job posting scams
April 19th, 2005
Job boards are increasingly becoming a playground for scam artists to prey on desperate job seekers.
A recent story about a girl who responded to a modeling agency posting on Monster and HotJobs showed up on the wire.
Basically, the girl gave a bunch of money to an agency that promised fame and fortune to the tune of $1,800.
Kudos to Monster and HotJobs for pulling all 1,200 ads from this operation from their Web sites. However, this story does underscore the growing distrust job seekers must have against job sites in favor of going directly to a known employer’s Web site.
If memory serves me right, about a year ago, Monster served as the middleman for a similar scam that got job seekers to reveal their social security numbers to identity thieves.
No question scams will always exist, but job sites will have to keep a well-oiled policing system in place to make sure they don’t get burned beyond repair in the future and really risk their livelihood.
May 16th, 2005 at 10:27 am
Yesterday, a “recruiter” from a company called Grey Marketing (not to be confused with Grey Direct Marketing) e-mailed me about an Assistant Financial Analyst position. I quickly realized that this “opportunity” had all the warning signs of a scam operation. Specifically:
- No phone # was listed on the company’s website (www.greymarketingteam.com).
- None of the posted job opportunities specified a location.
- There were no principal executive names listed on the website.
- The online application offered the option of free information about educational opportunities (typically, a big red flag).
- A specific starting salary was provided in the initial e-mail.
- The web content was full of grammar and punctuation errors.
- A Google search on the company returned no results.
I have no way of verifying whether this is a scam, but I thought I’d share this information in case anyone else has come across the same thing. Here is the full body of the e-mail:
Dear Confidential,
I have recently viewed your resume online and feel you may be qualified for our
Financial Analyst position. We are Grey Marketing Team, a national management
and marketing firm. We assist companies in maximizing their marketing dollars
by developing advertising, sales, and marketing campaigns.
We are currently seeking an Assistant Financial Analyst to help our Senior
Marketing staff evaluate proposals for our clients. An Assistant Financial
Analyst’s responsibilities would include the following:
Evaluating results of ongoing media campaigns
Analyzing profitability of proposals
Generating Client’s potential profitability
This position offers direct hands on experience working with clients. We offer
the following:
Starting Salary of $59,750
Quarterly and annual bonuses
Top benefits package including medical, dental, 401k, tuition re-imbursement,
paid vacation and holidays, and paid holidays
Rapid advancement opportunities
The person we are seeking must fit the following description of the five
“B’sâ€
Be a self starter
Be motivated to succeed
Be willing to travel occasionally
Be a team player
Be willing to learn and educate himself or herself
If you feel this position is for you please apply online at:
www.greymarketingteam.com
Go to the “employment†section
Select the “Assistant Financial Analyst†position
Fill out the application.
Once you have filled out the application completely I will contact you for an
interview.
Vonda Dixon
Director
Human Resources
Grey Marketing Team
May 28th, 2005 at 2:41 pm
I just received an email three days ago from Grey Marketing Team exactly like the one shown above. Except this was for an administrative assistant.
I was able to find their website doing a Google search.
I went to the site, filled out the application, and turned down the offers for the “educational opportunities”, then sent a return email to the Monster.com email address. Interesting to note that when I clicked on reply to respond to the email, the return email address for the human resources recruiter, Jeff Deery was wcraven@greymarketingteam.com. I don’t know why, but it was at this point that I began to be suspcious.
Grey Marketing Team is not publicly traded. I could find no address or phone number for this company, not even on their own website. Jeff Deery does not appear to exist. I am currently doing a check to see which companies actually do the marketing for their so-called “clients” such as McDonald’s.
May 28th, 2005 at 8:19 pm
I go the same message (but for a senior mktg position) and the red flag went up when I saw their company “openings” included several C-officer and VP positions. Plus, as stated before, no phone or names listed on the website, and a zero-return on a Google search. Looks like their collecting info and brokering it.
May 29th, 2005 at 12:56 pm
Interested in CTO position.
May 29th, 2005 at 5:21 pm
I’ve conducted research into every aspect of Grey Marketing Team that I could only to conclude that they do not exist. I put all of my findings here: http://amiss.org/utterly/grey.html
May 30th, 2005 at 12:39 pm
what should i do if i’ve sent them info already?
May 31st, 2005 at 6:25 pm
Crap, I responded as well…..
May 31st, 2005 at 9:19 pm
I, too, got the email from this company. I shoulda known this was too good to be true. I’m not hurting for a job, per se, but anything to better myself and my family is all good, right?
I did the research others have done, like on scam.com. Come to find out the webmaster of this website is some white guy with a mullet outta Topeka, KS. Ain’t this guy got somethin’ better to do with his life other than gafflin’ folks and flooding us with spam and all that other crap? Damn! This just messed up my good vibe, yo…
Oh well, back to the grind. And to all the folks who’ve done their homework and came to the same conclusion I did, God bless.
Peace,
M_Woodberry
June 2nd, 2005 at 10:48 am
I got the same letter from the grey marketing team and I applied.. I should have thought about the sings but those 52 G’s they offered just blinded me. I just got a message from this other person that sd that they will “schedule” an interview in a couple of weeks, should I tell them I know about their scam? Should I just ignore everything? I figured that all they wanted was my personal info like phones and things so they can do telemarketing..blast !I feel stuppid. Thanx God I accidentaly found this posts..
June 2nd, 2005 at 7:32 pm
I did just like everyone else 78k to start was to hard let slip bye.
June 6th, 2005 at 1:46 am
same-same with me, Yuma, Arizona. This guy needs to find full time work and we need to junk his computer somewhere.
I automatically put his junk mail on my high-alert munch feeder software cruncher and moved on.
Just another werido out there.
June 9th, 2005 at 3:50 pm
I recieved the same offer only this time “Grey” was spelled “GRAY”. It is a scam. They don’t exist. If something sounds too good to be true….IT IS!!
June 13th, 2005 at 10:06 am
I, too, sent my resume to Grey, but I became suspicious (too late) and discovered that they were a scam. What do you think they would be doing with my information? They have my address, home phone, email address and work history……???
June 13th, 2005 at 4:03 pm
I was one of those victims by this so called company. They send me the same job opportunity within the Amarillo, TX area. The position was for an Adiminstrative Assistant. I declined the educational part and have not recieved a call or an e-mail from them again. I was dumb enough to believe this people and went to the web site and filled out an application for that position. I’m scared now, they have all of my information with my e-mail, home phone, and as well as my past work.What can I do to correct this?
June 16th, 2005 at 10:26 pm
God! I was not the only one who got the exactly same email!
June 21st, 2005 at 6:04 pm
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who dealt with this. Thanks for your post.
Oh and since getting the email from Grey Marketing, I’ve gotten identical emails from 2 other “companies”: www.corbinwatson.com and another one that unfortunately I’ve already deleted. The websites were all essentially the same, and the job application pages were identical, down to asking about higher education opportunities. Very disappointing.
June 27th, 2005 at 3:23 pm
Here is some info you may find useful:
Registrant:
Coastal Management
1050 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington DC, District of Columbia 20036
United States
Registered through: GoDaddy.com
Domain Name: KRAYTEAM.COM
Created on: 20-Jun-05
Expires on: 20-Jun-06
Last Updated on: 20-Jun-05
Administrative Contact:
Craven, William wcraven@greymarketingteam.com
Grey Marketing Team
100 Park Ave Ste 203
NY, New York 10017
United States
(571) 225-4309
Technical Contact:
Craven, William wcraven@greymarketingteam.com
Grey Marketing Team
100 Park Ave Ste 203
NY, New York 10017
United States
(571) 225-4309
Domain servers in listed order:
PARK9.SECURESERVER.NET
PARK10.SECURESERVER.NET
July 4th, 2005 at 4:36 am
I Puspanjali Behera searching for ajob in accounting,markating,management,banking,prodution or also in teaching job.
D/o Mr.GHONOSHYAM .A. BEHERA(Elec.MRSS)
Phone:(06811-257107)
Email: misspuspanajali@yahoo.co.in
OBJECTIVE
To pursue a career in a dynamic team-based environment that fosters creative thinking, responsibility and provides a challenging work atmosphere where I can utilize my artistic, marketing talents and academic knowledge and further strengthen my skills
ACADEMIC EDUCATION
• M.PHIL in commerce, Under Berhampur University(2004-2005)
Khallikote Autonomous College,Berhampur(GM.)
• M.COM (Master In Commerce), Under Berhampur University (2001-2003),(secured highest mark in M.COM,part-I)
• PGDCA (Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Application(2003-2004)
Under CT&T COMPUTER EDUCATION
T.R.P STREET CHATRAPUR,GANJAM-761020
• B COM (Bachelor of Commerce) Under Berampur university (1999-2001)
Chatrapur Science College, chatrapur, Orissa, India
• C H S E (+2) (Council of Higher secondary education) (1996-1998)
Chatrapur Science College, chatrapur, Orissa, India
• C B S E (10th) (Board of Secondary Education) (1996)
PROJECT DETAILS
Projects done under Indian Rare Earths Ltd.”Orissa Sand Complex”
1. PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF PRODUCTS IN INDIAN RARE EARTH LTD.( M.com)
2. LEADING POLICY OF STATE BANK OF INDIA :-a case study of SBI,I.R.E branch (M .PHIL IN COMMERCE)
.
ACADEMIC PROFICIENCY
Languages : C, C++, VB 6.0,and FoxPro
Operating Systems : DOS, Windows 98 and XP
Database : Oracle 8i,
Applications : Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Internet
EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
• Participated and has won prizes for various painting and drawing competitions.
• Has conducted seminars sponsored by u.g.c national workshop organized by dept.of commerce berhampur university.
• Active participation in group discussions and debates.
HOBBIES & OTHER INTEREST
• Reading
• Accessory making
• Travelling
• Communicate with the people
PERSONAL DETAILS
DATE OF BIRTH 23th april 1980
AGE 25 years
SEX Female
NATIONALITY Indian
MOTHER TONGUE Oriya
MARITAL STATUS Unmarried
LANGUAGES KNOWN English, Hindi, Oriya
PERMANENT ADDRESS Ghonoshyam.A. Behera(electrian.MRSS)
A.T:-IRE colony Qr/no:-A/91.
P.O:-Matikhalo,Chatrapur
Ganjam,Orissa
PIN CODE:-761045
REFERENCES
1. Dr. Kishore .C.Raut(Prof. Of Com.)
Department of Commerce
Berhampur university,
Berhampur-760007
2. Dr.Chittranjan Mahapatro(Reader of Com)
Khalikote Junior College
Berhampur-(Gm)
I, hereby declare that the above statements and information given are true to the best of my knowledge.
(Miss.Puspanjali Behera)
July 5th, 2005 at 12:03 pm
This is horrible. I have responded to all three e-mails. One from corbinwatson.com, one from palmeremployment.com, and one from omnigrouponline. At first, I thought that the company was undergoing changes or partnering with another company, thus the name change. Then I was contacted by palmer employment and thought that the company preferred to work with a staffing agency. Fool me once, shame on you…..Fool me twice, shame on me. Please keep an eye out for these names. They seem to be the same company. I just wish that there was some way of getting immediate justice for what they are doing to job seekers.
July 22nd, 2005 at 1:04 pm
I too have been scammed.I received an email stating they were looking at my online resume.SO please advise if there is anything I can do
September 27th, 2005 at 11:36 am
Hello. I have received similar proposition for job from Jeff Relston. I did not know about scams from Monster.com and as a result I filled my name, address and telephones. Is any danger for my accounts or to my credit from this posting? I did not post any SS# or account number on it. Give me advice. Thank for help. Oleg
September 28th, 2005 at 6:04 pm
Oleg, read about this on
http://cheesman.typepad.com/seo/2005/06/grey_marketing_.html
and
http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?t=5781
November 3rd, 2005 at 4:25 pm
What happened to Buyer beware??? There has been scams as far back as the door-to-door salesman. Yes, we need more vigilence, but as a discrete community of Users we have more impact on ridding the Net from this trash. I have used the Internet somewhat successfully since 1993, and I find that with research (check directories), searching publisher data (see bottom of webpage), and right clicking on view source - these pitfalls can be minimized. Lastly, If it seems unreal it probably is!
Remember websites are only one choice for job searching (the best is word-of-mouth).