AM summed it all up nicely.

The more common method today for general office positions is to hire the prospect as a temporary. For the duration of their temp status the hiring company pays no benefits, the employment agency fee paid is an additional amount on top of the what the employee gets as an hourly wage. During this time the hiring company also has the option of "firing" the prospect with no legal ramifications. If the hiring company chooses to make an employee permanent before the end of the 60 or 90 days they would be pay a flat fee for the remainder of the contract. Since the prospect is often receiving a lower hourly rate and gets no benefits, is it really the hiring company paying the fee?

The last time I went that route I also had access to the billing from the employment agency. My company had a cut rate deal because they utilized temps so much. For each temp or temp-to-hire they were paying the agency an additional $5 per hour. Over the course of 90 days that amounted to at least $2,400. At best they were paying a portion of the fee.

I HAVE to ask: Is this a scam?

I do recall now hearing about some agencies charging fees for office workers in NYC in the 80s, but there were far more that didn't. Some newspaper ads said "fee paid." I always thought anyone who paid an agency fee just didn't know they could find agencies where employers paid the fees.

Many corporate and law offices still use agencies today to screen applicants, but many do not. The ones who don't use agencies like to do telephone interviews to decide if they want to bring in applicants for in person interviews. There are still hundreds of people applying for most decent paying positions, so it has to be very time consuming. Agencies charge something like 5% of the salary negotiated between clients and applicants, which is a lot of money for making a few phone, in-person interviews and administering skill and knowledge tests.

I'm not sure companies save money by having one or more of their employees screening hundreds of job applicants from online applications, but it gives them the illusion they're saving money.

From my experience, these days agencies generally only want to work with applicants who have seamless resumes with high profile companies/law firms and the exact experience in the exact field the clients need. Agencies can place these employees easily. They will pretty much ignore you if you have gaps in your resume or didn't work for just one or two employers over a 10 year period. That's how it has been here for the past 6 years for secretaries. There's just too many available people in the pool with the exact experience employers are looking for. It used to be that great skills and any legal experience was enough to get hired. Now less experience is valued more than more experience because salaries for less experienced people aren't as high. Sigh ....

The employers doing all their own recruiting aren't working on commission, so generally, they're not going to waste your time or theirs.

AustinMom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There used to be a lot more employment agencies,
> and there were a lot more companies that used them
> to recruit. A lot of things have changed, and
> with the internet, there are far fewer actual
> full-service employment agencies and fewer
> companies use them. It also varies by region. In
> 1970s Houston, employment agencies ruled.
> Although some companies advertised positions in
> the newspaper, most jobs were filled through
> employment agencies. About half the fees were
> paid by employee and half by employer. Examples of
> jobs would be bank tellers, loan officers, and
> managers, secretaries, accountants, other
> professional positions, full-time permanent
> positions. When I moved to Houston in the early
> 70s, an employment agency located my position, an
> entry-level Human Resource manager position with a
> small company. I paid the fee. After that, I was
> adamant when I walked through the door of an
> employment agency that I would consider only jobs
> with companies who would pay the fee. It's a
> whole different world today, with 25% of jobs
> filled through online job sites like Monster,
> improved state agency workforce commission job
> banks, et., although a few full-service "executive
> search firms" operate. Most of the fees are
> employer-paid although it is negotiable.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2014 05:26PM by nycrocks.

Honestly, I like that newbie shoppers ask if this is a scam? If you do Google search, our forum comes up with "Is this a scam?" and if the poster pastes the entire body of the scamming email, then millions of newbies can see (the scamming email) related to: "is this a scam?

The scammers have abused the internet by stealing millions of dollars for some time now. We need to take back the internet, post as many scams that we see, so that the newbies will find their way HERE to read about them. Hopefully avoiding a future scam

SunnyDays2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Honestly, I like that newbie shoppers ask if this
> is a scam? If you do Google search, our forum
> comes up with "Is this a scam?" and if the poster
> pastes the entire body of the scamming email, then
> millions of newbies can see (the scamming email)
> related to: "is this a scam?
>
> The scammers have abused the internet by stealing
> millions of dollars for some time now. We need to
> take back the internet, post as many scams that we
> see, so that the newbies will find their way HERE
> to read about them. Hopefully avoiding a future
> scam


I like it too, and I would like to say that when I first joined this board I know that I asked questions that may have seemed dumb to people who had more experience than I did. Thank goodness I wasn't treated in a mean or condescending way I never would have come back. If a person doesn't want to answer a question just don't answer the question.

Didn't mean to launch a discussion of employment agencies. I was using that as an example of where someone might be told they had to pay money for it, where they wouldn't know if that was the way it worked or not until they asked. It's not something that is "common knowledge;" it's "specialized knowledge."

People coming here as new shoppers who just got an email saying "we're sending you a check, cash it and send the money back and keep your fee" aren't going to know if that's how mystery shopping works or not until they ask. This is also "specialized knowledge."

I think it's crucial to grab the newbies and educate them early on, so they don't get ripped off.

As early as 2005 (and before), a lot of these scams were going on. From romance scams, to military scams, to lottery scams.

Sure, a lot of us know about these scams already but there are some who don't. Instead of beating them up about their misfortune, I choose to educate as many as I can. I belong to some anti-scam sites and I can tell you, when I had my profile on a dating site, it was hilarious how much I messed with the scammers, who were as obvious as a wart on a witches nose

Did you ever run onto the bustedupcowgirl site? OMG, she was hilarious! She sold horses over the internet and would attract all these scammers and she would play them like a fiddle. Her goal was to get them to spend money. Once they spent $30 or so to overnight her the bogus checks, she would turn the check over to the police and shut them down by emailing them a link to a site that taunted them for being had.

I was so devastated when she took the site down. I used to refer people to it all the time with the warning to visit the bathroom before going there because they would pee themselves laughing if they didn't.

One of the scammers contacted her about a horse and about three emails in he lost track of the conversation and told her he would send someone to pick up the "piano" after she cashed the check and wired the "shipper" the transport fees.

Keep the scam warnings coming. It may same some unsuspecting person from losing a lot of money.

About a year ago the wife of a guy I play golf with probably would have fallen for the old "deposit the check, keep $300 for yourself, and mail a check for the balance" scheme, had I not told her husband it was a definite scam. He knew I did a little mystery shopping and wanted to know my opinion. They have all kinds of money, but she's retired and just wanted something to do. She's a very astute lady, but the ad looks really enticing. They would not keep running the ad if they didn't occasionally nab a sucker.

Please ask away. The mission statement of this forum is to assist others.

For heavens sake...do what the rest of us do and just ignore it......

stilllearning Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Um, Mary, I could be wrong, but I don't think it's
> a bedbug problem.
>
> [www.mysteryshopforum.com]
> 79#msg-348579
>
> (heart)

Um stilllearning, I realize scamming isn't about bedbugs, and I'm not allowed to add links to that situation. Meanwhile, keep on doing those theatre jobs! xoxo

As for Is this a Scam questions, I read them to keep informed as to what the crooks are up to.

Mary, please don't get upset. I didn't mean that scamming isn't about bedbugs. I was referring to Bearclaw being stuck in that hotel room for nine days with her husband and two boys and becoming irritable for all sorts of imaginable reasons.

(heart)

PS
I've never done a theatre job, so you might have me mixed up with someone else.

Some of the funny things I did to scammers:

Told a scammer after one email, that YES I would LOVE to marry him and please send me Western Union money for the wedding ring.

Told a scammer that he was likely gay, as he referred me as a "he" in mixing up his emails...

Told a scammer I was quite wealthy and how much money I had. He continued to write me and when he asked for money, I told him to get lost

Oh, I must admit I had been a victim of scammers. Somehow my IQ went South or I was not myself. During my late husband's
illness, I was a basket case. Stress caused me to be ill as well. Someone tried to clean out my account as I received an email from 'my bank' requiring my info and I provided them. But my own bank protected me and not a single penny came out of my account.

I also stupidly tried to cash a substantial check as a requirement for a new job I was supposed to have landed. The scammer even called me to ensure I had cashed the check. Unfortunately, my bank froze my account and advised me of what they saved me from. The funny thing is I had the presence of mind to open a completely new account and that saved my regular account, had it gone through.

Another time, on my trip to the States, I used my credit card. For months, someone had been charging expensive photo shops or something. The Credit Card company credited me without my asking for it. I was too preoccupied to even check my statements and they monitored my account. During that period, I was plain stupid! A grade school may have had better sense.

I would have said it would never happen to me, but it did. And I could not explain it. That was the period when I was too
vulnerable, and maybe the first time in my life that someone was really taking care of me.

Oh, one more thing. One guy said he loved me and wanted to marry me but he was somewhere in Nigeria, Timbuktu or somewhere else and could I send him transportation and money? How he got my email addy, I don't know. I changed my passwords and that was that.

Nowadays, I am not too nice. I ask questions or I ignore messages that trigger my gut feeling. My sixth sense is more active. In short, I am not nice when I feel I am being hoodwinked. Thanks to Mystery Shopping. I did not get it from graduate school.

Mary Smith xoxoxo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> stilllearning Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Um, Mary, I could be wrong, but I don't think
> it's
> > a bedbug problem.
> >
> >
> [www.mysteryshopforum.com]
>
> > 79#msg-348579
> >
> > (heart)
>
> Um stilllearning, I realize scamming isn't about
> bedbugs, and I'm not allowed to add links to that
> situation. Meanwhile, keep on doing those theatre
> jobs! xoxo
>
> As for Is this a Scam questions, I read them to
> keep informed as to what the crooks are up to.

Ok, I do theatre jobs. Stilllearning does not.
You may not do it, but what is this about?

risinghorizon, I'm finally getting used to being confused me with other people. FYI, Katie Holmes has caused me all sorts of misery. So I think that's probably what it's all about......

(heart)

It's a tough life to be confused with Katie Holmes, stilllearning. But puzzling to be confused with someone who theatre shops.
Because, what did she mean? Last I read this thread was about a scam.

Now. About the original question.........have we answered it for you or other shoppers?

risinghorizon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oh, I must admit I had been a victim of scammers.
> Somehow my IQ went South or I was not myself.
> During my late husband's
> illness, I was a basket case. Stress caused me to
> be ill as well. Someone tried to clean out my
> account as I received an email from 'my bank'
> requiring my info and I provided them. But my own
> bank protected me and not a single penny came out
> of my account.
>
> I also stupidly tried to cash a substantial check
> as a requirement for a new job I was supposed to
> have landed. The scammer even called me to ensure
> I had cashed the check. Unfortunately, my bank
> froze my account and advised me of what they saved
> me from. The funny thing is I had the presence of
> mind to open a completely new account and that
> saved my regular account, had it gone through.
>
> Another time, on my trip to the States, I used my
> credit card. For months, someone had been
> charging expensive photo shops or something. The
> Credit Card company credited me without my asking
> for it. I was too preoccupied to even check my
> statements and they monitored my account. During
> that period, I was plain stupid! A grade school
> may have had better sense.
>
> I would have said it would never happen to me, but
> it did. And I could not explain it. That was the
> period when I was too
> vulnerable, and maybe the first time in my life
> that someone was really taking care of me.
>
> Oh, one more thing. One guy said he loved me and
> wanted to marry me but he was somewhere in
> Nigeria, Timbuktu or somewhere else and could I
> send him transportation and money? How he got my
> email addy, I don't know. I changed my passwords
> and that was that.
>
> Nowadays, I am not too nice. I ask questions or I
> ignore messages that trigger my gut feeling. My
> sixth sense is more active. In short, I am not
> nice when I feel I am being hoodwinked. Thanks
> to Mystery Shopping. I did not get it from
> graduate school.

I LOVED your story! Thank you for sharing!

I completely understand what you mean and where you are coming from. I know I have been scammed and I keep kicking myself over it. But I NEED help. That's all I'm asking for is help because they have my address and contact info. All this started via email btw.. I was sent a check that I had to pay the postage for because stupid me had no clue what it was. Now they keep harrasing me since Monday because I have yet to go to the bank. The check is for $2400 and was told to keep $200 for myself and to go to Western Union to send the rest off while I'm evaluating the company on service and knowlegde. What do I do with the check? Should I turn it over to the MP's here on Post? I am terrified that they have my info because I have no idea how to go about them not stealing my identity or coming to my house. I have two little toddlers. PLEASE don't be mean, I just really need help ASAP. I know I'm an idiot for falling for it, but please just help me. I didn't know where else to turn to.

MissOlivia,

They won't go to your house because most likely they are in a different country. You need to go to the police and give them the check. Tell the police what you said here so they can document what happened. Unfortunately, most likely you will be out the money for the "postage" but you will stop the further bleeding of money to the scammer.

You can ignore the calls. It's not like they can proceed with any legal charges against you. Another option is to tell them you took the check to the bank where it was identified as fraudulent. They will be dead in the water and have no reason to contact you again.

MissOlivia, anyone can get your name and address and email address. Unless you gave them your SSN you're not likely at risk of identity theft. IF YOU DID.... contact the credit bureaus IMMEDIATELY. Do not pass go, do not collect that $200, but notify the credit bureaus right away that you have given your information to someone who turned out to be a scammer and have them flag your credit record so that anyone trying to open credit in your name will require them to contact you to verify that you are the one applying for credit.

Yes, give the check to the MP's. But worry more about your credit if you gave them any personal information that they didn't already have.

Sorry this happened to you, but luckily you got suspicious before you sent them any money. If they call you again, tell them you have notified the police. Then hang up. Don't answer their calls again. They're in Nigeria. They're not going to show up on your door demanding their money back. There was no money. The check was forged.

MissOlivia Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I completely understand what you mean and where
> you are coming from. I know I have been scammed
> and I keep kicking myself over it. But I NEED
> help. That's all I'm asking for is help because
> they have my address and contact info. All this
> started via email btw.. I was sent a check that I
> had to pay the postage for because stupid me had
> no clue what it was. Now they keep harrasing me
> since Monday because I have yet to go to the bank.
> The check is for $2400 and was told to keep $200
> for myself and to go to Western Union to send the
> rest off while I'm evaluating the company on
> service and knowlegde. What do I do with the
> check? Should I turn it over to the MP's here on
> Post? I am terrified that they have my info
> because I have no idea how to go about them not
> stealing my identity or coming to my house. I have
> two little toddlers. PLEASE don't be mean, I just
> really need help ASAP. I know I'm an idiot for
> falling for it, but please just help me. I didn't
> know where else to turn to.

Miss Olivia! I am here to help you.

First, take a deeeep breath and relax The scammers will NOT come to your house, they are professional criminals and mules who work out of internet cafes. They live in 3rd world countries, are extremely dumb, poor as rocks and steal from people instead of getting REAL JOBS.

They are trying to frighten you into cooperating. They will say things like they will kill you, blah blah, but the lowlife creatons live 7,000 miles away and will NEVER come to your home, or file charges, or have you arrested, or kidnap your kids. They are like abusive men, who scare you into submission. IGNORE THE SCAMMERS.

If they don't get what they want, they move on to the next victim.

1. Change your email address immediately

2. Change your phone number, or block them or ignore their calls + shut your phone off for the next few weeks, only using it when you need to make a call.

3. Did you give any personal information such as your social, your banking information or mothers maiden name to them? If not, forget the punks. If you did, open an alert on your banking and check your credit report.

4. Remember, instead of working like normal people, they do this for a living. They have hours upon hours to sit on their lazy butts taking money from people. They have plenty of time. You have your sanity

5. Rip up the check and tell the scammers to go to Hell.

This just hit me, if you don't want to change your phone number permanently, many phone companies will change it temporarily if you are a victim of a stalker or some other harassment. There shouldn't be a charge and the outgoing message would normally just be a standard the number has been disconnected rather than a forwarding number.

@stilllearning, I apologize. I'm sorry, and will be more careful interpreting in the future. I was snarky, and I regret it.

There are bedbug problems in theatres, and a few articles can be found in a Google search. Little bedbug detector lights are offered for about $10 in mall bedding stores, which I haven't tried, but would consider using if I were doing any motel or theater shops.

MissOlivia Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I completely understand what you mean and where
> you are coming from. I know I have been scammed
> and I keep kicking myself over it. But I NEED
> help. That's all I'm asking for is help because
> they have my address and contact info. All this
> started via email btw.. I was sent a check that I
> had to pay the postage for because stupid me had
> no clue what it was. Now they keep harrasing me
> since Monday because I have yet to go to the bank.
> The check is for $2400 and was told to keep $200
> for myself and to go to Western Union to send the
> rest off while I'm evaluating the company on
> service and knowlegde. What do I do with the
> check? Should I turn it over to the MP's here on
> Post? I am terrified that they have my info
> because I have no idea how to go about them not
> stealing my identity or coming to my house. I have
> two little toddlers. PLEASE don't be mean, I just
> really need help ASAP. I know I'm an idiot for
> falling for it, but please just help me. I didn't
> know where else to turn to.

Miss Olivia,

Please call your local police department. They will not judge you and will know how to help you in all aspects of this matter. They see it all the time.

Note to shoppers: please do not respond to these; even if it is to say, "I know this is a scam" or send a sarcastic response. It provides a link for scammers to infiltrate your computer.

KathyC Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Note to shoppers: please do not respond to these;
> even if it is to say, "I know this is a scam" or
> send a sarcastic response. It provides a link for
> scammers to infiltrate your computer.

Ummm…unless you are opening an attachment in an email and don't have virus protection, the chances are pretty much non-existant that anyone can access your computer from a sent or received email. Responding simply provides proof that there's a a living/breathing entity at the email address they are trying to scam. That will probably inspire them to keep trying.

P.S. It sounds to me from Miss Olivia's post like she lives on a military base. I would say that she's probably safe from the scammers coming to her door in that case. Take the check to the MPs, Olivia.

I'm amazed at the attitudes and derision that comes from "veteran" shoppers on these boards.

I began reading and researching and was directed toward this site from another shopper. I have since told that person that although there is some good information to be found on here, there is more slamming, trolling and downright hostile posting under the guise of "information" than not.

Judgement and insinuation are in abundance on these forums. Information sharing should and DOES include the asking and/or answering of questions, even if they've been asked over and over again. What gives one individual on here the right to assume that unless you're old or infirm that you should "know better" and quit wasting their time asking?

What is the true waste of time is the aforementioned veteran taking the time to write a "you outta" post and then reply reply reply to all of the back and forth this creates. I'm trying hard to understand why a crabby post should be any less irritating than a question about something that obviously was a concern for someone. So in the interest of fairness someone, perhaps a newbie, should start a post with "Stop asking me to stop asking!! ".
We can all participate from the safety of our keyboards and judge away at each other.