James Louis Dept - Erica Flowers International - New Professionals International work from home scam asks you to open bank account in your name Ontario

Responded to ad on one of the job sites (can't remember which one) for a work at home data entry position. Always skeptical, I sent an email for more information. I did not include a resume, but gave my qualifications in the body of the email.

I received a poorly written response from the email address stated that said my resume was reviewed and I was scheduled for an interview via IM, with instructions to add ericaflowersdpt to my IM program.

I did so and interviewed. They asked fairly professional questions, but had a lot of words spelled wrong. To their credit, they did not ask for personal information except your full name and location.

After a long wait, I was told I had been offered a position. I was then given the following information:

I would be paid $35.00 an hour. I would receive data entry work every morning at 8:00am and it would have to be turned back in at 6:00pm that night.

I was told their company, New Professionals International, was responsible for supplying new businesses with computers and I was to record all the transactions in my area.

I needed a new laptop, scanner, fax and software. But they would be paying for it because it was their responsibility.

At that point, I was asked if I could open an account with Wells Fargo Bank.

When I asked why, they said it was for 'company business and petty cash transactions'.

I told them I was not comfortable doing this, as I would be responsible for anything that happens in that account. What other options were there?

I then was asked what I wanted to do.

I again relayed my concerns and was told to have a nice day.

I asked what I did wrong and why my concerns were not met with any answers to validate their requests...I also said that I would report them to the job boards and post on ripoffreport.com.

In capital letters I received the response of "WHY, BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT OFFERED A JOB?"

Before I could respond, the conversation was ended when ericaflowersdept signed off.

Not one of my concerns was answered. I did not call them a scam, I simply wanted more information about why I needed to open a bank account for them.

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Beware. I do not know the whole workings of this scam, but anyone that asks you to open a bank in your name so they can use it for company and petty cash transactions cannot be up to any good. The hourly amount ($35.00 per hour) is not realistic and they did not tell me how they intended on getting me a new laptop and everything else. Nor did they tell me why my own computer (which is probably better than most new laptops out there) wasn't acceptable.

The website that they gave me is incomplete and does not match with the information that they gave me on what the company does.

The whois information for the website does not match any addresses that I was given, nor could I find any information with a google search. The one piece of information that I found about a company called New Professionals International was located in Dallas, TX. The whois info for the website is in CA and the company (according to the interviewer) is located in Canada.

Jeremy
Vancouver, Washington
U.S.A.