LA WEIGHT LOSS CENTERS Unethical practices, Emotional Blackmail of clients ripoff Binghamton New York

Yes all is true. I would like someone from the Attorney General office to go in an act as a potential client to uncover this scam. We are told to not tell the client how many'Bars' they have, sell 12 months worth of anything at a time,never say dollar amounts in front of a client and that sometime we have to "lie" like make up fake "specials" and never to question how things are done!! If you have ethics- NOT the place to work!!

You can lose weight on your own or with a good counselor- no way is it $7 week- the money is in the required bars and supplements- often thousands by poor souls who need real help!. The managers get big commissions and prizes for goals-and the area manager even more!! The centers in the South are franchises-so operate differently. The owner Vahan Karian has numerous mansions and never is around- this is a cash business NO sales tax!! Based in Horsham PA

I just wanted to share my thoughts as a good friend of a former employee in VA.

She worked there for over 2 years and developed many great relationships with the center clients. Most people would come in and only see her because she obviously cared and refused to emotionally blackmail people (even though she felt like that was what LAWL had told her to do in many training sessions).

I guess that's why she was fired. Evidently, a VP took a disliking to her and made it known to the umpteenth manager during her employment that she didn't like my friend and wanted her out. She'd accept any reason so . . . .

One day this mgr asked my friend, in front of a prospective customer, to complete signing up a lady. As anyone that has punched a clock knows, you can't punch out and punch right back in. My friend explained that she had already clocked out. When she returned to her office, she had a phone call with upper management who said they had a nasty letter from the lady that was supposed to sign up that said my friend was very rude. I've known this lady for over 8 years now and have even seen her at work with difficult people, and she doesn't lose her cool and she doesn't treat people rudely. She was told she had to apologize to this lady and try to get her back in, which she did in a timely manner.

Two days later, my friend was terminated (without even being given a reason). Another former employee advised me this lady came in 2 hours after my friend's termination and signed up.

I know there are several ladies that will not return to the office now. Many ladies have demanded refunds (and from what I've read here, I wish them luck!). One lady even came in and found out my friend was no longer there and went back to her car and wept because she has no faith or trust in the other counselors.

I know several people personally that my friend helped to lose weight through the center. She could have given away all the secrets to her friends but she has integrity. I feel that was a wasted quallity with this employer.

I can also tell you that in the time she worked for LAWL, I personally can name at least 10 people that have come and gone, several since her termination. I know there are many more that I never even knew about.

I wish all you ladies that have not had a good experience the best of luck . . . in your refunds and your weight loss!

God Bless!

I worked at LA Weight Loss for about a year at the Rhode Island. I went through the trainings and sold program and also cunsult with clients. What I didn't like was my Area Manager. She was so self centered. She didn't want to hear that the person can't afford all she wanted was package A. I did self some high selling PSV's but was told not to sell anymore just because I didn't get some real over the edge big packages.

I was very frank and honest with the clients. Everything I was though at training I never told them. I never lied to them or anything I told them how it is from the start so they knew what they was getting themselves into.

For the pills, I did my own research so I knew who to recommend them too. I started to use one and it screw my whole monthly cycle so I stop recommending that particular pill to women. My manager got mad with me and told me what do I know about medicine seeing she was a RN.

All I can say is the plans works but not fast for everyone but it is costly. So if you really want to join it be prepared to pay a very high cost and to be push hard to buy the A Package.

As a ex-manager in Buffalo I can say all those negative comments from ex employees aren't just sore words. Everything I read about being trained to shake down helpless desperate souls to pay through the nose while just about calling them fat, is true. After we expose the underlieing emotional pain, we were trained to sock'em into expensive programs, with rebates that NO ONE ever gets back, and then lump sum bulk buying "protein" bars. (these kill me, check out the carbs!)

The regional and district managers in this area are a joke. The one is so overweight herself! No, shes not on the program. The other lost weight, supposedly from the plan.

I was told about how i would make my earnings from store sales percentages. What they never said was I wouldn't make but minimum wage for the week if we didn't meet the personal AND store sales goals for the week! Imagine paying a manager minimum wage! Not only that they expected no less than 6 days a week and 60 hours!
I never got home before 8 pm.

I was constantly trying to keep my staff but the area mamnager would scream at them when they didn't sell to goal. EVERY person walking in there was suppose to buy EVERY visit because you had to make them feel they were helpless and couldn't do it without help.

It's a scam. I never saw anyone reach a goal.

OH and on top of it all...I was injured at work from the negligence of another employee, the area and regional manager tried to find someone to say I was acting and it was all a frame job!
IMAGINE THAT! I was hurt in the presents of the area trainer and a client! What kind of shifty people are they? I wish they would have tried to get someone to lie, I would have sued!

If they got your money, I am sorry for you.
If your thinking this is a good program, run the other way with your wallet and learn to count calories, or do the most reliable- slim-fast!

Thinking of working here? Your in for the shadiest job ever.
Sad the Scam continues in Buffalo.

I just gave my two weeks notice for the exact same reason that you wrote about.

At the moment I work with a heartless young woman(area supervisor) from Penn. who doesn't give a crap about no one but herself and the revolving men in her life.

A matter a fact that is all I heard about in training class(28 people quit before training class was over),I should have quit that day.But I didn't.I SIT IN THE CLASS AND LEARN HOW TO SELL CANDY BARS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT.

I should have quit then,but I didn't.Then I go the center as an assistant manager,and work with a young woman who has been there for many years.

She believes in the program,.She started as a counselor and finally got to be manager.Like you said,she can't see the forrest for the trees because she is finacially stuck,but after a month I DID SEE THE LITE.I felt guilty everytime I sold a PSV to a woman who just got finish paying $500.00 just three days before.But I was not the only employee who felt that way,a young woman also felt the same way.

She arrived a month before me,and has threaten to quit many times.The sad thing is the manager wants to quit,but can't.

She is in debt up to her ears in medical bills,because SHE HAS NO BENIFITS.Can you believe it six years and not a benifit,unless you pay $300.00 out of pocket every other week.There have been countless asst managers over the pass year before me and will be afterwards.I am quite sure there have been atleast 20 employess in that center since the begining of the year.

They got wise quick,just like I did.The treatment of the employees is the worst Ive ever seen.You are totally mislead,about pay,hours,benifits and I could go on.I WOULD NOT SUGGEST THIS COMPANY TO ANYONE who needs a job.