CLASSIFIED INFO : Sometimes Truth in Advertising Means Scam, Scram, Thank You, Ma’am
God,” my friend Pam cried, “I’ve sent out a hundred resumes. And nobody calls back.” She was ripe for the con, and there was one waiting for her in the want ads.
On the promise that she would be groomed as an assistant director, Pam was suckered into working the phones for a film company on Melrose. She labored happily, content with her sub-minimum wage because her renegade bosses weren’t bothering with unemployment insurance or “all that official crap.” And she had no qualms about running a little con herself. She could cover her household overhead by “double dipping,” collecting her stipend from the state while not reporting her earnings.
In less than three months, Pam was out of work again, deeper in debt, owed money but afraid to collect it, afraid the state might find out she’d been naughty.
During recessions, those desperately seeking work are easy targets for those desperately seeking a fast buck. Occasionally, the bait is a top-dollar offer for entry-level, white- or pink-collar positions. There’s always a number to call for an interview. None of that anonymous “send-in-your-resume” business. You’ll always get the chance to sell yourself. Or be sold.
Once in the office, you’ll be hired, though the salary may not be quite what you expected. You’ve been discovered by a new and/or growing opportunity to get in on the ground floor. Lucky you.
Another friend, Ralph, also fell victim to a want-ads scam. “She’s so sincere!” he said, describing his new boss as hard-working and dedicated. He nearly cried as he repeated her tragic tale of losing two brothers to AIDS, devoting her life to finding a cure. When she offered Ralph his choice between telephone soliciting or working out in the field to raise money for the cause, he chose the latter.
“Forget it,” I said. “It’s bogus.”
“How do you know?”
“I smell it. Instinct.”
But Ralph couldn’t wait to make it happen for the American Society for AIDS Prevention (A.S.A.P.). Ralph loved the acronym, thought it was clever. Plus, A.S.A.P. was in the same Hollywood building as a glitzy AIDS group noted for its celebrity supporters. A.S.A.P. promised business cards ASAP, his name embossed in bold.
Ralph showed off the group’s brochure, impressive right down to the Social Services Department information card with the seal of the City of Los Angeles in the corner. “Dear Donor,” the pitch went, “The epidemic has spread so rapidly . . . A.S.A.P. has accepted the awesome task of creating a strong, preventive environment . . . the American public must take a stand.”
Ralph was hooked for $6 an hour, plus commission. Amazingly, his territory was the whole of L.A. Instead of being suspicious, he was ecstatic.
Within 10 days, Ralph’s first paycheck bounced. Ralph confronted his boss, but she convinced him that she’d been victimized by another employee who’d stolen from the account. Ralph called the bank, and it confirmed that there was a problem. When he redeposited the check a few days later, it cleared.
Despite strong doubts, Ralph continued with A.S.A.P., believing someone dying of AIDS would benefit. He worked from 10 to 6 until the day his distraught supervisor confided that he, himself, had not been paid for weeks and was being consumed by debt.
Ralph immediately checked with the state to see if the A.S.A.P. corporation number was legitimate. It was. He went down the list of directors and governors, locating as many as he could. He asked them about A.S.A.P. They’d never heard of it. A further check revealed there were only two directors: his boss and her assistant. Ralph called his supervisor and gave him the bad news.
Ralph quit that day. He fumed for a couple of weeks, then decided that he should “get those guys” by going to the authorities. By then, A.S.A.P. had closed its doors and relocated, setting up a new operation in a new office on another floor in the same building.
But not for long. The city attorney’s office filed charges of theft and misrepresentation against A.S.A.P. last month. Ad bandits, beware.
