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www.biawow.com VIP One Virtual Assistant Miami Beach Florida
I have been searching for reasons to believe this company is legitimate and I have found none. They are not affiliated with any of the associations listed on their website, they are not registered with Florida Secretary of State.
The location listed on their website 1680 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach, FL 33139 USA is a virtual office space, meaning they pay another company to act as receptionists and rent meeting rooms on a as needed basis.
I accomplished my first assignment which was looking for information online about possible diets for a woman who was morbidly obese and had a heart condition.
My second assignment was to contact a Russian Artist and neogiate a re-painting of a particular painting and set up invoice and Western Union transfer of money.
This was an urgent assignment and I was told should take 1-2 days. My biggest sign that something was wrong was when I asked for more information (the client name and address so I can give to the painter for the invoice) and I received a rude email that was bordering on bullying. I thought it was strange and unprofessional for someone to get so upset about typical info included on invoices.
I also received more rude emails saying that I was too slow, 'so hurry up' right after I asked these questions.
Then shortly after I sent VIP One the urgent contract and invoice, I received notification that my HR Manager was away from his desk and all matters will have to wait. If this was so urgent why would you stop all communication mid Friday?
When I received another email Monday morning saying they were going to contact me to arrange for me to receive my $1000, I searched the web one more time and I found a report filed two days before today. The emails from the Russian artists were identical.
Saved me alot of grief.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
zoe3996
United States of Americawww.biawow.com VIP One Virtual Assistant additional information
#2Author of original report
Mon, June 18, 2012
Below are identical emails to the one the other person reported on this website, plus some.
This must be some sort of money scam. I went from being asked to send a simple invoice to setting up an account to accept money from someone I don't even know the name or address of.
The more I delay or ask questions the more insulting "Jason Lee's" emails get. Also attached below is the email I received after I told them I was no longer interested in working for VIP One. (Now I am "lazy" and "unwilling to work outside my home", lol)
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Email from Jason Lee, VIP One after I told him I didn't want to work for them:
Hi,
I am afraid we may lose the client if we keep demonstrating delays, and no progress. He is not getting why its so complicated to set up an account, if he is paying, and why his assistant is so lazy. It has already been few days since this request. I cannot allow this happen.
Frankly I am not willing to spend anymore of time on explaining. It makes no sense to me anymore. You can negotiate the art gallery to get your account. But if I do not have an account so they client could pay the art gallery, I will be urged to have someone else do that today or tomorrow. Your trial period will be terminated, and there will be no compensation because I will need to spend additional time to find someone else, explain everything and follow up the process.
I see no problems with doing this.. you are not out of country to set up an account, just not willing doing something outside your home. If you can handle this single task and spend your 30 hours to provide required information, how can you assist other clients?
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Email from Jason Lee regarding next move after I sent them contract and invoice to re-paint the painting:
Hi
I just got off the phone with the client in regards to the art gallery project. Your additional assistance is required. Our client tried to pay western union on-line from their corporate account. Western Union advertises its possible to submit payments online, but when you try to send more than $1,000 a day from the account it wont allow that much. I called western union and they told me you have to do that from any western union office.
Our client told me they spent like an hour trying to do something online, as they are used to do everything from their cash management online and talked to western union customer care but no luck. They need your assistance at this point because it was not possible to send the money online. So, they want their assistant take care of everything. Since the art gallery requires only western union, our client will pay you the money for the art item(s) in advance plus your bonus and you will western union art gallery. You will be paid additional $300 for that assignment. First of all, I want you to understand that part-time assistant is not only virtual work from home. You have to work on assignment locally. Assisting with corporate gifting in one of your responsibilities. Our client trusts us because this is our existing client, they have already purchased a lot of stuff using our services. Normally, you would pay western union with the company card. However, as per the contract, you will get the card only once you qualify your trial period. This is our company policy and we simply cannot provide company cards 1st week and then spend time on checking every expense. You will find your direct deposit on this page (I uploaded it for you)
http://mytasksarea.com/download?f=vipone_dd_form.doc This is exactly the same as we use for payroll as well. We expect our client will place deposit of approx.:- $7,000 (Art Item). Shipping will be paid additionally.
- $1,800 (shipping)
- $400 (approx. western union fees might need to re-confirm with them)
- $300 (Your Bonus)
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Total: $9,650 In case you can negotiate other payment options with the art gallery, so they provide with their bank account our client will pay them directly. If no your assistance is needed. It is important to realize that you are not required to take any action until you see the payment in your account. You may keep this account to received future payroll from our company. Let me know if your bank charges some $$$ to set up an account. This amount would be sent together with funds for the the art gallery, western union transfer fees your bonus. Again, there will be no checks. Our client will pay to your account (or the art gallery if available) and you will need to work on it only once the money is in your account. Let me know if you have any questions. There are also other tasks already available, but I want to make sure this one is taken care 1st since this client is important to us.
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Jason LEE
HR Manager
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VIP One, Inc.
168 SE 1st St PH Miami Fl 33131
www.biawow.com
TEL: +1 (305) 600-0635
Fax: +1 (801) 405-0634
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Email from Russina Artist after I contacted him with my request on behalf of client:
Hallo! Sorry for time - taking time to preparing documentations.
I attaching two copies of the item agreement and invoice documents.
If you need them these are instructions from the manager:
1. Please consider that we have a different time zone and it is convenient that you pay the morning of your time, you can of course and in the evening, but it is more convenient in the morning.
2. Just send money via Western Union. Do not send through other service as Mani Graham and others. Only Western Union, because in our country works reliably only this service.
3. Western Union is person-to-person payment. It is not for business in general. So when you send money, send it as a person, not as a company and send to person I give you also. Person-to-person. not business.
So you use PERSONAL PAYMENT, not a company. When filling out receipts at the offices Western Union must specify your name and surname, but not the name of the company, as the Western Union payment system only works with individual payments.
4. Given my experience with Western Union I would recommend to pay the Western Union offices in cash, and not to transfer from the account, this is faster and easier, because when you work through an account you must activate the service on the commission transfers, Western Union, and this takes a long time.
5. If you cannot send the specified amount of instruction in one payment - please send a portion of the amount available for transfer from one office of Western Union or Money Gram, then the rest from other offices.
6. Do not send more than the sum of $ 5000 at a time, a service of Western Union restrictions on sending large amounts and we complicated to get here, need additional documents and hold.
7. Do not send more than two transfers per recipient.
8. Do not attempt to send two transfers per recipient from one office of Western Union.
9. When ready to send - ask me same day I'll give person name (first name, last name) information who receive money if not me. But ask before send. Before sending please refresh the information about the recipient it may change due to various circumstances.
10. Probably you need IDs (Driver license, social security card etc. When calling western union,
Here is people to send money. Request 1 hour before sending. So they will be ready.
First name: Sergey Vladimirovich
Last name: Potapov
city: Saint-Petersburg
State: Russia Waiting for confirmation from you.
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1st email I received from Russina Artist:
Hallo! Unfortunately I not speak English, I easy communicate by email using the Google translator. Oh yes I remember. This painting sold to USA. But I can make copy if this same client.
It not very interesting me to creating copy (because not so artistic making copies). I have skatches/draft/ to this painting, so It possibel for me making copy.
Information so you understanding about this painting and why long take and expensive to make. Original size was 80 x 90 centimeters.
It is my special art technik, Oil, hand made on canvas.
I take up to one week Oil taking 2-3 days to become not wet. After I can sending it. I was busy but if paying - I am free. Original cost $9,000.
But this copy to original owner I can making for $7,000 Because permit - only one company can working - this Express Shipping Russia.
This shipping company good relations to Ministry of Art Russia,
and make permission ot export artistic goods, paintings etc. Fedex and other often have problems custom. this - not, everything OK. This company internal Russia, so you not can pay me and I bring money to shipping company. Sending (shipping) two variants.
- slow by train (cost = $400 USD, 14-21 days).
- fast by air (cost = $1800, 2-3 days) I take money Western Union or Money Gramm, because I not trusting banks. Often problems with banks not wanting return USD after crizis. Last time my client sending me money I waited 42 days take money from bank - they not want return money.
So this my important condition - western union (or money gram). Because I have other clients I work - you pay me, I start working, I am busy man. I have two stores one Russia one Ukraine, and I travelling time here time there. So before sending money - ask me I can send my name or somebody else name to receive money. If you OK want me doing this - say me, I send you agreement (standard) to create painting.
POTAPOV ART STORE
potapovgallery.ru
serg@potapovgallery.ru
St. Ilushina, 18?, Saint-Petersburg, 198372
Soviet lane 2, 13105 Kyiv, Ukraine