and her husband were talking it up for about 3 months. Chad was so pumped about starting this new "career opportunity". I was sad because I knew it was a ploy to the people who truly have a sucky dead-end job and just want a way out. Luckily he was married to my common-sense sister who didnt let him give up his job. So anyway, they were insuranceless before they joined, and in a lot of debt. Andy should remember this, becuase we disapproved. So they did not make money and had to pay alot to go to "trainings" and such and get "certifications" and all that jazz. I knew it was bad from the getgo and so did Andy but we kept our fat mouths shut for our love of them. They needed to figure it out on their own.
However bad it was though, it sort of made them think about their bills and loans and credit cards. It made them change the way they handle their finances. They no longer charge for things they cannot afford, they dont take out loans they can't afford to pay off, and they seem generally sound financially. So however bad it was and these people took their money and Chad got very little payment back from it, it did make a difference to them to wake up and smell the credit card debt, home improvement loand, and three car payments!! So in the end they figured it out, and unlike Amway and Quixtar, it didnt take over their whole life. In fact, we just played illuminati with them last weekend.
poker tips makes some salient points. His understanding of the primary motivating gestalt behind these sorts of ponzi schemes is brilliant, if a little garbled. I look forward to experiencing poker tips' insightful comments more in the future.
Call it supression of free speech if you must, but I do my best to keep Mr. Poker Tips from posting. Unfortunately, Mr. Tips has an unfair advantage on me, being
1) a machine that doesn't sleep or have any job besides offering his wisdom, and
2) a rotten slimy no good bastard who's mother was a VIC-20
Hope not everyone is gullible to take one web sites information as truth. My girlfriend works as a representative for the company and has done well over the past 2 years. It works for people that are strong willed and determined as they are selling a product that works for many people. Citigroup who obviously have the financing experience makes up the product. She sells the product (yes she knows her product) and leaves the financing decisions up to the professionals. We have both heard of the bad representative of the company, like any large company there is always one (or a hundred) bad apple(s) in the group. I wish my initial start up costs for my business was that low. Do your homework folks.