Christopher p.
La Mesa,#2
Mon, September 21, 2009
For Kathy (and the others who responded to my original report)--thank you for your opinions! Doesn't it really feel great to be able to add honest comments and/or experiences for everyday people to read for their protection? For Kathy of Anaheim, I am surprised that you even had a contract offer! I wish I had remembered what I had exactly responded to Helen Chavez a day later, but it was something along the lines of morality, and someday the FBI or other government organization will catch up to her (or him or THEM) that is scamming people. I thank you for your comment, because if more people get together (for whatever subject) to report a potential scam, abuse, etc, then it will spread like wildfire, and those people who are doing wrong will realize that since so many of the innocent are now aware, then their attempts will fade away---at least until the next clever scheme or clueless generation comes along. Let us hope for the best! Take care, and always be alert!
kathy
Anaheim,#3
Tue, September 01, 2009
I also received a job offer from these guys, only now they are calling themselves AT Solutions LTD. The saw my resume on CareerBuilders. It is exactly the same offer as Christopher in San Diego submitted for Albion Technology Solutions LTD. The employee Helen Chavez is now listed as administrative director.
I was almost sucked in, I'm having trouble finding a job since I was laid off 3 years ago. The company I was working for was bought out by a new company and the entire accounting department was let go. This job offer from AT Solutions sounded too good to be true, but the money is amazing and they sent me the contract to sign and send back to them. It looks on the up and up but obviously is not.
Had I not decided to research the company I never would have run across the Rip Off Report by Christopher. I owe Christopher a big thank you.
ReactorCore
Victoria,#4
Wed, August 12, 2009
You caught most of the tip offs that say run for the hills. A few more things that put up red flags in my head were:
1) They continuously mention your "other job"... That this one won't interfere with what you're doing, etc.... Take a look at the figures they're foisting here... With that kind of income, why would you even want another job?? Just doesn't make logical sense, does it? Speaking of...
2) The gobs of cash... Look at the amounts they're throwing around. I find it hard to believe that any business would be that generous with their profits. Especially when that money is so easy to make... 3 to 7 hours can get me $3000?? That's heady stuff!
3) Email: The responding from an account other than the one this person was first contacted by could be a case of someone in a company having one account (perhaps at the home) for initial contacts from the job site, and the rest of the correspondence thereafter coming from an internal intranet at the "office", and I've seen that actually done by legit operations, but my gut instinct is that it's a sloppy planning oversight on the part of the alleged scammer.
4) Tossing around the (dubious) "fact" that this operation is legal in the U.S. Whenever someone starts pitching a legal angle my way, I start asking under what Act, precedent, statute or whatever that has led someone to come to this conclusion. I ask for verifiable references that I can look up at a courthouse or, at the very least, find at a reputable government site. I NEVER take some anonymous person's "word" at face value when it comes to the law.
I think that you're on the right track as to the type of scam it may be.. The same kind that send $4,995 "checks" to people to become "mystery shoppers". I'm sure you know the ones, they're all over the ROR right now, however, there's another possibility...
This could be a "legitimate" business all right.. Legitimate for a money laundering scam/operation. From what I understand, there are gouts of grifters in the U.K. It's be natural for them to look for an offshore "solution" for processing money and getting it back in country, all the while, setting up a foreign national to be the patsy and take the fall if everything suddenly goes south.
I think this is absolutely one of those situations where "if it sounds too good to be true, it is". I mean, Gods... If this operation was "for real", where the Hells do I sign up?? xD
Flynrider
Phoeix,#5Consumer Comment
Tue, August 11, 2009
This is an obvious scam. The reason you can't find a website is because there is no company and the scammers were too lazy to fabricate a fake website. The only thing worse than falling prey to a scammer is falling prey to a lazy scammer who can't even bother to do their job right. Here's how the scam works. They (not their imaginary customers) will send you large bogus checks. You will turn around and send them 90% of the value of those checks in real cash. You'll do it via Western Union because money sent that way is untraceable. The hallmark of the Internet scam is that the victim must send Western Union wires or Moneygrams to people who they don't know personally. When the check is finally determined to be bogus (usually a week to 10 days), the your bank will come after you to make good on the amount. Sound like a great "business opportunity" to you? I can guarantee you that it is for the scammers.