Complaint Review: Fred Howard

About a month ago I posted my resume on Craigslist. I received an email from Fred Howard notifying me about a job opening as a certified payroll specialist where I could work from home. This is the email that I was sent....

Greetings,

I just want to introduce you to a job if you don't mind, I am Fred Howard,We are an online recruiting company. We recruit individuals for PART TIME and FULL TIME such as a CERTIFIED PAYROLL SPECIALIST.

All you need is a computer with Internet connection and the knowledge to use it, and a color printer,including a scanner.

We need people who want to work on a part time basis and earn extra income. We require people who will be honest, trustworthy and able to work from home, to handle the printing of letters, notes and checks with the data of the people on our payroll list of the networks of companies we work for.

Please note that we will handle the UPS, Fedex or DHL account label which will be made for you to dispatch the letters, notes and checks to various destinations. I need to know if you will be trustworthy enough to entrust our company's vital information and signatory with you.

EARNINGS:
You will be paid $1,000 monthly salary for a start, if you perform very well and we are impressed, we will increase your salary to $1,500 and to $2,000 as time goes on, please get back to me today to let me know that you're interested.

REQUIREMENTS YOU CAN GET THEM FROM EITHER OFFICE MAX OR WALMART OR STAPLES STORES:

*A computer system at home with Internet connection.
*A Color Printer
*Versa Check Ultimate/Platinum or Gold 2012 software. It will come
with 150 blank checks.
*Versa Ink Nano 4X Life Magnetic Ink
*Voucher size checks. 3-9/16 H x 8-3/4 W, 250 quantities.

You will receiving extra $200 with your first month salary. Reply by filling this application.

EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION FORM:
First Name:
Middle Name:
Last name:
Marital Status:
Residential Address:
PO.Box Not Accepted:
City:
State:
Zip:
Country:
Home Phone #:
Cell Phone #:
Gender:
Age:
Your current job:

You will be contacted as soon as we are through with comparing resumes. You will be notified if you are chosen to work for the company.email :fred_howard007@yahoo.com I will be expecting your response or just go ahead and add me to your yahoo instant messenger chat,my ID name is: fred_howard007, download and install www.yahoomessenger.com.

Regards

Fred Howard.

I then responded to it with all the information required and then he called me using a relay call. We also spoke online via yahoo messenger. He reasured me that this was a legitimate position and that I had nothing to worry about. I did some research on his name and email and nothing came up for it being a scam. He even sent me the website for the company which is: http://www.c-a-m.com/Forms/Index.aspx. So everything seemed alright with me. I went out a purchased all the supplies needed and I spent around two hundred dollars.

I began working for him and printing the checks on July 7th. I go online everyday to see if I need to work or he calls me via relay call to let me know that he has sent me a list to print. I have been working for him/the company for a month now. When the time started getting closer to when I was supposed to get paid I asked him about it and he just told me that I would get paid soon.

Last night I asked him about my pay again and when I did all I heard was soon. I told him that I would like a set date and he told me that he couldn't give me one because the "boss" was in Malaysia on a business trip. When I asked him when he would be back he said he wasn't sure because he might be going somewhere else for business too.
 
As of today I spoke with someone that used to work for the company who in this report is going to remain annonymous. Fred gave me her email address and told me that if I had any questions with printing to ask her. I asked her if she ever had any problems with being paid and her response was that she did for seven months. When she finally did get paid she was told it was going to be sent to Western Union and that she should only take 10% of it and then send it to Nigeria.

She also told me that when she refused to print anymore checks untill she got paid Fred told her that the company would "go under" if she did not continue to print. When she still refused he threatened her life. She cut off all contact with him and hasn't spoken to him since.

After I heard all of this I sent Fred an email stating that I would no longer print any checks untill I receive my pay and reimbursement for the supplies that I bought. So I guess I will see what happens with this because as of now I have not heard back from him.