[harvie_316]

pretty sure Ive got one tomorrow, the company is called S5 Marketing.


pretty much meeting some guy tomorrow to discus my CV and stuff. No mention of the specific role or anything.

they are located

29 Smallbrook Queensway
SBQ 1, Second Floor
B5 4HE


I have had another email from a differnt group on the same address last week, I didnt turn up to that either.


anyone got any news info on this/

[socialnoob]

Looks like SS Marketing is part of the Cobra Group. You'll basically will be going around knocking on peoples doors and trying to persuade them to change their gas/electricity supplier etc. You'll be working on a 100% basis. They won't reveal that to you until the very last minute.

I used to work for the Cobra Group and made very good money. I was averaging 250-300 pound a week so were a good portion of my mates who actually decided to stick with it and not quit after the first few days. They like me have now moved on to bigger and better things and we all agree the training we received from the Cobra Group has put us in very good standing. We will always remember our days at the Cobra Group and the fun we had.

If your persistent and committed to getting good at sales its a very good gig for a few months because you'll make good money. If your not self motivated and won't be able to handle the first weeks making very little money (you'll make fuk all in the first few weeks because you won't be good at selling yet - that takes a bit longer) then don't go for it because to succeed in this type of job you need to be very persistent. The first few weeks (my mate didn't make anything for his first month then he started rolling and was consistently ringing the bell) are going to be like hell. If you don't think you'll be able to handle it I would suggest stay well clear.

If you do go ahead with it don't believe all the crap they tell you about running your own office etc. That's all bull. Don't get hoodwinked. Also these sort of companies tend to be very cult like. So beware!

Good luck.

[eatmorepeanuts]

They were featured in a BBC documentary about Scam Jobs.

Any it is a scam where they take a portion of your earnings when you are effectively self-employed.

[TheCurlyHairedDude]

(Original post by eatmorepeanuts)
They were featured in a BBC documentary about Scam Jobs.

Any it is a scam where they take a portion of your earnings when you are effectively self-employed.

It's not a scam. However it is illegal.

I made good money at the company I was with, however it's not a scam. If it was a scam they companies would be shut down, instantly. People just call it a scam because:

1. They can't sell

Simple as, when you're crap at something you usually end up hating it.

[eatmorepeanuts]

(Original post by TheCurlyHairedDude)
It's not a scam. [B]However it is illegal.[B]

I made good money at the company I was with, however it's not a scam. If it was a scam they companies would be shut down, instantly. People just call it a scam because:

1. They can't sell

Simple as, when you're crap at something you usually end up hating it.

How much did you earn? How much time did you work each day?

"However it is illegal...however it's not a scam. If it was a scam the companies would be shut down" You've got it the wrong way round. If it is illegal it can be shut down because it is against the law, if it is a scam it is a trick of confidence but not illegal. Therefore no legitimate reason to shut down the companies.

[TheCurlyHairedDude]

(Original post by eatmorepeanuts)
How much did you earn? How much time did you work each day?

"However it is illegal...however it's not a scam. If it was a scam the companies would be shut down" You've got it the wrong way round. If it is illegal it can be shut down because it is against the law, if it is a scam it is a trick of confidence but not illegal. Therefore no legitimate reason to shut down the companies.

The fact that these cobra companies deal strictly with cash in hand and don't pay tax is surely a reason to shut them down? No?....

How much did I earn around £150-200 p/w, working VERY long hours. However I lived at home so that is quite a lot. However people made a lot more than me, I was far from the best seller there!

[eatmorepeanuts]

(Original post by TheCurlyHairedDude)
The fact that these cobra companies deal strictly with cash in hand and don't pay tax is surely a reason to shut them down? No?....

How much did I earn around £150-200 p/w, working VERY long hours. However I lived at home so that is quite a lot. However people made a lot more than me, I was far from the best seller there!

If you work between 9 to 5 (40 hours per week) and are under 21 you should get around £200 a week. If you are over 21, you should get £250 per week. Under Section 13 of the Employment Rights Act, if you are employed by a company you are entitled to the minimum wage. Cobra companies function on the basis of a loop-hole, where you are essentially self-employed under an organisation. Therefore not entitled to minimum wage. But they then take a portion of your earnings without doing anything or giving you any benefits, therefore they it is a trick of confidence, i.e. a scam in lay terms. Cobra companies are essentially pyramid schemes. Let me guess they told you senior managment were taking home a couple of 1000 a week? Even if that was true, that money came out of money owed to you as a self-employed person, i.e. it was a commission on your earnings, not money they made by being "good sales" people. But if you are happy with that then fair enough.

If they deal with cash to hand it is therefore illegal, contrary to your beliefs.

[TheCurlyHairedDude]

(Original post by eatmorepeanuts)
If you work between 9 to 5 (40 hours per week) and are under 21 you should get around £200 a week. If you are over 21, you should get £250 per week. Under Section 13 of the Employment Rights Act, if you are employed by a company you are entitled to the minimum wage. Cobra companies function on the basis of a loop-hole, where you are essentially self-employed under an organisation. Therefore not entitled to minimum wage. But they then take a portion of your earnings without doing anything or giving you any benefits, therefore they it is a trick of confidence, i.e. a scam in lay terms. Cobra companies are essentially pyramid schemes. Let me guess they told you senior managment were taking home a couple of 1000 a week? Even if that was true, that money came out of money owed to you as a self-employed person, i.e. it was a commission on your earnings, not money they made by being "good sales" people. But if you are happy with that then fair enough.

If they deal with cash to hand it is therefore illegal, contrary to your beliefs.

I completely agree with you, I know how the business works.

I sell 10 sets, make £50 for myself. I'm also making £50 for the manager, while he sits in an office and does jack ****... I know. But when you're desperate for money you won't care. I left after 8 weeks though, however I knew what I was letting myself into...

Sad thing is, people genuinely do get brain-washed. Which is why I've gave my opinion and thoughts on several scam sites, and have had loads of phone calls from people inquiring about the business.

It's a high turn-over business. 99% of people won't make it past the first week, which is why I don't want people to waste their timing going to the interview, to be told bull**** lol

[street.lovin']

From my experience, any business that has got the name like 'Marketing Solution' , 'JTM Solution' , 'Selecting Marketing Solutiong' are really unreliable.

The address is somewhere on Culver Street in Colchester. :P

You can also have a look at their website (search on GOOGLE) and see how unprofessional it is for a business that claims to have been expanding nationally.

We have one here in Colchester and my BF almost went to the place for interview - we wasted money buying suits and shoes for it just to find out th enight before that it is all scam.

Reading a bit more from websites on google, many people who worked there are either completely brainwashed by the managers and interviewer. One of them actually believed that he can become a millionaire in 2 years. Terrible businesses, I doubt they pay taxes.

I really dont understand why some people create business and do this, it is wasting the time for people who actuallyare desperate for a secured, reliable job. The job description was very very vague and doesn't tell you anything - just repetitively mentions customer service and marketing which generally sounds alright.

[eatmorepeanuts]

(Original post by TheCurlyHairedDude)
I completely agree with you, I know how the business works.

I sell 10 sets, make £50 for myself. I'm also making £50 for the manager, while he sits in an office and does jack ****... I know. But when you're desperate for money you won't care. I left after 8 weeks though, however I knew what I was letting myself into...

Sad thing is, people genuinely do get brain-washed. Which is why I've gave my opinion and thoughts on several scam sites, and have had loads of phone calls from people inquiring about the business.

It's a high turn-over business. 99% of people won't make it past the first week, which is why I don't want people to waste their timing going to the interview, to be told bull**** lol

This is a major change of tune from your original post about people who "can't sell". But whatever floats your boat I guess...

[TheCurlyHairedDude]

(Original post by eatmorepeanuts)
This is a major change of tune from your original post about people who "can't sell". But whatever floats your boat I guess...

Nope. The reason many people think it's a scam is because as said previously:

1. They can't sell, so they feel they have been cheated out of their time and wasted money on travelling their to earn nothing.

[eatmorepeanuts]

(Original post by TheCurlyHairedDude)
Nope. The reason many people think it's a scam is because as said previously:

1. They can't sell, so they feel they have been cheated out of their time and wasted money on travelling their to earn nothing.

But going door to door, or even "selling" on street isn't based on your expertise as a salesman, it is the law of probability. That is why people work such long hours. The longer you work, the more people you will get to talk to, the more likely it is for someone to sign up to whatever deal you are offering. No doubt you got a talk about strategy and one of the strategies was to talk to as many people as possible? It is a scam, they are being cheated out of their time and money.

[Gutsman]

All the interviews for Apprenticeships I've had recently, my first job interviews in years, were scams. I got to a certain point, they discovered by asking me that I had a degree, then I was sent out immediately. Very concerning.

[aliasunknown]

No the reason they cant hire you with a degree for an apprenticeship is because they get no funding and would have to pay all your college etc, you have already had your funding with taking a degree so cant have it twice, thats not fair on someone without any qualifications.

[holly123]

I've got an interview with these people, not for sales but for a customer service adviser. I'm not sure whether to go now.

[socialnoob]

(Original post by eatmorepeanuts)
But going door to door, or even "selling" on street isn't based on your expertise as a salesman, it is the law of probability. That is why people work such long hours. The longer you work, the more people you will get to talk to, the more likely it is for someone to sign up to whatever deal you are offering. No doubt you got a talk about strategy and one of the strategies was to talk to as many people as possible? It is a scam, they are being cheated out of their time and money.

Your half correct. Take two salespeople, give them the same territory and I bet you one salesperson will out perform the other one. Its not all about the law of probability, sales skills play a major part too. I know this to be true from my own first hand experience because I myself am a salesperson.

[BGH122]

Seriously, just get into recruitment consultancy; there are absolutely loads of those jobs going all the time. If you're looking to make major money, under a very, very pressurised environment, then recruitment consultancy is really what you're aiming for.

Piddling around with this D2D/F2F sales nonsense is just a waste of time.

[Ham22]

I had a family member almost get sucked in by this type of scam- i forget the name of the company. 100% commission sales job. working stupid hours. They put on a performance at the interview to get under your skin. luckily my parents did some research in to them before they accepted the job. WHO DOES THIS? The people in charge of this kind of bs must all be sociopaths.

[TheCurlyHairedDude]

(Original post by BGH122)
Seriously, just get into recruitment consultancy; there are absolutely loads of those jobs going all the time. If you're looking to make major money, under a very, very pressurised environment, then recruitment consultancy is really what you're aiming for.

Piddling around with this D2D/F2F sales nonsense is just a waste of time.

I'm trying to get into recruitment, I know I can do it. All I want is money. I've made money in every sales job I've done, one of the best most of the time. I done that whole B/S 100% D2D B2B sales, I made money but it's complete crap.

Then I found out about recruiment, so I'm just trying to get some telesales experience

[BGH122]

(Original post by TheCurlyHairedDude)
I'm trying to get into recruitment, I know I can do it. All I want is money. I've made money in every sales job I've done, one of the best most of the time. I done that whole B/S 100% D2D B2B sales, I made money but it's complete crap.

Then I found out about recruiment, so I'm just trying to get some telesales experience

It's excellent money, if you can bear the stress; my aunt made several millions through it.