$1500 dollars? Scam? Yay or nay?

[Microelite7711]

Hey there I'm going to make this short as possible:

My situation right now is i'm buying a house (I'm 18) and need to be tight with my money and if this job is legit, it would be great. Please tell me your opinion.

A guy out of state (Ohio) told me to work for him as a locksmith. We had a great conversation and I told him I have experience in picking padlocks, doorlocks, deadbolts, and tubular locks... He said great and that he'd train me in Ohio and I'd need to buy about $700 dollars worth of tools and I'd have to pay for the plane ticket. Sounds reasonable yeah? No?

Anyway, the last bit is that he told me that he has a lot of business where I live (Albuquerque, New Mexico [USA]) and
that his employees where I live make a lot of money. Up to $1500 a week! Now, is that possible? Is it reasonable?
I'd personally be happy to make $500 dollars a week. If you could give me your opinions on if this sounds right, sounds like a scam, or just sounds shady for any reason tell me why you think so.

Under the pressure of buying a house (at the age of 18 which makes the whole process stressful as I'm not to sure what to expect and my family having high expectations of myself), I need to make sure I do the smart thing with my money as this whole plane flight, tool buying, food, etc... will cost me about $2300, and thats coming from my house down payment. I'd really appreciate any input, thank you.

Sorry for any misspellings, grammar errors, or use of wrong words.
Thanks for you feedback.

[yono]

hi there, no discouragements, but to me it sounds fishy. a decent employer doesnt need a 700$ tools for an apprentice locksmith. my gosh! did you tell this guy that you are 18 (years old) and you are capable of spending that money to get that job offer? just a guess, this guy does not have a permanent shop address. if so, ask the guy shop address, his name, shop license, contact no. then, ask some of our members who is living in Ohio, (there must be someone that is willing to help you) there are a lot lot of twisted people (locksmith or not) that is just waiting for their prey. take a slow step and take time to investigate before commiting. regards

[femurat]

IMHO if you are asked to pay to get a job, that's a scam.

Good luck anyway

[mhole]

Scam.

If it sounds too good to be true, it's a scam. If they want you to pay to work for them, it's a scam.

In short, it's a scam.



























P.S. ......... Scam.

[mcm757207]

I agree with the above posters, it is most likely a scam. IF IT IS NOT, it is certainly someone hiring you to work for one of the numerous scam companies which are able to pay such high rates because they gouge prices to customers (see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19714358/ ). You certainly do not want to work for one of them.

Regardless, stay far far away. Keep in mind that times are really tough and unemployment is high, so there are many people out there looking for jobs. Does it really make sense for someone to just hand you a job like this? Probably not. Not to mention the whole needing to buy your own tools thing... defiantly fishy.

Sorry!

[Fuqua]

after some quick math $1500 equals out to $37.50/hr for a normal 40 hour work week. while that may be a decent wage in some areas for skilled labor, this is a very large amount of money that this guy is offering you to work in this area. even with many years experience in a trade that amount of money still too high. i would forget that this offer ever came.

[Microelite7711]

Hey guys, I thank you all very much for the responses, very much appreciated.

Anyway, here's an update.

1. Ok, so I asked him his business name... It was ACE, located in Macedonia, Ohio. It is a business (http://acelocksupply.com/) there, but I don't think they hire locksmiths, it looks like they only supply lock type supplies.

2. Second the whole $700 I'm "paying" to get this job is so I can go out myself and buy the tools I need from a list he gave me. I'm not giving him any money, I just have to invest my money in tools I pick out from Lowes, Internet, Home Depot...

3. He now told me business is slow for him but he's making plenty of money to support himself. Even though I have to go to Ohio, his number is from Michigan...

4. I do have plenty of money for tools (about $24,000 USD for my house down payment) but my money is critical right now.

5. Umm... He sounds sooo legit because he's not asking about my money, he's more asking about my clothing, transportation, commitment to the company, how quickly I can start, how good am I talking to people, if I know how to do car egnitions/take apart steering columns, re-key locks, impression keys, bumb them, etc... More like he want's a good employee, not my money per-say..

6. !!! Red flag... He want's a security deposit? $1000USD.

7. Could it be he's just saying I'll make a lot to get me hired but in reality I won't make near that amount?

Don't know but any last questions, advice, and opinions would be great! Thank you, you guys made an awesome community here!

[mcm757207]

This is absolutely, positively, a scam. A "security deposit" for a job offer? That's crazy. Just walk away, you'll be glad you did.

[Fuqua]

ok his website says he is located in Akron OH. which is about 20 miles or so from Macedonia where he claims to be out of. only address is a PO box.

neither city is within 100 miles of Michigan.

since when does it cost money to be offered a job?????

if business is slow why does he need people???

have you looked at his website...does it look like a company that is even trying to make money or provide a service???

do i need to continue???

[pin_pusher]

i'm young you're young. keep your money, look for a better position somewhere safer and reliable. and i'd say scam, i've had a few run-ins with some scams in my life, hell i have met scam artists making a decent stack of cash on suckers...that said, concentrate on your new adult life, pay the house, doesn't matter if you're eating mac'n'cheese and working at walleyworld...better off than scammed by some money grabber.

[Evan]

Hey guys, I thank you all very much for the responses, very much appreciated.

Anyway, here's an update.

1. Ok, so I asked him his business name... It was ACE, located in Macedonia, Ohio. It is a business (http://acelocksupply.com/) there, but I don't think they hire locksmiths, it looks like they only supply lock type supplies.

2. Second the whole $700 I'm "paying" to get this job is so I can go out myself and buy the tools I need from a list he gave me. I'm not giving him any money, I just have to invest my money in tools I pick out from Lowes, Internet, Home Depot...

3. He now told me business is slow for him but he's making plenty of money to support himself. Even though I have to go to Ohio, his number is from Michigan...

4. I do have plenty of money for tools (about $24,000 USD for my house down payment) but my money is critical right now.

5. Umm... He sounds sooo legit because he's not asking about my money, he's more asking about my clothing, transportation, commitment to the company, how quickly I can start, how good am I talking to people, if I know how to do car egnitions/take apart steering columns, re-key locks, impression keys, bumb them, etc... More like he want's a good employee, not my money per-say..

6. !!! Red flag... He want's a security deposit? $1000USD.

7. Could it be he's just saying I'll make a lot to get me hired but in reality I won't make near that amount?

Don't know but any last questions, advice, and opinions would be great! Thank you, you guys made an awesome community here!

It is definitely a scam...

However, your $700 worth of tools, that would barely even get you started...

A legit locksmithing school that will teach you what you actually need to know will have you buy your own set of basic hand tools for $1,500 or there about and that will be just the basic hand tools, picks, files, etc which are for bench lock work -- you would need a whole lot more in "installation" tools like door jigs, drills, various bit sets and hole saw kits...

It is definitely not legit if he wants you to come to someplace far far away from where you will be working to be "trained" and then you would be nowhere near set up to do business even out of a vehicle as far as tools and supplies you would need to actually go about doing the proposed "job"...

You would be working for him, huh ? Does he even have Arizona business licenses, or would he be expecting you to get all of that for him in YOUR NAME so he can do business there through you ?

Definitely smells wicked bad like a steaming pile of fresh (fill in the blank)...

~~ Evan

[globallockytoo]

it is very rare for a full time locksmith on wages to earn 1500 a week. Maybe a manager might get that but someone with no experience or training? No way.

The locksmith profession is not a job......it's a lifetime career. I have met a great number of people that claim they once were a locksmith. In my opinion, once youre a locksmith youre always a locksmith. Yes you can change vocations but the training and experience as a locksmith will bode very well in other vocations.

I work for myself. It has taken 3-4 years to build up business to the break even point of $1500 a week. I have no staff, just me and my vehicle and tools and inventory. I went into business because it is the kind of business that i have the most experience in. I paid my dues along the way. I learned from many talented and true craftsmen. I continue to learn today.

If this guy says you'll be earning $1500 a week, get it in writing and make him sign a guaranteed minimum. If he'll take care of the license fees and all the operational expenses, you are on to a good thing, but he wont.

This guy is definitely attempting to scam you. I have been locksmithing for 28 years in multiple continents. I was recently offered a job in beautiful Florida. With my experience and knowledge, I was offered $40K a year + benefits and paid vacations, after hours work for a company that has been established 20 years.

When i first moved to the USA, 5 years ago, I got offered $100K to get into sales for a large outfit, selling access control systems (master key systems). I worked for one of the largest companies in Australia a few years back and the managing director of that company was getting $100K. He was managing 10 retail locations, 40 service vehicles and 120 staff.

When you think about that stuff, you have to ask yourself, how can someone, a thousand miles away, offer that kind of money without knowing the local economic environment, contacts etc etc and be able to take all the risks to offer you a job. You have no experience or time in the trade.

The foreign nationals that are invading the industry here, do not have any experience and employ people who have less experience or knowledge. They pay huge sums for advertising to be at the front of every directory and search engine and consequently they have to charge premium prices to pay for all that stuff. But, they employ the bait and switch tactics which is immoral and unethical. Their employees have been arrested, shot at, jailed fined and put out of business, only to reopen under another name a few weeks later.

Forget these scams....they all offer the world but want you to take all the risks. I was also offered the same deal by a guy out of vegas. When I questioned him thoroughly it was obvious that he did not know what he was talking about and was blatantly attempting to rip people off.

Do yourself a favor and thoroughly investigate any opportunity.

[Locksmithsheir]

For about $1500, you can go to ALOA (Associated Locksmiths of America) and take a course, and start your own business (be your own boss & keep 100% of profits). You can actually make that kind of $, but it takes hard work, like all good jobs. Also check your local licensing laws.

[جاناتان]

SCAM

[raimundo]

learn what someone is interested in, offer them something very tempting but make them go to another state, where they are unfamiliar and have no friends, no support network and then when they are under your control, whambam,
read the news about the cold case where the "photographer" was photographing model before killing and burying them,

this guy could be dangerous.