Complaint Review: Odyssey Marketing - Middlesbrough Nationwide

Makes it all worth it! Give the new address if the one I gave is now outdated. Regards, Luke (now of LSE; once of Cr*ppeddlars of Newcastle Upon Tyne)

I went for a job interview for this place today. The sign outside says Odyssey Marketing, but i got in and it was called Karma Marketing, and i have heard several names since! I passed the first interview, and then came back for an observation day today, where once again i passed, and was offered the job to start tomorrow. However then i started to think about a few things. I didnt show them any identification, no National Insurance Number, bank details, or sign a contract. I was just about to phone my old job and tell them i was quitting, when i thought i better check this all out. Low and behold, i found LOADS of websites showing what this place is! You are self employed so if anything goes wrong, you're in the s**t! And i was told a managerial job was assured after 12 months, and the manager i was speaking to says he earned around 90k last year. In that case why did i have a better haircut and suit than him?! If you have a job interview is located above a pizza ship in Middlesbrough, turn away, go to Garlands if you have to, they don't rip you off at least! And so people know, Im Danny Kossick, im 17, live in Middlesbrough, and if it wasnt for this website i was about to hand in my notice at my old job, and start at Karma/Oddsseyy (whatever) tomorrow. Thank god i havn't cocked my life up.

Dear Charlotte I was just looking at some of my old Anti - DS MAX '' campaign emails '' and your message came up. '' Bitter '', twisted failure that I am I am now finishing my first year studying Politics & History at The London School of Economics. It is the Mecca for social sciences study and the first meaningful thing I've achieved since winning my place at Cambridge (a few more years ago than I'd like to admit). Getting here was my stated goal when I wrote those emails about two and a half years ago, as you'll have read. Having gambled with the greatest thing that i had ever achieved (and lost) DS Max nearly killed me. I trust that by now you'll long ago have seen through the bull and reconstructed your life. I hope you didn't get into trouble with HM R&C or get alienated from your family, like I did. I well recall doggedly defending my actions for years whilst I sank further & further into the mire. I'd be interested to know how you got out, and in what sort of condition. Regards, Luke Formerly of IPG Imports- Newcastle Upon Tyne.

The reason that this business can function the way it does, is because there are so many people like you. If there weren't people like you, it would make people like me's life a lot harder. The reason that only 1 in 1000 people make it to ownership is because the other 999 quit. If you can stick to the business, you WILL make it. You need a positive attitude, some faith in the system and in your own abilities, and a load of motivation to keep you going. I've been in the business for 3 months and a half, and Ive just opened up my own office in Moncton, New Brunswick. You guys can say all you want, but they system DID work for me. To address all your complaints, THIS IS NOT A JOB. It's a business opportunity. If you can't run your own business without the help of Innovage, chances are you can't run it WITH the help of Innovage. It just makes people like me's life a lot easier. I didn't have to pay ANYTHING to get my own office started, and I'm steadily making between 1000-1400 Canadian dollars a day in profit, and I've only been running for 2 weeks. I have a crew of 20 people who come to work every day in the morning, are highly motivated, and take home atleast 120 dollars EVERY DAY. It's my goal to expand, and my purpose to make sure EVERY SINGLE ONE of my distributors makes it to ownership, given that they're motivated and goal oriented. I won't cut corners for anyone, but I will do everything in my power to make their goals attainable. I fail to see how hernia, spinal injury, an Inland Revenue tax bust, rape, murder, treason would be CAUSED by this job, unless you think lifting 1kg boxes are going to cause spinal injury? So can opening my fridge door. Unless these things are actually caused by the job, I fail to see why I should be held accountable for them? However, if one of my distributors DOES suffer some kind of harm from doing their job, you better be d**n sure I will support them in every way possible, get them back on their feet, and make sure that the risk of a future injury of the same nature is minimized if not eliminated. The way I see it, everyone here complaining has FAILED in the business, and is merely bitter. If you're going to blame the system for your OWN failures and your OWN mistakes, then believe me, you'll fail in life too. Have a good day.

I've informed the I.R as to the nationwide nature of the company and how to spot it: big blue ''PRO SALES DIRECT'' bags, five and eight steps, etec etc etc. Ive also reffered them to the 'DS MAX THE AFTERMATH' website which may even have the address of whatever office you are in. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs have a knack for getting what their after. So, I'd get out now if I were you and start reconstructing your life. If you can progress to any level at all in DS Max you can get what your worth in a proper sales job. Why do you think they offer us guys jobs 3 times a week on the field. If you do have ''what it takes'' you can get it elsewhere. The Company feeds deceptions instead of paying the going rate, which, let's face it would be 10- 15 an hour otherwise.

I've informed the I.R as to the nationwide nature of the company and how to spot it: big blue ''PRO SALES DIRECT'' bags, five and eight steps, etec etc etc. Ive also reffered them to the 'DS MAX THE AFTERMATH' website which may even have the address of whatever office you are in. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs have a knack for getting what their after. So, I'd get out now if I were you and start reconstructing your life. If you can progress to any level at all in DS Max you can get what your worth in a proper sales job. Why do you think they offer us guys jobs 3 times a week on the field. If you do have ''what it takes'' you can get it elsewhere. The Company feeds deceptions instead of paying the going rate, which, let's face it would be 10- 15 an hour otherwise.

I've informed the I.R as to the nationwide nature of the company and how to spot it: big blue ''PRO SALES DIRECT'' bags, five and eight steps, etec etc etc. Ive also reffered them to the 'DS MAX THE AFTERMATH' website which may even have the address of whatever office you are in. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs have a knack for getting what their after. So, I'd get out now if I were you and start reconstructing your life. If you can progress to any level at all in DS Max you can get what your worth in a proper sales job. Why do you think they offer us guys jobs 3 times a week on the field. If you do have ''what it takes'' you can get it elsewhere. The Company feeds deceptions instead of paying the going rate, which, let's face it would be 10- 15 an hour otherwise.

I've informed the I.R as to the nationwide nature of the company and how to spot it: big blue ''PRO SALES DIRECT'' bags, five and eight steps, etec etc etc. Ive also reffered them to the 'DS MAX THE AFTERMATH' website which may even have the address of whatever office you are in. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs have a knack for getting what their after. So, I'd get out now if I were you and start reconstructing your life. If you can progress to any level at all in DS Max you can get what your worth in a proper sales job. Why do you think they offer us guys jobs 3 times a week on the field. If you do have ''what it takes'' you can get it elsewhere. The Company feeds deceptions instead of paying the going rate, which, let's face it would be 10- 15 an hour otherwise.

Dear Charlotte, The central myth is that you are ever running your ''own bussiness''. You are an 'independent contractor' which means that you can be disowned at any time at all for any reason, or no reason at all. Also that the company doesn't have to pay you the legal minimum wage, for holidays, or if you are ill. What is more,if, let's say you hurt someone whilst out on the field the person would have no claim against the company, but ever claim against you. They can order you around and profit from you but are accountable to no one coz you are, in legal terms, not an employee. I got a hernia from lugging around their chinese, er, stuff , but had no claim as I was an 'independent contractor'. If you are robbed, beaten, killed, raped, injured, you name it, whilst on the field, you will still have no claim against them. They can still order you about like you were an employee though, as long as you believe their ''opportunity'' fairy tale. It is immoral to make profits and exercise power, as they do, without being legally accountable. DS MAX/ W.W.Whatever it is called these days will fill your head full of bull and do you over. You get isolated from your friends and family, work all hours for less than the legal minimum wage, get poorer and poorer by the week,ruin your C.V and live in constant fear of the taxman, but you'll probably carry on like an addicted gambler because you believe that the assistant management pot of gold will be yours '' in about six months time. '' Always the same six months! Your increasing desperation will drive you on as this fairy tale will be all you'll have to drive you on, like the addicted gambler who is 1000 down but sure that the next roll of the dice will fix everything. And in any case you won't want to admit to your boyfriend/ family/ whoever that they were right and you were wrong. So you'll lose your credit rating, family, partner, and you won't even be able to get an employment reference at the end of it all. When I joined I was about three month's short of going to Pembroke College, Cambridge to study Social and Political Sciences. Several years later I left with a hernia and a 5,000 tax bill.I was that 'addicted gambler'. I am now retaking my A levels and aiming to go to The London School of Economics. I used to work with Wian Serfontein and Brendon Clive in Newcastle. Think I'm an unambitious 'loser' if you want but that is irrelevant to the question of whether the Company is remotely ethical. Even if you are so much better than me your odds of getting into 'ownership' are about one in 1000 and even if you do they can disown you just the same at any time. That is why you hear success story names being touted only for them to quietly slip of the radar within a year. Your chances of getting the things they talk about() are more like 1: 10,000. Those precious few that do get to Vice Presidency do so by filling heads full of destructive rubbish that ruins lives. They are no better than cocaine dealers. You will do yourself a lot of damage in the pursuit of their fairy tale. If you think that I'm just saying this coz I've no balls bear this in mind. Last year I shopped the company at 39 Wilson Street to the Inland Revenue telling them to go back on a regular basis coz they'd always find 10- 20 people paying ''no tax at all.'' Was I doing over my 'own kind' or doing to them what I wish had been done to me on my second day? This is an evil bussiness get out or I guarentee you will bitterly regret it eventually, with or without a tax bust. Best Wishes, Luke

Dear Charlotte, The central myth is that you are ever running your ''own bussiness''. You are an 'independent contractor' which means that you can be disowned at any time at all for any reason, or no reason at all. Also that the company doesn't have to pay you the legal minimum wage, for holidays, or if you are ill. What is more,if, let's say you hurt someone whilst out on the field the person would have no claim against the company, but ever claim against you. They can order you around and profit from you but are accountable to no one coz you are, in legal terms, not an employee. I got a hernia from lugging around their chinese crap, but had no claim as I was an 'independent contractor'. If you are robbed, beaten, killed, raped, injured, you name it, whilst on the field, you will still have no claim against them. They can still order you about like you were an employee though, as long as you believe their ''opportunity'' fairy tale. It is immoral to make profits and exercise power, as they do, without being legally accountable. DS MAX/ W.W.Whatever it is called these days will fill your head full of bull and f### you over. You get isolated from your friends and family, work all hours for less than the legal minimum wage, get poorer and poorer by the week and f**k up your C.V and live in constant fear of the taxman, but you'll probably carry on like an addicted gambler because you believe that the assistant management pot of gold will be yours '' in about six months time. '' Always the same six months! Your increasing desperation will drive you on as this fairy tale will be all you'll have to drive you on, like the addicted gambler who is 1000 down but sure that the next roll of the dice will fix everything. And in any case you won't want to admit to your boyfriend/ family/ whoever that they were right and you were wrong. So you'll lose your credit rating, family, partner, and you won't even be able to get an employment reference at the end of it all. When I joined I was about three month's short of going to Pembroke College, Cambridge to study Social and Political Sciences. Several years later I left with a hernia and a 5,000 tax bill.I was that 'addicted gambler'. I am now retaking my A levels and aiming to go to The London School of Economics. I used to work with Wian Serfontein and Brendon Clive in Newcastle. Think I'm an unambitious 'loser' if you want but that is irrelevant to the question of whether the Company is remotely ethical. Even if you are so much better than me your odds of getting into 'ownership' are about one in 1000 and even if you do they can disown you just the same at any time. That is why you hear success story names being touted only for them to quietly slip of the radar within a year. Your chances of getting the things they talk about() are more like 1: 10,000. Those precious few that do get to Vice Presidency do so by filling heads full of destructive rubbish that ruins lives. They are no better than cocaine dealers. You will do yourself a lot of damage in the pursuit of their fairy tale. If you think that I'm just saying this coz I've no balls bear this in mind. Last year I shopped the company at 39 Wilson Street to the Inland Revenue telling them to go back on a regular basis coz they'd always find 10- 20 people paying ''no tax at all.'' Was I f###ing over my 'own kind' or doing to them what I wish had been done to me on my second day? This is an evil bussiness get out or I guarentee you will bitterly regret it eventually, with or without a tax bust. Best Wishes, Luke

Charlotte, I'm curious to find out how long have you been with cobra. You are saying that you've already progressed in the company. What is it that you do now? Also, do us all a favor - log on this website every now and then and keep us all posted on your progress.

im an employee of cobra in a branch in Britain. i think this report is a biast attack by someone who could'nt hack the pace, ive already progressed within the company by working hard. i will progress further because i have the right mentality to stick the hours and its the best job ive ever done. its also the most positive ive been in years maybe if you had the right attitude you would have progressed further.

Don't touch it with abarge pole!!!! Best Wishes

Hi I have just been for an interview with this company. I was a little bit suspicious so I googled their name. I came up with no websites but a link to the rip-off report. I can only back up what has ben said. They do not tell you what they do, they don't even have any brand names or company name on thier offices (just off old street in central london). The old maxim applies "if it sounds to good to be true then it probably is". Who could ever hope to be a manager of a company within 6 months? It is pure rubbish. Definitely stay away. They were interviewing lots of people and probably trying to whittle it down to the more desperate or gullible. I can imagine the attrition rate is really high.