Houston MLM Schemes—How can I tell if I am applying for an MLM Recruitment scam?

Hello Houston!

Hope you've all been well and enjoying your afternoon!

Today's post is a little different. Im not gonna be dissecting a scam center, this is more informational.

The reason this post is a liiiiittle different is the past 2-3 weeks I've had the HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE REACHING OUT to tell me they've been employed by or been to interviews with these scam centers and that they have an uneasy feeling about what they are involved with and want clarification on being able to identify these places. Your gut talks to you for a reason folks!

So today's post

HOW CAN I TELL IF IM APPLYING FOR AN MLM SCHEME OR NOT?

Im going to divide this into 3 parts; Job application, Interview, Post-Interview.

1) The Job Application:

If you pay any attention to these "marketing", "Events coordinator", "Entry level marketing" job postings, you will notice a pattern appearing in a few of them. As of recently, a lot of these pseudo-businesses have started to hide their names just so people will submit their resume, giving them a reason to call back to try to set up an interview. Here are the red flags, words, and patterns to look out for, REMINDER: THESE PEOPLE PREY ON THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE, RECENT GRADUATES, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE DESPERATE FOR A JOB, I KINDLY ASK THAT YOU DON'T JUDGE THOSE WHO FALL FOR THESE SCAMS, IT COMES FROM NOT KNOWING. ANYONE CAN BE SCAMMED. ;

-Jobs are titled :Marketing Coordinator, Entry level marketing, Junior Marketing Coordinator, Events Marketing Specialist. ,Entry level Account Manager etc.

-Ambiguous language under the posts; "Working with World Class Non-profits", "Our Fortune 500 clients", "Drive client acquisitions in events (you will setup in front of stores and ask people for donations)"," Face to Face client acquisitions through marketing initiatives (you're going to go door to door)"

– They will be looking for; Student Mentality, Willingness to go above and beyond, "Team Player", Positive Attitude, Go through the Management Training Program (HUGE RED FLAG, pretty much a guarantee that its a scam center)

-They will be very ambiguous about what they do, it will be a bunch of words without saying any of the responsibilities. Here is a job post with real responsibilities. You know exactly what you will be doing and how you will be doing it. Looks solid right? A real marketing job with marketing responsibilities. Now compare it with a scam center job responsibilities . You get the idea.

-Their Website: A redditor once commented on one of my posts : I'll add my 2 cents for anyone who wants additional "warning signs" to help them avoid wasting time while they job hunt:

A company's website exists for 1 primary reason – advertising their services to potential customers so they can make sales.

When you look at "Third Coast Events" – they make ZERO efforts to sell their "marketing and sales" services to anyone. They do however make A LOT of effort to promote why you should work there.

Why? Because scams like this are profitable by sucking in as many people as they can. A legitimate business will use that valuable home page to sell their business to customers, not for recruitment. That stuff will be buried under "About Us" or "Careers" sections.

The sole purpose of a business' website is to be a storefront for the products. The services offered and the business' products are clearly labeled, and stated. If you pay attention to these scam business' websites, you will see that everything is geared toward enticing a potential applicant to join them. Here is an example from a scam center website, notice the language and how nothing is listed, except "why you should join us" Here is another one It may feel like they are saying what they do, but there is nothing concrete. Besides Face-to-Face which means you will have to go up to people.

​

Let's say you didn't know any better and applied to one of these jobs. They get back to you the same day or the day after you reply. Wow! Crazy how easy it was! They call you over for an interview, they tell you to dress in business attire and bring a copy of your resume.

​

2) The Interview:

The first thing you will notice is the bare bones office. There's a printer room, and some games around. No chairs. There is music playing. They will usually book interviews for 3-4 people back to back, to give the illusion that this is some kind of highly desired job. And everyone is being very smiling, positive, and friendly…almost too positive. Your interviewer pulls you into an office and you guys start going over your resume:

-They will ask you questions that are clearly stated on your resume.

-They will tell you that they work with Fortune 500 clients, big companies, etc.

-Then they will show you the pyramid (it wont be called that but its a step by step of the MANAGEMENT TRAINING PROGRAM) and they will tell you all the crazy money you will earn by owning your own business and building your team and HOW THEY WILL TEACH YOU. There is no management training program…You'll be groomed into becoming an "owner" for one of these DevilCorp Companies (Cydcor, Credico, Smart Circle, Cobra Group, etc.)

-This is when they will explain you the Pyramid The Social Enterprise Inc. Scam center actually lists the pyramid out in their website.

-Any questions you ask will be met with ambiguous answers. Especially regarding compensation.

-They will end the interview by scheduling a second round interview which will go more in-depth with another (usually a higher up) scam center member, or sometimes "the owner".

-If you can breathe, have two legs, and a working car you're pretty much hired.

It's here that i'd like to point out THE ENTIRE INTERVIEW PROCESS IS SCRIPTED FOR THEM. THEY LEARN HOW TO INTERVIEW AND PLAY ON PEOPLES WANTS WHEN THEY BECOME A SR. ACCOUNT MANAGER. So no matter what answers you give, they are following a script. And this script is cleaned and perfected so those who don't have experience do not notice anything odd, but those who have any real work experience can tell is a joke.

Let's say you still didn't see the red flags…Don't worry, I didn't either at one point, and ended up wasting 3 months of my life. So you decide to take the job and go in for your first day, YAY.

​

3)Post- Interview:

First thing you will notice on your first day is after you fill your paperwork, they ask you how you want to be paid….You have two options 1) full commission (this is sold as you earn what you are worth), 2) a fix amount if you hit a certain amount of sales in one week. (For example $500 if you get 4 successful sales).

Then you go into the "Atmosphere Room", there are no chairs. There is music blasting.

-They chant, and scream in excitement.

-They have phrases that they repeat.

-They will talk about "High Rollers", "Business Trips" and "The Owner" will come in and give some passionate speech about their rags to riches, or stickin it to the man stories to hype the new ones up, and how this business is better than those "9-5 shmucks" before sending them out to "The field" for their first day.

-You will be assigned a "Team Leader" who will be your teacher. You are encouraged to spend as much time with them as possible to learn as much as possible. In a way its smart indoctrination.

-You will be given a small booklet with things such as "Law of Averages", " Jones Effect" ETC. and you are told to study, study, study, there is a test coming!

This cult-like environment can change those who don't know into believing they are doing something good and noble and not wasting their time on a "regular job"…But they don't know that those regular jobs will bring more stability into their lives than any scam center can…It comes from a place of ignorance….

Here is the brilliant devilcorp website that explains all of this step by step.

And the slave circle documentary that saved so many people, and continues to do so.

So good people of Houston. Please please and pretty please, Reach out to friends, family, loved ones, those who know someone in this business, and inform them. The only way to get on top of these scam centers that operate within the Gray Zone of the law is through education and information.

Share this with those who need it.

As always, thank you for your support, and thanks for reading!