Primerica Preying on job seekers; dishonest recruitment (conartist) practices! ripoff Elgin Illinois

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*UPDATE: Primerica recognized by Rip-off Report a business opportunity well worth considering - it's not for everyone but many representatives make solid commission incomes. Primerica takes appropriate action against representatives conducting themselves improperly, pledges 100% commitment to customer service.

Here's the thing. I absolutely don't want to see real people caught up in this citiscam nonsense. Anyone who is looking for a real job and expects a real wage needs to avoid these idiots like the plague.



That's why I explained how to spot their come-on.



Real people will never be fooled into a primerica job. They have lives to pay for, and families to support. They can't survive on straight commission. Especially with these kinds of products to sell. Anybody with any kind of brains would try a few presentations, and then give up after they see people won't buy.



But, there are some people who are too stupid to do anything else. For them, primerica is the opportunity of a lifetime. It will keep them busy. They'll learn lots of new songs and fun chants. Lots of big, important words. You get the idea.



I don't mind if primerica uses these idiots. What else do they really have going on in life?



The smart primericans will wake up and see they don't make much. The idiots will keep plugging away at it, all the while chanting the slogans and singing the songs. Good for them! I encourage the mentally handicapped to be productive like that.



If I met someone who was hooked up with primerica, I'd take a minute to see how they liked it. If they claimed that they were dissatisfied, they maybe there would be some hope for them. I'd spend a few minutes explaining how they were being taken advantage of.



But, if they had a silly grin on their face, and started talking about how they have actually found nirvana, then I'd gladly let them sink to the bottom. You can't help someone who doesn't first want to help themselves.

Paul you say:



"...it's the perfect opportunity for the people who join primerica." (I wonder what you mean by "perfect opportunity"?). Then you say: "...They will end up working long hours and have little to show for it. We all know that."



Your headline for the 2/19/05 post reads:



"They're fishing for suckers at Primerica. Avoid taking their crooked bait." Why this change on your position?



I ask the following:



"(1) Is Primerica looking for part-time agents or, ultimately, full-time? (Paul from Brooklyn says that newcomers should start off part time).



(2) How long would it take for a newbie to make a

living (say $30,000 a year net of business

expenses) based on the history of all the frontline agents for the past ten years? Are there any examples of frontline agents achieving this without recruitment? If yes, how many?



(3) What kind of experience is Primerica looking

for? Who would be the ideal candidate for

Primerica?"



Paul, would you let a person drown or would you

save him? What's your position on this?

Here's the thing people.



Primerica has given these people the only chance they will ever have. Do you actually think anyone else is going to give them the chance to go out and sell financial products?



Of course not! Everyone except the primericans already knows that.



They are making the best of the only opportunity that is available to them.



Don't argue over the money they will make. Of course it will be minimum. It's a commission only job. They will end up working long hours and have little to show for it. We all know that.



But, you don't have to destroy their dreams. Let them think they actually have a shot at financial independence.



What is the harm in that? These primericans will see for themselves what the income really is. For many of them, this will probably be the most money they made in their whole life.



Most people are way above anything that primerica has to offer.



But, it's the perfect opportunity for the people who join primerica.



You don't have to join if you don't want to. But, give the people who do want to join the chance.

Quoting:



"If your choice is to work for the rest of your life making someone elses dreams come true, and walmart your favorite store than Primerica is not for you. You have to want what only 3% of the american population have "financial independance" and you have to be willing to work for it. Not just show up and collect a paycheck, very few have become wealthy working for someone else."



With Primerica, outside of the fat cats, there is no financial independence. You're still working and according to Paul from Brooklyn, you have to bust your butt to make it at Primerica whose own figures (from 2001) show about 1.5% of Primericans make a "six-figured income" (and this is before business expenses). So if you want to help make the fat cats dreams come true, join Primerica.



Here are a list of questions you can ask Primerica:



(1) Is Primerica looking for part-time agents or, ultimately, full-time? (Paul from Brooklyn says that newcomers should start off part time).



(2) How long would it take for a newbie to make a

living (say $30,000 a year net of business

expenses) based on the history of all the frontline agents for the past ten years? Are there any examples of frontline agents achieving this without recruitment? If yes, how many?



(3) What kind of experience is Primerica looking

for? Who would be the ideal candidate for

Primerica?



Finally here's a question for the would-be newbie:

"If I told you that if you were to jump off a

cliff and you would find a pot of gold at the bottom, would you do it?" Get my point?

I'll preface my comments, as always by saying that I was a PFS rep for 2 years. I know the company, its practices and policies.



I'll venture to guess that the ill will towards PFS is not so much from their stated mission(I'll get into that later) but rather from the recruiting practices that most people here think are deceptive. Example:



Hi Mr. Smith this is______________. I represent an international subsidiary of Citigroup and we're looking to fill some local management positions. Your name came across my desk as someone who might have what we're looking for in a candidate for these positions....."



Sound Familiar? I've heard this done many times in my time with PFS. It may not technically be a lie but it is misleading. Why not say:



"Hi Mr. Jones. My name is__________ with Primerica Financial Services and we are looking for people interested in an opportunity to...."



Isn't that the honest way to recruit? The only reason I can think of that PFS reps don't recruit like this is that they are either embarrassed by the company or they have something to hide. The home office does not seem too concerned about these deceptive recruiting scripts as I see they are still being used.



As for the opportunity itself, I found out that it wasn't all it was supposed to be. I was told that it was my business but then I found out that I didn't own my business and only Senior V.P.'s can own a PFS business. So really, a PFS agent is a commission only employee for the company until they "qualify for ownership". A rep does not own any part of his clients business or his sales team.



Then I find out that in order to become an RVP, I have to give up my two best producers. Once again who owns my business if the company tells me I can't even keep people I've trained? It doesn't seem like I own anything. Justify replacement any way you want but it is a poor policy.



I had issue with a so called financial services company that offered more training on how to recruit than on finances. Shouldn't it be the other way around? I ultimately left PFS because I did what most reps I knew didn't do. Instead of reading the posiitve mental candy books that my upline recommended, I read books on financial planning , insurance and investing. I found serious flaws in the PFS philosophy and could no longer tell a client I was doing the best thing for him and his family.



I find it amusing that PFS says think differently from the crowd. When you have every single rep saying the same thing, aren't YOU now the crowd. Most parents wish their kids would listen to them like PFS reps listen to their RVP's. Sorry but I can't take anyone's word as gospel and I did my research and due diligence. Did you?



And you seem to think that it is impossible to be in business for yourself in the financial services world unless you are with PFS. Well, I'll tell you that there are better opportunities than PFS where you are independent and have the ability to use many companies in order to obtain the best solution for your clients and not just the only one your company offers. I work for my clients and not a company.

I own my clients and agents and I don't have to give up my best agents to get a top contract.



What I see at PFS are passionate people who are underinformed;not misinformed,underinformed. The company only tells you enough to be able to parrot back the information they want you to have. I guess I don't understand why you don't do some research and be a student of financial planning instead of a believer in the PFS as the only way mantra. PFS people like to tell us to read books well here is one for you. Missed Fortune by Douglas Andrews. See how the PFS strategy stacks up against his ideas. I don't agree with everything anyone says and I have found that the best way to do something is usually a blending of different philosophies not the blind and unyielding adherence to one philosophy. The only way to find a good blend is to research many possible ways and not dismiss them all in favor of one. So please do your reseach and tell me what you think. cullen@summitteam.org

I feel bad for people who fail to see the real opportunity provided by our company. "The Millionare Mind" written by Thomas J Stanley Ph.D, "The most basic form of financial risk taking relates to choice of occupation, or vocation" Those who have a millionaire mind look at being self employed in a much different way than the "scenario of failure" given above. they are of the mind-set that it is risky not to be self-employed. Being self-employed means that you are in control of your own destiny" "Think differently from the crowd"



There are good and bad people in ALL forms of business, and the financial world is most likely the area with the most, I have no doubt about that. So it goes without saying that we as a company get stuck with some of these sorry individuals also.



I know that I scrutinize everyone I am looking to hire, period. If your choice is to work for the rest of your life making someone elses dreams come true, and walmart your favorite store than Primerica is not for you. You have to want what only 3% of the american population have "financial independance" and you have to be willing to work for it. Not just show up and collect a paycheck, very few have become wealthy working for someone else. Again from the Millionaire Mind-- "Somewhere I read, It's not really how smart you are, it's how you are smart.' I can't tell you how many Ph.D's I've had working for me. They are very, very smart people, very good at their specialities," he says. But they're working for me." Mr. Bielke, vice president of investor relations for Advanced Bio-services, self made millionaire. So for everyone who wants a j.o.b. Just over Broke then Primerica is not for you. I was unfortunate enough to have been sucked into an Amway/Quickstar endevor, I learned quickly what MLM meant. In Primerica, you can earn 100,000 year and never recruit 1 person, but if your going to go that route then you've built yourself a great job. You will work your average 40 hours with great pay. But if your goal is to do more with your life and you are absolutely willing to work for it, just like any other company in the world you will have to hire and train employees. Do you think Bill Gates sells his own products? No and that poor sap on the very bottom of the ladder will never have more than job, and he'd better hope all stays well with the company for job security. I don't know what goes through most peoples' minds the thought that someone else controls everything else in the financial aspects of my life is terrifying, period. All companies are a pyramid starting from the owner/ceo/co-ceo/vice-president/regional-manager/district-manager/store-manager/assistance-manager/department-manager/then there's you! Lot's of luck climbing that food chain, be sure to kiss lots of Butt, and don't make anyone mad, and you might in 20 years make it to assistant manager, if your good, and the company can stand 20 years of ups & downs. Why is it so hard for people to see? Until you have enough money in your life, IT WILL ALWAYS DETERMINE WHAT & WHEN YOU GET TO HAVE OR DO ANYTHING. Before you decide to rip on a company take deep look at where you will be on the food chain and what your chances are at getting to the top.



We can have our own business, and we are given the opportuntity to pass that business on to our children, sell it outright, what we do with it is all our decision, We create a true life of our own by help others build a business they can call thier own. How much does your current boss care about your life, success, or finanical independence? What incentives does he have to help you succeed financially? Most likely, unless your married to one of his kids, none and that will never chage. Make sure you see those new commercials "takebackyourvacation.com" Don't work too hard at that great J.O.B.

Primeamerica has been a bad outfit for YEARS. They are preditory. One time I saw them launch their victims at a job fair. Do not ever deal with these people on ANY LEVEL. THEY ARE BASTARDS!!!

Here's how. Talk specifics.



What is the job title?

What is the starting salary or wage?

What background are you looking for?

Where is your office located?

What projects are you currently working on?



If it's a primerican calling, the answers will go like this.



We have all kinds of jobs available.

Some of our associates make over $100K.

We are most interested in people who have a positive attitude.

We are a nationwide company with offices in every state.

Currently, we are in the business of helping people.



Wrong answers, pal. You got no job for me. You want me to go out and sell trash to people.



The key words are positive attitude. That always means sales. You'll be selling a trash product to people who just don't want the nonsense. You'll get a lot of rejection. Hence, the need to keep a positive attitude.



You need to be able to translate double-speak and the ability to read between the lines. Otherwise, you'll be driving all over creation, using your gas money, all for nothing.



If you still want the interview, tell mr. primerica to drop by your home at 6:30, and to bring a pizza with him. Large, extra pepperoni. At least that way, you'll end up with a free meal to show for the time.

Here's how. Talk specifics.



What is the job title?

What is the starting salary or wage?

What background are you looking for?

Where is your office located?

What projects are you currently working on?



If it's a primerican calling, the answers will go like this.



We have all kinds of jobs available.

Some of our associates make over $100K.

We are most interested in people who have a positive attitude.

We are a nationwide company with offices in every state.

Currently, we are in the business of helping people.



Wrong answers, pal. You got no job for me. You want me to go out and sell trash to people.



The key words are positive attitude. That always means sales. You'll be selling a trash product to people who just don't want the nonsense. You'll get a lot of rejection. Hence, the need to keep a positive attitude.



You need to be able to translate double-speak and the ability to read between the lines. Otherwise, you'll be driving all over creation, using your gas money, all for nothing.



If you still want the interview, tell mr. primerica to drop by your home at 6:30, and to bring a pizza with him. Large, extra pepperoni. At least that way, you'll end up with a free meal to show for the time.

Here's how. Talk specifics.



What is the job title?

What is the starting salary or wage?

What background are you looking for?

Where is your office located?

What projects are you currently working on?



If it's a primerican calling, the answers will go like this.



We have all kinds of jobs available.

Some of our associates make over $100K.

We are most interested in people who have a positive attitude.

We are a nationwide company with offices in every state.

Currently, we are in the business of helping people.



Wrong answers, pal. You got no job for me. You want me to go out and sell trash to people.



The key words are positive attitude. That always means sales. You'll be selling a trash product to people who just don't want the nonsense. You'll get a lot of rejection. Hence, the need to keep a positive attitude.



You need to be able to translate double-speak and the ability to read between the lines. Otherwise, you'll be driving all over creation, using your gas money, all for nothing.



If you still want the interview, tell mr. primerica to drop by your home at 6:30, and to bring a pizza with him. Large, extra pepperoni. At least that way, you'll end up with a free meal to show for the time.