"Carmen" called by business partner with the bank foreclosure repair offer pitch. The same $99.00 background check requirement and supplying a skills profile. Carmen gave my partner a 312-492-4996 number. A Chicago number that is answered by "Worksourcecenter", but cannot be located by an online reverse phone number search service. Interesting that a "legitimate" business would have at least two Chicago based phone numbers, but no locatable physical address. Also interesting to note that all of the complaints about Worksourcecenter are no older than two weeks. Maybe these people are pulling this scam for a little extra Christmas money?? Until I read all of the messages from the rest of you, I was going to call the Chicago Better Business Bureau to determine what they know about the "company." Hold it!! I think I save my time and my dime.
We almost got fooled as well by these people. What a JOKE... Jon left a message on my fiance's phone, who is a local contractor, said he was over scheduled with work. So we called back to see what it was all about. I personally spoke with Katie several times, and attempted at prying as much information out of her as I could. They have no requirements for Business Liability or Workman's Comp insurance, she stated the "bank" would cover the workman's comp insurance on each job, and that they (WorkSourceCenter) would cover the liability end of the insurance, which makes no sense because she had stated when I asked that there is no "binding" contract (tradesman agreement) between us (the contractor) and them (the company). If we are working as the "independent contractor" we are required to have insurance and licensing... The only agreement you are signing with WorkSourceCenter is for the $99 fee, the distance you are willing to travel, their background check refund policy and terms and conditions. I also asked for references of contacts at the banks and or current or past contractors that have used their services so that I could determine if they were legitimate or not. Katie proceeded to then get very short and bitchy with me, and stated they do not give out names or phone numbers because of the large # of contacts they make everyday and that I could do my own research on the internet to make that determination, and that this business has been operating for over 30 years. When I attempted to do my own research, I have only come up with negative information like this forum. If they were a well established company for over 30 years, I would expect to find more online about them, instead I was unable to find anything positive about this company, and their website is so generic, ANYONE could put that together. When I asked about the process of receiving work orders and payments, another RED FLAG, as she stated that all "work orders" are provided from WorkSourceCenter and not directly from the contact at the banks, however, the work would be performed for the banks directly as well the Corporate offices at each bank would be paying us directly (no money is being paid out by WorkSourceCenter), you would also then receive a 1099 at the end of the year from each of those specific banks. WorkSourceCenter is not registered with the BBB. When I asked about the phone number being different from the physical address on their website her response was that their call center out of Chicago receives all calls and routes them appropriately, and that they have several satellite offices, but none that you can go in and speak with some one personally.
It is unfortunate that these people are trying to take other honest people's money. Now coming up into the winter months, things really slow down for my fiance's company. This would have been a blessing, had it been legit. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, either way I'm skeptical. Any legit business would have gladly given up their references to help make you feel at ease about working with them and giving them your money to obtain a so called "background check". I believe they also found my fiance's ad on Craigslist advertising for work. I wonder how many people they actually fool! I'm sick to my stomach!