Got Ripped Off by Dr. Lim!

Writing about my experience of “almost got scammed” reminded me of another time in my life where I really got scammed! This happened earlier than my Spanish Lottery Experience, when I was still a novice with online jobs.

While searching thru for online jobs, I came across an ad looking for as usual “data entry operators”. I replied to the ad and I was directed to the head of the company Dr. Lim. He is based in Malaysia and is a “doctor”.  To my credit I did call him and was able to talk to him several times. He even gave me his full name and the name of the bank where he is a “big” client. I looked for the bank’s website and called up their number. True enough the person answering it told me that yes, Dr. Lim is a client of theirs.

So to show that I am serious and earnest in my quest to work online, I was asked to pay $100.00 which Dr. Lim assured me I will earn back quickly.  After paying the money, I received an email saying my work is to post ads online promoting the company, promoting Dr. Lim’s business and promoting the same ad that enticed me to join the company. What a crap! That will mean that I will be deceiving people into joining the network with no actual job but just to post the same ads! I was even given the email address of my supposedly “head”. I emailed the head but got no reply. After that, there wasn’t even a weekly, monthly or even yearly newsletter, or a courtesy email asking how I am doing with the “job” or even an e-christmas card!

And up to this date, I have yet to hear from them .

Almost Got Scammed!

I was browsing thru technorati doing my research when I came across a blog posting about money scam. This reminded me of the one I almost got done in .

Three years ago, I received an email from a “Spanish Lottery Company”. It says that I won in their lottery. I emailed back saying that I didn’t buy any lottery ticket. But they replied that this lottery is a special promo and no tickets are purchased. The winners are picked randomly via email addresses. Well I have to admin the I do surf a lot and I do sign up in a lot of websites due to the nature of my work and it is possible that they got my email address from some of these website. Well whatever, the $$$$ was huge.

I asked for their phone number, and they gave me the phone number of the contact person of the “lottery company”, they also gave me the phone number of the “bank personnel” to submit my bank info, plus they gave me the phone number of the head of the “lottery ticket company” to see if he can help because I told them I do not have the money for the processing fee. I called all of the number and was able to speak to several people. The funniest conversation I had was with the “head of the releasing”, he told me that he is going to help me get my winnings if I would send the money for the processing. I told him I do not have that kind of money, and he says ok, he will lower down the payment for the processing fee but I have to promise once I get the money, I will send him back the remaining balance. This is really a “too good to be true deal”.

So I did a little online investigation, as I said in my previous post, “If something is too good to be true, then it is not true”. I checked all the phone numbers in one of those sites wherein you can check via area code. It turned out that all phone numbers are mobile numbers. Hey, if it’s a bank or a lottery ticket company, I am sure they have landlines so how come I was given only mobile phone numbers? I then checked the so called name of the lottery company and sure it is one of the biggest lottery company in Spain. BUT wait, it says in their website that you have to purchase a lottery ticket in order to win, and I do not have any lottery ticket at all.

In short, I figured out this is another one of those scams. Sure I was able to spend for long distance call to Spain, but hey it’s nothing compared to the money I would have lost if I believed their scam.

One Unprofessional Company Ripped Me Off!

I had one research project in April. The client was a returning client, I had done a previous research project for him last December and he paid me although the payment was a little late.

This April, the project was another research. It required to me search for real estate agents, real estate companies and property management companies, I was to compile all the email address I can find and create labels for the mailing address. After that, I was to email all the agents and companies with an advertising photo of the said company, note, I was to BCC one of his staff for all emails I sent. Then I was to create labels using MS Word all the mailing address. This way, the company can just print out the labels, cut it and paste it on their company’s post cards and sent it to the real estate agents and companies. In short, this is one of their way of advertising and promoting their company.

I did all that and submitted close to 600 mailing address. I even submitted to him the whole excel file I have which contains information like Names, Mailing Addresses and Email accounts of my research. Now comes payment time, I emailed the worked invoice, I called him up to inquire about my payment. He kept saying he will talk to his staff to send the payment. Three weeks have past and no payment yet. I called again, and he said, ok, you will have your payment at the end of the day.

Another week had past, which makes a grand total of 4 weeks and no payment still. So I called again, this time he is singing a different tune. He voiced out lots of complaints and even worse accused me of being unprofessional! Unprofessional!!! What a harsh accusation! Considering that we are working virtually, I believe I have been very professional! Or else, why did he asked me to work on a short term project with him again?? I didn’t even ask for a down payment, I submitted everything on time and I did everything according to his instructions. I think he is the one who is unprofessional! Let me explain my case:

Since first week of the project, I had BCC his staff for every email I sent out, if there was a problem with the emails, why didn’t they call my attention immediately? They were supposed to check all the emails I sent out every day. This means they had been negligent in this aspect, which means they didn’t check the emails I sent or it could be there was nothing wrong with the emails. If there was a problem with the labels I created, then why didn’t they call my attention on that too? I sent him the labels in batches every week. I did almost 600 labels, emailed almost 500 agents and companies, but I didn’t hear any complaints until one month after the research has been completed! I believe that he is the Unprofessional one here and not me! It was his duty to check from the very beginning the works that I was doing and to see if everything had been done to his satisfaction. Am I a mind reader to know exactly what he has in mind? The complaint should be at the start of the project and not after the project has been completed. Besides, he has my phone number, and he was able to call me several times before, so why didn’t he call to explain to me my misunderstanding of the project?

He cannot accuse me of overcharging him either, the total payment for the one month project was only $165.00, not $1,650.00.

It’s really funny because in the first place, I wasn’t even keen on accepting the project. I dislike working for him because I find it hard to understand him when he speaks because of his Turkish accent. So after our talk, I always email him a recap of our talk just to make sure I understood him. Because he was really impatient to have this project started, I had to put on hold one of my project to accomodate him, and this is the just result I got.

Because I am virtually professional and I adhere to my virtualistic principles, I am not going to name him or his company in my blog. He is stupid! I can easily destroy him and his company. I have the whole list of people I emailed to in behalf of his company. I can take this post and sent it to all of them and let’s see how his business is going to fare with this issue. But because I am virtualistically stupid, I am not going to do that. I did the project in good faith, it is he and not me who has violated our virtual contract.

Is this a ripped off or what? You tell me.

Be careful with Work at Home ads…

Just like every mom who wants to work online, I started out being enthusiastic with every Work at Home ads I found. Well, I was new to the field and thus gullible. Needless to say, I was scammed thrice, thank God only thrice because I know of some people who were scammed a lot of times.

One company was Soho, based in Malaysia. I even called up the company in Malaysia and was able to talk to the owner Dr. Lim. I paid $100.00 as earnest money, well, what they gave me was a couple of ads to post that includes the ad that found me. I was given a name of my manager, but then I have never heard from my manager even once to say hi and welcome aboard or something.

The other company was Clerical Gear, which had quite a number of ad typists. I paid almost $60.00 for the job. What I found confusing was that the ads they gave us to enter into websites are ads still looking for typists. At first, the members were enthusiastic about the company since they were able to get payment. But later on, when a lot of ad typists were added, they pay was slow in coming in until it reached a point wherein the whole thing was shut down. A lot of the typists weren’t paid in the end. Up till today I cannot figure out how companies like this earns money. They give you a couple of ads to post. The ads are basically with the same thoughts, but different lines. It invites people to join as ad typist, but once you join, you will discover that you are posting the same ads. It is a scam!!!

Then there was Michelle’s work at home services. This one, I can say I was really stupid. I have read a lot of complaints about this company and the unethical way they went around with their business practice. But then I chose to trust the person who recruited me. Like me, she was a work at home mom. She said that she had received real work like typing for companies and she had been paid too. So I thought that I would go and trust somebody with first hand experience. In fairness to my recruiter, she was really given work and she was also paid. But after several assignments, there wasn’t any assignments anymore and the last paycheck wasn’t even delivered.

So I read and read and read and learn. Real online jobs from real company doesn’t ask you to pay anything!!…This is something every person who wants to work online must know. If a company asks you to pay for a certain work, then forget it!! I have worked for more than 6 companies already, all contractual and NONE of them ask me to pay anything!!! Instead I get paid for all the work I have done.

So to anyone who is interested to work online, read first before you jump. Read about the reviews on the company. Just type in google box the name of the company and you will find a list of related articles or topics regarding the company. Two years ago, the most popular site was perfectjustice or something along that line. Later on, because of lacked of support and finance I guess, the website was shut down. But now I know there are lots of websites with reviews or posted complaints, therefore if you get scammed, it is not out of ignorance but laziness.

Beware of ads that says, you can earn $300-500 per week; how much you earn depends on you; no experience necessary ( most employers want an experienced employee, they don’t want to waste so much time teaching you elementary things except for the company’s rules and regulations ); high school graduates ( most of these legitimate companies require college graduates although there are some that is ok with high school graduates if the work is very simple ), most specially when you reply to an ad and receive notifications that you have to pay a certain fee, then forget it. Remember, you don’t have to pay to get work. There are lot of companies that is looking for a virtual worker to do various stuff and they are not asking for anything except diligence, minimal supervision and quality work. Also, be careful with companies that are commission based. There are a lot of complications involved, unless of course you know the company personally or it is a reputable company.

One thing anyone looking for an online job should remember: If something is too good to be true, then it is too good to be true.