A REALLY bad experience

[Chad Michael Murray]

Okay, so...this is gonna be a long one, but I need to write about this so I can see what you guys think.

About a month ago, I was contacted for a job opportunity with Citigroup, but they were very vague about where my name came from, so I just blew it off and forgot about it. Then, about a week later, the guy called again, and I blew it off, then he called the next day so I figured I could at least hear him out. I tried to ask as many questions as I could, but they told me that if I came to the business briefing next week that all of those questions would be answered.

So I went, and it turned out to be a company called Primerica (which was not said on the phone) and is only a SUBSIDARY of Citigroup. They "help" (and I use that term loosely so far) families get out of debt through refinancing, etc.

So anyway, after the presentation, I thought it sounded good and decided to apply...so then, I was told that $199 was needed to apply. But when they told me that was to help cover the fee of getting my insurance license from the state and to take the state approved class, I thought it sounded good enough. Afterall, I was in their office now, and I could see that it was a legit business, so I convinced my mom to loan me the money so I could try it out.

Anyway, I just took the classes on Thursday and Friday (15 hour class--stretched out to 10 hours each day including breaks and lunch) and thought things were going great. Also, Thursday my application had finally gone through, and so I got the solution number to log into their website. Friday morning before class, I decided I'd give it a look, so I went to Google and typed in Primerica. Their site is listed first, and when my eyes just happened to glance a few spots down, I saw the words 'Primerica' and 'ripoff'. My first thought was "Oh ****." So I clicked it, and read it, and soon I was just immersed in stories from either side--people with good experiences, and people with BAD experiences saying that they were a ripoff. The thing was, the way those people described things was the way I had experienced them, too.

That sat with me, and so like any good natured person would do, when I got to class and we were on break, the instructor was out of the room and so I started telling people around me what I saw--not to automatically shun the company, but as a way to say "Hey, maybe you wanna check this out" because I don't feel that I'm in a spot to condemn them YET, but I like to at least know all sides of the story.

So anyway, class goes by and it's lunch time--the Vice President from the office across the hall comes over to talk to us for a minute before lunch. Immediately, I knew something was up, and I knew it was about me. So she comes in, saying that she heard some not so great things were being talked about and how she wanted to set the record straight if anyone had any questions. I knew it was about what I had said, and what I wondered was--who ratted me out? I was just trying to help THESE people out too, by telling them what I'd seen, and apparently one person had gone and made me out to be a bad guy.

Anyway, I figured, well I know she's talking about me and I'm not just gonna sit here and pretend I didn't do it. Meanwhile, everyone was STONE silent, so I just put my hand up and said "Yeah, actually I have some questions." Then, before I could even FINISH telling her what I'd seen online, she went into attack mode.

She starts going "Okay, well you know what? You really can't believe everything you read on the internet. And pardon my French, but I think it was awfully BALLSY of you to come into this state approved classroom and start spreading things off as FACT when you really don't know either way."

So, I calmly told her that I never said I knew what was fact and what wasn't, but that I didn't find it fair that if I saw some bad things that I shouldn't let other people know who were in the same position as me, and so they could maybe figure out if they had any concerns, too.

She starts going "Yeah, well you know what? I have news for you--you CAN'T BELIEVE everything you see on the internet! We're not some SCAM, and I don't appreciate you saying that we are. If you had gone to a CREDIBLE SOURCE, you would have seen that we have straight A's across the board...and really, you coming in here and saying that makes me JUST as upset as if you were to say something about my child!"

By that point, I'm thinking WHOA, this lady is really ****in' looney tunes or something. I had said all I really needed to say, so then she starts going "Do you have a previous insurance license? Or do you really have any financial background at ALL? Because if not, I don't think you're in a very qualified position to try and spread that garbage as fact."

I was getting pretty pissed off by that point, BUT I remained calm, because I still wasn't sure what to make of the company and whether or not it'd be wise to get myself in trouble with someone in a position of "power" if it did happen to work out. So I still calmly stated my side (which I did about 4 times...I said all I needed to say, but she interrupted me most of the time) and then she says "Yeah, well, I think maybe you'd better re-evaluate whether or not you're serious about being here before you continue."

WHAT A WITCH! And excuse me...is that any way for a professional, someone trying to represent their company, to act?! So I went to lunch, and managed to stick it out and finish up the rest of the class. But now I don't know what to do next.

I was actually excited about this job, and how good they made it sound, and I'm going to be so disappointed if it's all some big scheme that I was stupid enough to get roped into.

Basically, I guess my next move will just be when I see my own manager next time, to inquire MYSELF about the things I read online, and also make sure that he knows I do NOT appreciate the way that woman treated me. Judging by the way the situation gets handled, I guess I'll know whether or not I even want to attempt to continue.

If anybody has ever dealt with this company, has ever known anyone who has, or has heard anything about it...please, let me know, I'd really appreciate it a lot.

[Courtnee]

If the lady is going to be a bitch to you and you don't want to do it anymore then i would demand my money back. And if they didn't give it to me, then i would get a lawyer.

[sara]

Why would she be that defensive if the company was legit? Get out of it while you can, the sooner the better.

[Janice]

From the quick search I just did, Primerica is a double scam. First they scam their reps by charging them for a "license". A license for what? I've never heard of an employing having to pay for their own training.

The second scam is when their reps defraud their customers.

That's what I came up with anyway.

That woman was unprofessional and overly defensive. Innocent people don't act that way.

Sorry you had to go through this. Perhaps you can call the Better Business Bureau, and they can point you in the right direction.

[Chad Michael Murray]

Yeah, that's the thing...I just don't know. Everything is always explained in such a way that they make it SOUND legit, but especially after reading all of that stuff, I really am second guessing them.

They claim that it costs so much to get your insurance license first, and so you have to put up $199 of your own money (which I did do, unfortunately) and they pay the rest, so that if you get your license and then go to work for some other company, then they didn't foot the entire bill.

But I just feel like SOMETHING shady is going on...and even if they are legit and you really can make money at this...if it's true what I'm seeing about how you have to basically dance around the issues and deceive your customers into taking the product, well then I just cannot let myself do that; if that's the case, I won't be having any part of this at all.

People have thought I was crazy for saying this, but if this does turn out to be something much worse than I thought...I don't care what anyone says, I'm taking this to Oprah, and I mean that.

[Brieannas21]

Let me just say that in the line of work that I'm in, You should NEVER EVER pay for anything when it comes to getting a job. Training and things of that nature should be FREE. The first red flag was the $199 bucks you had to pay, the second one was when the lady got upset over nothing. She didn't handle the situation properly at all. She should have pulled you aside on your lunch break to talk to you. And the fact that she got that upset seems a little fishy. I think she realized that the whole thing was seen for what it is.

If I were you, I would see if I could get my money back, quick fast and in a hurry.

[dawsongirl]

Originally Posted by Janice

That woman was unprofessional and overly defensive. Innocent people don't act that way.

That's what I was thinking.

[Sharop]

Hmmm, I'm not sure what to think. I don't know much about businesses and the way they run.

I'd advise you to maybe give it a week or two, just to check things out and see how they run and how things work. Like you said, you could meet your own manager and see how he acts. Obviously, right now, you're not sure about whether the company rips off people or not. Sticking with it for a couple of weeks might give you some more information, and if by chance, some people at the company are up to something, working with them for a week or two probably wouldn't get you too involved with what's going on.

[80sTrivia]

I would go with my gut instinct about the situation. If it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, then that is certainly what it is. The fact that you were more or less verbally accosted during the training session for merely expressing an opinion or concern would definitely raise a fire engine red flag to me. I wish you luck, in whatever you decide to do...

[AllIWantIsYourClutch]

My cousin's friend recently went through a job scam thing that sounds very similar to this. I don't know all of the specifics, like the name of the place or anything, but I do know that it turned out to be a big scam. I believe she had to take a class or something too.

[Nighthawk76]

Chad, my sister was approached by a "company" like this a couple of years ago. It was a total scam.

[Cactus Jack]

Originally Posted by DAX

Chad, my sister was approached by a "company" like this a couple of years ago. It was a total scam.

Sorry about that

and his name isnt Chad, its Matt

[Nighthawk76]

Originally Posted by Cactus Jack

Sorry about that

and his name isnt Chad, its Matt

I called him Chad because of his username. I didn't know his real name is Matt.

[Chad Michael Murray]

I've been researching like crazy ever since this happened now. I mean it...if this IS some giant scam (even if it is legal, it's not right what they do to people) I really do want to expose them for what they are.

As soon as I find out more and have more substantial evidence, I'm going to write a letter to every major news or talk figure in the nation. I'm determined to have somebody take me up on this story. If it's true what they are, then I just do NOT want anyone to end up in the same situation as me.

[snl 70s show fan]

i think you had a right to be concerned and besides if it wasant some scam that woman would not have gotten so defensive and hostile i would get a good lawer and get your money back