Print the value of index0
Affinity Concepts AKA RNG & Associates AKA Prospect Inc Bogus and Deceptive Job Postings Lake Success New York
Affinity Concepts is another in a long list of bogus scam companies that use bait and switch tactics to get people to apply for positions other than what is advertised.
I was first alerted by this company from an email they sent that said "We have received your resume in regards to a position with Affinity Concepts." Great. The only issue is that I did not send them my resume. To get more information about a company, I always start with their website, and pay particular attention to the "About Us" and the "Press" sections. Here, you can see what the company has to say about itself, plus what may have been written about it, and the press releases it sends out.
In the case of the Affinity Concepts website, there was page after page of generic information. But the "Press" page had something very interesting. Under the title "Affinity Concepts Returns from Keys to Success Conference" I found a rather generic sounding piece about some key "team members" that attended a conference. Take a good look at the black and whitie photo of four "team members:" http://affinityconceptsinc.com/affinity-concepts-returns-from-keys-to-success-conference/
Here is a direct link to the photo: http://affinityconceptsinc.com/aciwp/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/ngAssociates_dallas-300x300.jpg
If you take this direct link and search for it in Google (tip: use image search), what do you know, the same 4 happy "team members" are also working for "Rhino Ventures" in North Charleston, South Carolina!
http://rhinoventuresinc.com/leadership/our-team/
Now, this company got our curiosity. Who is Affinity Concepts? So I poked around more in the "Press" section and found an interesting title: "Affinity Concepts Aims To Be Top Office In The Nation In 2014." What a great goal! But "top office" of what? Of every company that tries to scam job seekers? http://affinityconceptsinc.com/affinity-concepts-aims-to-be-top-office-in-the-nation-in-2014/
Take a good look a the photo of the 8 "team members." Again, here is a direct link:
If you take this direct link and search for it in Google image search, you find that this is also the team of RNG & Associates! Not only that, the image appears in a "press release" of "RNG & Associates Recognizes Top Leaders By Sending Them To Prestigious Conference." What conference do you think that was? It was the same "Keys to Success Conference" that Affinity Concepts sent their "team members" to! This must be one popular conference!
Take a good look at the language in the RNG and Affinity "press releases" about the conference. Similar generic language, and not one mention of a person's name! They quote the CEO of RNG and do not use his or her name! What chief executive do you know that DOES NOT want their name mentioned?
Like a good bloodhound, we decided to follow the trail further. The RNG press release lists a phone number of 516-233-2627. A quick Google search shows that this number is also used by a "National Promotions." It is also listed for a "Silver Sky Advertising." There was also a RipOff Report for a company called "Prospect Inc:" http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/prospect-inc/floral-park-new-york-11001/prospect-inc-malvina-szczech-prospect-inc-a-fake-company-that-will-try-to-reel-you-in--684193
We decided to take a look at the website for "Silver Sky Advertising." What do you know. Their nameless CEO addressed the very same "Keys to Success Conference!" That is an awful lot of companies attending a conference that no one has heard of!
The plot is certainly thickening. We decided to take a look at another "press release" from "RNG & Associates:"
This one had a different contact phone number of 516-647-7591. Another quick Google search shows that number to belonging to Nick Gayle and ALLtrepreneur Horizons: http://www.adsinusa.com/c/3831/3831b1235.htm
Who are they? Why, they are the stars in their very own RipOff Reports:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Alltrepreneur-Horizons/Deer-Parky-New-York-11729/Alltrepreneur-Horizons-RNG-Associates-Inc-Robin-Nick-Gayle-SCAM-LIES-SEXIST-Deer-Parky-984364
In fact, there are several affiliated companies, all with the same allegations of fraud, deceit, misleading job postings, bait and switch, and not paying their employees.
There is Dazzo Marketing Solutions:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Dazzo-Marketing-Solutions-Inc-/Deer-Park-New-York-11729/Dazzo-Marketing-Solutions-Inc-Is-a-Scam-Deer-Park-New-York-1059621
And let's not forget Prestige Promotions:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Prestige-Promotions-Inc/Deer-Park-New-York-11729/Prestige-Promotions-Inc-FKA-Dazzo-Marketing-Solutions-FKA-Alltrepreneur-Horizons-Inc-1166911
So there you have it. At least eight different "companies," all in the "marketing" and "promotions" business. Each uses similar or identical photographs on their website. Each website contains multiple pages of generic information with not a single name of any employee. Each company posts virtually identical job descriptions with glowing promises of success. All the jobs are essentially standing outside gas stations to sell auto products on commission only.
And each "company" has website after website of complaints from people who went to them for jobs.
Are these "companies" scams?
We cannot tell you if these companies are doing anything illegal. Deceptive, yes. Despicable and slimy, you bet. And don't get scammed from them! Don't let them take advantage of you!
Don't be so desperate for a job. That is what these weasels are counting on. Do your due diligence. Question anything that does not look "right" from online job postings. Be sure to spend a few minutes researching using some of the techniques outlined above. This really took us no more than 15 minutes. It is your job to make sure these crooks cannot scam you.
And if you uncover something that does not look right or appears to be a scam, be sure to pay it forward by letting everyone know.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Legal Notice
Jack
#2General Comment
Mon, December 28, 2015
Please take notice that Jessica Lopez Irish and Prestige Promotions, Inc. (“Plaintiffs”) initiated an action in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas (Ohio) – Jessica Lopez Irish and Prestige Promotions, Inc. v. “alexandra,” et al., case number A1505391 – due to allegedly false statements made by the defendants on Ripoff Report (including “Jack"). The action is one for defamation per se, defamation, tortious interference with existing economic and/or business relationships, and tortious interference with prospective economic and/or business relationships. Please contact Plaintiffs’ counsel at DefLaw@vorys.com.