Phantom Job Seeker Nails USHA Advisors Job Seeker Scam
Just because their email says they found you on CareerBuilder doesn't mean that they did, nor does it mean that they have a job. CareerBuilder, Monster, and all the other paid job boards provide eCommerce options for anyone to buy resume access with a credit card. They have systems to notify them of unusual activity (e.g., fraud), but often rely on complaints they receive from job seekers.
That said, many gray-area companies come to the big boards with $xxx,000's of dollars to buy access, and it's hard for them to say no, even if they do get complaints, and even if their jobs aren't kosher.
I got this email today from Pat Bessette (pat.bessette@ushaadvisors.com) of USHA Advisors:
"Dear Sheila,
We have reviewed your resume posted on CareerBuilder.com and would like to speak to you further in regard to a position with our organization. Your interview will be for our Sales Executive or Sales Manager position.
USHA is a national sales and marketing firm and our company is one of the fastest growing sales organizations within our sector. We pride ourselves on being a unified company who share our values of commitment and dedication with our customers. Furthermore, we have earned International recognition from the coveted Stevie Awards by winning in the following categories:
- 2012 Award - “Sales & Customer Service”
- 2012 Award - “Fastest Growing Company”
- 2013 Award -“Most Innovative Company”
- 2013 Award - “Fastest Growing Company of the Year”
We offer an exceptional product portfolio focused on America’s small business market segment, which is rapidly growing by the day.
To accept our Interview offer please reply back at your earliest convenience.
A few of the items we will discuss in detail during the Interview are:
- Industry Leading Compensation Plans
- Monthly & Quarterly Performance Bonuses
- Professional Training Modules along with a Product Portfolio overview
Sales Executive requirements:
- Excellent Communication Skills
- Competitive and Accountable Team Player
- Customer Oriented and Focused Toward Helping People
Regards,
Pat Bessette
Phone: 800-517-1137
Email:
pat.bessette@ushadvisors.com
The Clues It's Not a Real Job:
1. It doesn't mention what you'd be selling.
2. It doesn't mention where the job is located or details about the job.
3. The requirements don't mention being able to sell anything.
4. If you do a search on the email pat.bessett@ushadvisors.com you find a very similar scheme. Check it out here.
5. The Stevie Awards don't mention USHAdvisors on their site, and the award is a paid entry, meaning that it's probably for businesses seeking self-promotion.
6. Do a search on "USHAdvisors Scam" and you'll find this article:
Watch out for people that spam on CareerBuilder and job boards looking to hook gullible and vulnerable job seekers.
Always KEEP YOUR GUARD UP for inviting letters like this:
Return-Path: <michelle.yoder@ushadvisors.com>
Received: from ssserver3.Staffingsoft.com (ssserver3.staffingsoft.com [204.15.178.4])
by elvisnet (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id q3NHLjm2128933
for <me>; Mon, 23 Apr 2012 13:42:21 -0400
Received: from mail pickup service by ssserver3.Staffingsoft.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC;
Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:21:58 -0500
From: “Michelle Yoder” <michelle.yoder@ushadvisors.com>
To: me
Date: 23 Apr 2012 12:41:28 -0500
Subject: CareerBuilder - Interview Offer (TD)
X-Received-IP: 204.15.178.4
X-Received-CIDR: 204.15.176.0/22
X-Received-ASN: AS19609
X-Received-AS-NAME: MANDA-VEEDIX-NETDear Elvis,
We have reviewed your resume posted on CareerBuilder and would like to speak with you further in regard to a phone interview / webinar with our organization. This interview will be for our Sales Executive and/or Sales Manager position.
USH Advisors is a national sales and marketing firm and our company is one of the fastest growing sales organizations within our sector. We pride ourselves on being a unified company who share our values of commitment and dedication with our customers. We recently gained national recognition by winning the prestigious 2012 Silver Stevie Award for Sales and Customer Service.
In addition, we offer an exceptional product portfolio focused on America’s small business market segments, which is rapidly growing by the day. Some of the items that will be discussed in further detail during your interview are listed below:
Industry Leading Compensation
Additional Monthly & Quarterly Performance Bonuses
Professional Training Modules
Product Portfolio Overview
Potential Management Discussion
Sales Executive (requirements):
Commitment to Excellence
Competitive and Accountable Team Player
Excellent Communication Skills
Customer Oriented Focused Toward Helping People
A Winning Attitude
To accept our phone interview / webinar offer please reply to michelle.yoder@ushadvisors.com.
Regards,
Michelle Yoder
Human Resources
Email: michelle.yoder@ushadvisors.com
Nine months later these people are still bothering me even though all I do is ignore their invitations.
Can’t they take a hint?
Apparently not - because the messages are coming in faster now, so it’s time to start BOUNCING them.
Return-Path: <kelly.musselman@ushadvisors.com>
Received: from ssserver3.Staffingsoft.com (ssserver3.staffingsoft.com [204.15.178.4])
by elvisnet (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id r1KKOBqu115339
for <me>; Sun, 20 Jan 2013 15:24:17 -0500
Received: from mail pickup service by ssserver3.Staffingsoft.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC;
Sun, 20 Jan 2013 14:12:41 -0600
From: “Admin administrator” <kelly.musselman@ushadvisors.com>
To: me
Date: 20 Jan 2013 14:12:41 -0600
Subject: CareerBuilder - Your Resume Matched
X-Received-IP: 204.15.178.4
X-Received-CIDR: 204.15.176.0/22
X-Received-ASN: AS19609
X-Received-AS-NAME: MANDA-VEEDIX-NETDear Elvis,
We have reviewed your resume posted on CareerBuilder and would like to speak with you further in regard to an interview with our organization. This interview will be for our Sales Executive and/or Sales Manager position. USH Advisors is a national sales and marketing firm and our company is one of the fastest growing sales organizations within our sector. We pride ourselves on being a unified company who share our values of commitment and dedication with our customers. We recently gained national recognition by winning the prestigious 2012 Silver Stevie Award for Sales and Customer Service.
In addition, we offer an exceptional product portfolio focused on America’s small business market segments, which is rapidly growing by the day. Some of the items that will be discussed in further detail during your interview are listed below:
Industry Leading Compensation
Additional Monthly & Quarterly Performance Bonuses
Professional Training Modules
Product Portfolio Overview
Potential Management Discussion
Sales Executive (requirements):
Commitment to Excellence
Competitive and Accountable Team Player
Excellent Communication Skills
Customer Oriented Focused Toward Helping People
A Winning Attitude
To accept our interview offer please contact kelly.musselman@ushadvisors.com.
Regards,
Kelly Musselman
Human Resources
Phone: DELETED
Email: kelly.musselman@ushadvisors.com
----
Bottom Line: Always be wary of job opportunity emails and watch for clues that you are at risk of being preyed upon.
| Topic | Replies | Likes | Views | Participants | Last Reply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Ways to Know a Job Opportunity Email is Fraudulent | 1 | 0 | 658 | ||
| Scam - Gamco Investors and Unfi | 4 | 0 | 1645 | ||
| Workers from Vietnam Manpower | 0 | 0 | 343 |
Dan,
I have read all the articles about USHA. I can see why people would be wary of wanting to go work for this company. Some people are just good at certain things. Some do not know how to respond to someone that is attacking the company they work for. Like Terry said if you actually read most of the reviews they are from disgruntled former employees. After I did my research and went to the interview for the job I asked those tuff questions that a lot of others would be afraid to ask. I did take the offer to go work for this company after I transition out of the military. I do believe in the companies' motto of "HOPE," helping other people everyday. This job is not for everyone. You have to find something that is right for you.
I think it could also come down to location of where you are going to work at for this company. I have a great FTA (Team Leader) and awesome divisional sales manager. A lot of complaints about this company are you have to buy your own leads. Well that is true you can buy your own leads but some of the sales managers will buy them for you if you are producing. So you have to be committed and want to do well. I can understand why they would not want to pay for them. If you are not producing why should they pay for them. I can them to someone else that is committed. Glassdoor is a great site and that is where I got a lot of my information on the company. A lot of the complaints and reviews were from former employees who did not do what they needed too.
For people that want to bash this company that is fine. Do you bash your current company? There is a reason you are looking for a new job. If you want to bash it at least take an hour out of your time and go to the interview and see what they offer. You may be surprised at the opportunity that you have in front of you. Like I said this not for everyone, just like it is not for everyone to serve in the military.
I also got tired of seeing that same email but sometimes you just need to give something a try. Sometimes they are real offers and sometimes they are garbage ads. I was skeptical too when I first went, but I love the idea of the earning potenial and being financially independent. You have to have the drive and attitude to be successful at anything you do in life. As Art Williams says for anything you do, "Just Do It."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R9c0RAz678
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/03/prweb12578549.htm
Respectfully,
Michael
Michael,
Your email made me smile. Having been a decade at Monster, I totally understand where you're coming from. There are white market jobs - real ones, like a Clerk at Target, black market jobs - like being a money manager for a Nigerian prince, and then there are gray market jobs. USHA is a gray market job, as you've pointed out. Does the company exist? Yes. Do people work for it? Yes. Is it a valid job for the majority of people who are "discovered" because USHA buys resume search and offers people a "job?" No.
I've never heard of the Stevies, and my guess is no other reader on BetterJobsFaster has either. I did check it out and found that any company can self-nominate by paying the $435 registrant fee. I'm skeptical of an award program less than a decade old would be highly prized in the marketplace.
I agree with you that USHA may be for some rare folks like yourself, but then again, Enron was also a real company with real employees and real jobs.
Best wishes,
Dan.