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Combined Insurance Fraud Interview Scam Interview under false pretences, false promises, fake branch office Edmonton Alberta
Now some of you may have recieved an interview invitation from a company called "combined Insurance. A respectable subsidiary of AON."
Some odd things:
1. You never applied for this position.
2. Your credentials/expirience have nothing to do with this position.
3. The title of the job is something like "manager trainee" even if you have no management expirience, OR insurance industry expirience
4. The request came in an e-mail, stating they saw your resume on a job website and this request seems somewhat scripted.
5. They make very broad salary promises right off the bat in the e-mail but do not describe the job in any detail.
So you reply to the e-mail, because...someone just offered you an interview! yay! At this point you get a reply very quickly inviting you to an interview in some Instant Office type building where people can come in, rent offices and leave.
Well, this happened to me. Fortunately I did my research before I went further. If this happens to you, here's what you can expect if you schedule an interview:
You will arrive at a makeshift office and be presented with a general guarantee to make money by selling insurance. Don't get me wrong, this insurance company is real...just its premise isnt. You will be put under huge pressure to accept the job right away. You will arrive at the training to discover they take anyone, even high school dropouts. You will then discover that you must do the training unpaid, then only work for commission....and this 30-50 grand?....you get that after 6 months IF you make a certain amount of commission. Which is nearly impossible to make.
Then, as you're working, wasting time and money driving around selling insurance, getting doors slammed in your face and getting frustsrated you get the best part. You discover your interviewer and his office have dissapeared. and instead of being a manager trainee for the "your-city branch" ...you ARE the branch. And you have 6 months and $350/week commission pay to show for it. Meanwhile you have sold insurance accounts to all your friends to this ridiculous company.
Congratulations! you are a combined insurance sucker! err...salesman!
Anonymous
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada
7 Updates & Rebuttals
Combined Agent
Lafayette,Louisiana,
AMEN!
#8UPDATE Employee
Mon, September 02, 2013
A the ******* men!
agentMD
baltimore,Maryland,
United States of America
UnProfessional
#8UPDATE Employee
Sat, July 31, 2010
I have researched and read several reports regarding Combined Insurance. I am a active agent and have not been with the company long. I refuse to insult total strangers by saying you weren't cut out for the job, or your a loser. What I will say that whether it is combined insurance or another company, doesn't even have be an insurance company. Everyone isn't going to be happy. But to call them crooks or to say the company is a scam is ridiculous.
mjcanman
vancouver,British Columbia,
Canada
whatever theo
#8UPDATE EX-employee responds
Fri, December 25, 2009
You are a first class loser Theo and your statements symbolize this whole pathetic company. I worked for CI for close to 1 year back in 1992 in Saskatchewan. I was 20, young and naive. Our DM was a liar a thief and he was unsavoury to the core. On several occassions I remember him going around the room and spending 2-3 minutes yelling at each agent. CI preaches PMA, but yet they all of their techniques are negative can you explain that to me? On several occassions I saw DM's and RM's show us the "pushing past someone as you shake their hand", to gain access into their home. As your lawyer would know assault, legally is "any unwanted touching". Might want to review that technique with your lawyer.
Reptuable companies pay your expenses. You have been with CI for close to 20 years, and by your own statements you make over 100k. Yet CI still does not pay your expenses? Whatever BS claim any of you CI disciples want to "claim" you make deduct at least 60%. Good companies pay your expenses and provide company cars.
Nothing ever changes with CI lol!!! Still paying 14% comissions really a great way to build PMA!! You would think they might try computers instead of those out-dated flipcharts. The only way CI exists is because they prey on the elderly and people in rural areas. Please have a CI lawyer contact me!!! I really wish some agent comes to my door lol. They would not even have to push past me lol. I would spend at least and hour listening to the whole presentation. Then I would like a chance for a brief rebuttal. I would explain to them how much more enjoyable life is when you work 5-6 hours, love your job, have benefits and a pension.... To do that you have to work for a company that values people. Everything about CI is a joke and I am sorry that you have wasted your life working for such a disreputable company.
Wait I live in a large city so I would never see a combined agemt, because they are too busy pushing past some 85 year old woman, in some God-forsaken town, pressuring her into buying a policy.
Clough41
Knoxville,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
Combined is not a scam...Lazy people won't make money anywhere...
#8UPDATE Employee
Wed, June 24, 2009
The training is paid...they pay milage and food, they pay for the accomodations, they pay a minimal amount per day for actual training but they pay.
They give you 80% of your work in existing customer leads... you must call them to set appointments but most are eager to see you...
You are as in all sales responsible for creating new business however don't let them catch you selling to family or friends because it is not tolerated as a company policy...
Lazy people will not make money where ever they go...
This company is almost 100 years old and the founder has been friends with Presidents of this country...if it were a scam I doubt this would be fact... Look up the founder... W. Clemmet Stone... make your own choice...
Shaun
Edmonton,Alberta,
Canada
Same thing for me
#8Consumer Suggestion
Mon, December 15, 2008
I was certainly surprised to find an email regarding this company for a "manager trainee". ready to hire me,I thought, sure, why not? Good money was mentioned in the email. So, off I went on my way to the interview, and yes, it is exactly as you said it, it is in a temporary office building, I thought, odd, but, whatever. I showed up on time, and waited almost an hour, before finally trying to call the DM's numerous numbers, finally go through, saying he was "out of town" and his assistant was supposed to call me. okay, human error, but I was told that I was unable to go into the office, since there was no one in the office. Hm. Where is his assistant? I found this website, and I'm glad I did. When he called me back to reschedule, I said, SURE... let me call you next week. Yea, thanks ripoffreport for the warning!
Theo
Sudbury,Ontario,
Canada
A satisfied manager of 17 years with Combined Insurance.
#8UPDATE Employee
Tue, November 25, 2008
First of all if any ex-employee of Combined Insurance wants to air their opinions of Combined insurance or their employees please have the balls to identify yourself, otherwise be careful you could be sued for slander!!!
When I immigrated from England to Canada in 1991, I answered an ad for Combined Insurance and before joining the company I went for an 8 hour demonstration where it was made clear that in order to sell the insurance i would have to Cold call, in other words door-to door!!...but considering I didn't have to telemarket the product I liked this approach as it was more personable.
As for commission sales, I would like to inform all the disgruntled ex-employees who were probably still in their nappies, welcome to the real world!!!
All insurance companies in Canada sponsor you as an independent employee, in other words you are self-employed!!!
As for the travelling as one Brad mentioned when he was hired in Northern Ontario, Canada...yes Canada is a vast country and in Canada if you are hired you will be travelling, sometimes 12 weeks or more away from your bed....if you don't like travelling move to England where it is the fifth the size of the province of Quebec...stop the whining.
As for the products that Combined Insurance, whereas can you buy an insurance policy that covers any accident from as little as $8.00 a month; and as for claims Combined Insurance is one of the fairest and quickest company to return a cheque to a customer for a legitimate claim.
As I said earlier I have been a loyal employee of Combined Insurance for nearly 18 years and if you work hard, and yes long hours you will be rewarded financially and easily you can earn unlimited income in the 6 figures within 2 years if you get your thumb out of the a*s, set goals, and if you have a problem with our system try look in the mirror first before expressing your thoughts on print and again like i said before as Combined Insurance is regulated by the "Financial Services Commission of Ontario" be careful you don't get a "knock on the door" by our lawyers!!!
Sales Professional
Spruce Grove,Alberta,
Canada
Positive experience and earned good money
#8UPDATE Employee
Wed, July 30, 2008
I responded to one of these ads and I am glad I did. I was looking for a better career because I didn't want to do manual labour for the rest of my life! I had no credentials or experience in insurance sales and I went out to spend a day with an agent and I am glad I did. I earned over $60,000 my first year. Did I have to work hard to earn it... you bet. Was I ever asked to sell to family or friends.... Never!
Is this job for everyone...NO. Was it for you, obviously not but you are probably not suited for sales either. You may have thought you had the right personality for it but obviously not. How can someone else put pressure on you to accept a job? Either you want a job or you don't. As for the office moving locations it has been in the same location for almost 2 years. Time to get your facts straight.
It sounds as though you worked for the company by the statements that you make. It is hard to tell because you also said "Fortunately I did my research before I went further". How can you make an educated statement about how much you earn if you "didn't go further". If you didn't work for the company then stop making statements you cannot back up. If you did, then why not admit it. Just because you are not a good salesperson doesn't mean the company lied.
Too many discrepancies to be reliable. It sounds like you are bitter because you were not a capable as you thought you were.
I work hard, I do make a good living and I enjoy what I do and no one lied about the job to me.