One Source Talent, Anthony Toma, Katie Ludwig ripoff, Talent Scouts and Models, Actors No paycheck for commissions earned Troy Michigan
I have been the victim in an empoloyment scam. I want to prevent as many people as I can from being sucked into this vortex.
I really thought I had finally found something I was good at. I can't believe that I ever recommended this company to anyone!
My sincere appologies to everyone in Michigan, that should cover it.
Name of this buiness is:
One Source Talent Consulting
3250 West Big Beaver Road
Suite 526
Troy, MI 48084 248-816-7900
Anthony Toma ext 118 Owner
Katie Ludwig ext 119 Agency Services
Conrad Shin ext 124 Office Director
Rochell G. ext 122 Talent Specialist
So let me explain this step by step:
1. They contact me through Monster jobs via email.
2. I go in for an "interview" which is the first day of work. By the way every one of us was told to come back the next day. (Cattle Call)
3. Then we get sent out to "scout" for fresh new talent. So we tell these people they are pretty and they should go see about being a model or on tv.
4. The people that we scouted show up to "open call" which is held every week the same days (Mon Wed Thurs @6:45pm and Sat @ 12.45pm)
5. At the Open call they listen to a presentation and then they wait in the room to be called for their one on one interview. Again not one of them is told not to come back.
6. They are all given a second appointment at which they will be signed as long as they pay the $395.00 fee. Oh and there is a residual $30.00 fee that they will charge you for website maintenence.
7. As an employee I was to get commission only on those who enrolled in the service. Which I have no way of verifing the true numbers of since I only knew a few people as friends and family. Also it is slick that they get them to signup on the 2nd interview, which is always scheduled the next day or as soon as possible. What that means is that as a scout I have no accurate way to keep my own records regarding how many of my recruits accually signed on to their ripoff.
One Source Talent has hired me for solisitation and sales. I am on commission basis and this week was to be my pay week(1/28/05). Conrad told us this on Friday 1/14/05 that we get paid every two weeks and that would be 1/28/05. I have contacted everyone in the company regarding when I should be able to pick up my pay check. I get no response in this matter and the worst part of it is that I can not prove on paper, that I have access to, how many commissions I should be getting paid.
They have all the records in Conrad Shin's office where I have no access. I have asked to see the books and I get chastized they say "that is something that a drug addict would say!"
I assure you that I have never done drugs in my entire life! I am a little despirate for a job however, I have been out of work for quite some time. That if any is my only crime in this entire situation. I am simply wanting to warn others to this terrifying situation. I also would like my paycheck that is owed to me, and to look at the records for myself to verify how many commissions I am owed.
I have every reason to believe that I earned $1000.00 for my first two weeks according to their "anti-pay" commission schedule.
Also, Conrad told us as a class that there were 2 contests for new trainee's only. The older scouts who came before our class were not included in this.
Contest #1 $2500.00 to the scout who has the most talent show up to open call. Yes, just for highest # to show up and listen to their presentation. Only thing was that I had to beat out New York and California office scouts in the same training class.
Contest #2 $1000.00 to the scout who has the most talent show up to open call. Yes, just for highest # to show up and listen to their presentation. This one was only for the Detroit office. I had this one in the bag, no problem, I brought all my friends and neighbors, family anyone I knew and I scouted like a mad dog. So I had at least 24 recruits there during the first week.
So I feel that I am owed that 2nd contest prize $1000.00 also.
I am exceptionally gullable so I also signed up my step daughter for modeling #395.00. So I really got bent over! Not to mention all the gas and wear on my vehicle 30 miles one way plus driving to scout etc.
My total damages are $2395.00 plus milage.
If someone wants to know what I want to settle this out of court at least $3000.00 is my price.
As for the Better Business Bureau, they are useless and the worst thing is that people accually believe that they are in existance to help people. This is he 4th company I have been ripped off by in the last 4 years, auto mechanics, home improvement companies, and now an employer. NONE of them were ever in bad standing with the BBB. They suck.
Marci
Westland, Michigan
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Shawn
Auburn Hills,Michigan,
U.S.A.
**Why are you here if you believe your company is legit?**
#3Consumer Comment
Sat, January 13, 2007
Ok honestly, if you didn't feel that the company you worked for was scamming people, why would you come to a site called rip-off report.com? Why would you be defensive about a topic if you believed they were properly doing business? If you were so busy doing moral business, you wouldn't have the time to come to a site like this to waste your time explaining to people that your company isn't a fraud, just to make yourself feel better for all the wrongful things that you do on a daily basis. I work for a company that would never even remotely be on a website like this. have I ever checked? Never. Not once, not ever, because I am confident that the way we do business is in a moral enough fasion, that not one person would ever come here and put information about my company on a site like this. Think about that before you bash people that are coming here to have some type of "feel good" for what has happened to them, because you are to much of a low life to find a career path that follows guidelines, and is done so in a way that your clientelle is pleased with your work. Money is paper. People are real, with real feelings. If you treat people the right way, you make good money, and feel good about it. My advice to you is that if you aren't confident with the company you work for (which is obvious if you are reading this right now) than don't do business with them, and don't be a product of some loser that has formulated a business plan to scam people. This is a thought out plan. It is a very good idea to make money, but you are ruining peoples lives for your own gain. Which in my opinion is cowardly. So what does that say about you?
Cj
Waterford,Michigan,
U.S.A.
The Reality Is...
#3UPDATE Employee
Fri, February 11, 2005
It is my opinion only, that Marci Jones is in a poor financial situation that has unfortunately put her in a desperate situation where she is attempting to force a settlement based solely on the insinuation that due to her lack of compensation, she wants to deny her involvement and responsibility in reference to her lack of performance.
Fact 1: One Source Talent did in fact run 2 contests, of which Marci Jones did not win either as they were based on performance. Her first week brought in mainly friends and family members, in order to increase her numbers for the contests.
Fact 2: Of Marci's 13 prospective talents (most of them friends, or family) One Source signed only a handful that were qualified, 2 or 3 in total I believe.
Fact 3: Marci did not understand that pay periods are every two weeks, and to this date, still has a check waiting to be picked up. When told that she could not receive a check a week earlier, she became frustrated and irritable.
Fact 4: No employee is allowed access into Management offices without the appropriate personnel.
Fact 5: Marci Jones brought her step-daughter and husband in to sign with the company, after which she also requested the company set up a professional photography session with one of its' contacts. The actual legal mother of the child, called Marci and demanded the child be removed from the site, and did not want the daughter to have a photo shoot. One Source refunded the photo shoot to Marci Jones, then explained that the initial $395.00 spent on creating a digital composite for the girl was non-refundable, and was stated clearly in her paperwork that she initialed, signed and agreed to.
Fact 6: Marci Jones failed to read her confidentiality agreement with the company that she signed and dated upon employ with the company, stating that she would not release information concerning company practices.
Fact 7: Marci told Conrad Shin over the phone that she needed the photo money returned as her husband was not paying child support and when the mother found out he was paying for photos, it brought the financial situation to her attention, and now Marci and her husband need to get a lot of money together. The following day, she attempted to get her check in early.
Fact 8: Marci Jones is a pleasant woman, that was forced into a bad situation due to her need for money. Before posting this report, the company attempted to contact her several times, Conrad Shin attempted via cell phone, home phone and e-mail. Conrad, Katie, Michael, and Anthony agreed that in her situation they would temporarily increase her comission for her performance to help her until things settled down for her. Two days after no contact with the company, she posted this complaint.
Fact 9: Defamation of Character is a crime punishable by law.
Fact 10: Breach of Contract is also a crime punishable by law.
Fact 11: The Better Business Bureau is not a scam.
-Someone objective-