This information was just provided as a rebuttal to an earlier report, which opined early in March that Monster was involved in propagating this scam with TCT. No doubt this former TCT scout/victim's comments provided fuel for the Newsweek piece which did dissolve the TCT - Monster alliance, as stated by this new poster. COMMENT: Rip-off Report has observed a Monster.com pattern of involvement in questionable employment, including several multi-level marketing schemes and exaggerated employment placement services.
Here is the entry which deserves special attention:
+++++++++++++++++++Proof of Pearlman's Trans Continental Talent scam's payoff of Monster.com
While working for TCT I remember this guy who was causing trouble for us in Oregon. Secretly, I thought, "Go get 'em, Mike." Now I can say what I couldn't then.
Mike, you were closer to the truth than you thought. I don't know if you know or not, Cort Randell and Lou Pearlman have wondered if you were directly responsible for the Newsweek story, "Model Misbehavior" by Brian Braiker, which ultimately cost them the Monster.com account.
TCT tried every trick in the book to try and keep that account, even paying Monster.com two years in advance, but no dice. Monster could not risk any damage to the value of their stock which basically double from March to May of this year, just before the Newsweek story.
As it is, TMPW, the publically-traded stock, which is the umbrella for Monster is facing hard times. AOL and MSN have both dumped Monster.com in favor of the more ethical company Careerbuilder.com, who wouldn't advertise TCT or it's clone Wilhelmina Scouting Network. HotJobs.com dumped TCT and there had been talk that this submission by the former scout in Oregon may have had something to do with it. Keep your head down, Mike. They are still really pissed. You don't know what these guys are capable of.
I don't expect anyone to take my word on faith, here is evidence.
This email is from Cort Randell to Alec Defrawy and Edward Bell sent about June 16, 2003, concerning Trans Continental Talent's cooption of Monster.com for a hefty fee in order to scam individuals into thinking working there was a genuine job.
----- Original Message -----
Dear All:
In the ?for what it?s worth? category:
Almost three weeks ago, a call went from an investigative reporter at Newsweek to the media relations person in the PR department at Monster. The gist was that Newsweek had sent a couple of people (more than one) to sign up as scouts with TCT and had the same experience as Dateline. Newsweek is, therefore, running a follow on article to the Dateline article on TCT and wanted to know if Monster and TCT were in a joint-venture because the number of our ads suggested it. If not, Newsweek asked, why was Monster running so many of our ads representing them to be legitimate jobs when in fact they were not legitimate jobs
Newsweek?s contention was that number one, the pay for the jobs was exaggerated. Number two, the scouts were to sign up anyone regardless of whether they had model potential. Number three, the jobs were, therefore, contributing to a scam so why was Monster involved? Number four, did Monster have any complaints from the scouts? If so, how many? (Monster answered this question saying ?some?, but they were afraid if they didn?t terminate us the true number of complaints would leak out, which w ere in the thousands.)
The concerns of the media department went to the highest levels of Monster including Investors Relations, the COO, General Counsel and the CEO. It was determined that if Monster continued carrying our jobs after the article came out, that all of their jobs would be called into question, their investors could be adversely affected (the stock is vulnerable-it has more than doubled in 60 days) and their stock price could be hit from a very negative Newsweek article
Had the Newsweek reporter not called, Monster would have continued with us indefinitely in spite of the complaints of the scouts because we were paying them over half a million a year . Even if the payments were late, they were still getting paid within 60 days
However, with the potential of national exposure of the problems with our ads, they felt they needed to do damage control which could affect them in the millions and take the position that they didn?t know any of this until it was pointed out to them by the Newsweek reporter; and they said they would immediately take the ads down. They, of course, could not discuss the real reason for taking us down.
Lou and Greg could have promised them two years? payment in advance and given them their first born son, and there was still no way that Monster was going to continue our account. Nothing they said or did would have changed Monster?s mind.
Regards,
Cort
----------------------
Now that the company is falling apart, Lou Pearlman has to meet with attorneys daily. They believe that it is more economical to pay an attorney to stall than do the right thing and give people their money back.
In fact, I heard Lou say on the phone that he has no intention of ever paying any of the money that Jackie Dowd insists he pay back. They are going to stall as long as they can, make her finally file a civil complaint and pay to fight it in court. I hope he is wrong and Jackie Dowd makes him pay every last cent he owes from this scam.
+++++++++++++++++++
The TCT employment ads, which victims report as a scam, were placed on Monster.com, and are even more insidious than many of the other questionable employment situations, because many of the employees at TCT don't even get paid. Rip-off Report has also obtained evidence that scouts have been systematically deprived of their contractual commissions.
We expect several ramifications benefiting TCT scout victims, as a result of this revelation and stand ready to assist justice for all victims of this scam, including those who purchased franchises and did not get the service they expected.
Frank Torelli - Investigative Reporter
Rip-off Report - Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Monster.comClick here to read other Rip Off Reports on Bernard Haldane AssociatesCLICK HERE, You must read this!! ..Financial Post Article LINK - Haldane not up to the job ..exposing this company for what it really is - a huge scamClick here to read other Rip Off Reports on PrimericaClick here to read other Rip Off Reports on Options Talent Emodel.comClick here to read other Rip Off Reports on Trans Continental Talent AKA Options TalentClick here to read other Rip Off Reports on Wilhelmina