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Suspicious Job and Recruiting Emails: JP and Associates
Job and Recruiting Emails: JP and Associates
Have you received an recruiting email like the ones below, claiming to be from
- Dr. Jonathon Bradley
- Others?
We have yet to hear from A SINGLE, VERIFIABLE PERSON who has received a job through them. If you have received a job through JP and Associates or the others above, or have anything positive to say about them - PLEASE WRITE US! So far, all we have seen is very suspicious, at best.
CFR RECOMMENDS THAT YOU DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION UNTIL WE CAN CONFIRM MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THEM!
Do you have a resume posted online? We'd like to hear from you about your experiences recruiting emails that turned out to be scams or misleading - click here to write us.. We suspect these are possibly a new wave of identity theft attacks.
Note: There ARE legitimate recruiting and employment firms on the internet, and some with very similar names to those above. We recommend you check any company out before you give any personal information to them. If they do not have a posted address and phone number, or don't answer the phone, don't give them any personal information! The legal recruiters will be happy to give you contact information, return calls and act in the open!
What to do, if you DID fill out their form:
Report it to the following government agencies:
- Forward the email you received to the Federal Trade Commission: spam@uce.gov
- Contact the FBI (United States Federal Bureau of Investigation) at the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- Contact your State Attorneys General. Your state Attorney General or local office of consumer protection is also listed in the government pages of your telephone book
Below is the email sent to CFR on April 30, 2008:
P\T-Excellent verbal skills\articulation. Very responsible and well organized. Salary is $1000 every week PLUS paid travel expenses per each trip. Owner has businesses in Dallas and Atlanta so majority of travel will be between these cities 2-3 days out of the week. As previously mentioned, per diem pay is always allotted, flights, as well as hotel accommodations and a food stipend will be taken care of upon each trip. If you have a resume to submit please attach in word format, otherwise a brief description (250 words or less) of your experience will suffice. Moreover, my client requests a simple personality testing to ensure a complementary fit with himself. The last PA that worked for him turned into an unruly individual and caused turmoil between him and a very important client. This is not by any means a stressful job. If you possess good etiquette and can handle yourself around very affluent persons then you are ahead of the game. The successful applicant will be flown in to Atlanta for 1-2 days for a "trial-day" interview. This is where my client will be residing for the next month.
*These wages are non-taxed and discounted medical, dental, and vision insurance are available.
________________________________________________________________________
First off, I would like to apologize for the delay in response to your inquiry regarding this position. I just returned to Atlanta from D.C. this morning and found a note with your email attached to it.
Comprehensively speaking, my client, (whom you are definitely familiar with), was very impressed with your resume\self description, and says your skill set appears outstanding for this position. I genuinely hope you are still interested.
Regarding this position, for the remainder of May-August, you will be traveling to Atlanta on Mon-Tues to schedule appointments and meetings and also to manage the personal finances of this client. After August, the assignment will lie solely in Dallas, beginning the week Mon-Wed, with business class travel to Atlanta 1-2 times a month.
There are however, 2 other applicants in the Dallas area receiving this e-mail and 1 in Atlanta. Please let me know ASAP if you are NOT able to travel, ANY, not ALL, of the following dates for the interview: May 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, or 10th. If none of these dates are feasible for travel, please leave a message or an email so that proper accommodations can be made. Unless otherwise requested, AirTran (Coach) will be the provider of this flight service from Dallas to Atlanta on your selected day of travel.
As mentioned in the ad, attached is a brief personality profile assessment and an application. Please complete ASAP as the tentative hiring date is drawing near. As per the directions, this will need to be Overnighted\Air\Next day. Due to specifics and signatures, E-mails\Faxes will not be accepted.
I look forward to hearing from you; however, as a competent, adept individual I would assume everything is self explanatory at this point. However, if for any reason you have an inquiry regarding this process; please do not hesitate to contact our office. Daily, I work as a psychoanalyst in our North Atlanta/Buckhead office, so e-mail would be the preferred method of communication.
Thank You, I look forward to meeting you this later this week!
*Attached is the assessment
-
Dr. Jonathon Bradley
JP and Associates, LLC
484 Bottesford Dr. Suite B
Kennesaw, GA. 3014
Cell: 206-222-0816
Fax: 404-897-5288
www.JPsAssociates.com (Our website is finally being upgraded, Yippee!!)
File name: PPA_Employment_Application.doc | File type: application/msword Download File - Need Help?
JP and Associates
484 Bottesford Dr.
Kennesaw, GA. 30144
Suite B
Personality Profile Assessment
Tentative Date of Hire: May 10th, 2008
Interviews: May 1st - May 10th, 2008
Instructions:
You must Print and Complete Pages 2-7. This test is locked. You will not be able to scribe on this document, thusly you must print it out. Upon completion, you will mail all applicable documents to the above address. Faxes will not be accepted as an original copy of page 7 is required for our records. If you would like a duplicate of this page and cannot furnish your own copy, please indicate your request on Page 7.
Please complete this assessment unaided as this will generate a categorical personality profile of yourself. Although there are no right or wrong answers, there are certain traits that may or may not be complimentary with this particular client. This survey will not, nor will it ever be, shared with ANYONE other than personnel related to or regarding the hiring of yourself. JP and Associates is not an employment agency. JP and Associates is an assembly of psychoanalysts that were contracted by a particular client to represent them in obtaining an adequate psychological fit within the company or an individual's own personal staff. Lastly, complete all questions; if you do not understand a question or need additional help please contact our office vian email at JPandAssociates@Bellsouth.net.
Before starting the assessment, scroll to page 8 to obtain an understanding of the caliber of the lifestyle that you will be immersed in on a weekly basis. If this list does not perturb you, then please advance to the assessment on the adjacent page.
Upon successful completion of the application and assessment, you will need to include in your mailing a $40 handling\processing\assessment fee, via concealed cash, check or money order made out to JP and Associates. Keep in mind; this is a completely reimbursable fee. After flight arrangements are solidified, this fee will be added to your per diem daily expense account in the form of cash, given to you on your selected day of travel. While we are confident in our decision to explore employment with you, we have had some less then savory characters, which we have pampered for little or no reason. We feel, they took advantage of this 2 day excursion. This is far from a regular job position. Thusly, fees must be assessed to "weed out" certain applicants. Welcome Aboard!
It is at your discretion if you choose not to accept employment with a particular client, however, your profile will remain active in perpetuity with our organization. Thusly, it will be reviewed first versus the profile set of all future clients. We are contacted daily by potential clients.
I am generally happy with the status quo.
□ Completely agree
□ Mostly agree
□ Somewhat agree/disagree
□ Mostly disagree
□ Completely disagree
Throwing out old assumptions at the start of the problem-solving process is being naïve.
□ Completely agree
□ Mostly agree
□ Somewhat agree/disagree
□ Mostly disagree
□ Completely disagree
I have difficulty narrowing things down when immersed in the decision-making process (e.g., I see TOO many different possible solutions/approaches).
□ Very descriptive of me
□ Somewhat true of me
□ Not descriptive of me
I prefer to work with creative rather than careful persons.
□ Always
□ Almost always
□ Sometimes
□ Almost never
□ Never
I have difficulty explaining my ideas in enough detail to be aptly construed and/or appreciated by others.
□ Very descriptive of me
□ Somewhat descriptive of me
□ Not descriptive of me
When presented with a problem, many different solutions occur to me without much effort.
□ Completely agree
□ Mostly agree
□ Somewhat agree/disagree
□ Mostly disagree
□ Completely disagree
I avoid making decisions based on intuition or 'gut feelings'.
□ Always
□ Almost always
□ Sometimes
□ Almost never
□ Never
Exploring eccentric ideas is a waste of time when it comes to problem-solving.
□ Completely agree
□ Mostly agree
□ Somewhat agree/disagree
□ Mostly disagree
□ Completely disagree
When working on a problem, I enjoy thinking outside the box, even if it means getting around the instructions that are given to me.
□ Very descriptive of me
□ Somewhat true of me
□ Not descriptive of me
I am uncomfortable making decisions.
□ Very descriptive of me
□ Somewhat descriptive of me
□ Not descriptive of me
Playing the devil's advocate when problem-solving can be helpful.
□ Completely agree
□ Mostly agree
□ Somewhat agree/disagree
□ Mostly disagree
□ Completely disagree
I tend to stop generating possible solutions once I've found one that is likely to work.
□ Very descriptive of me
□ Somewhat descriptive of me
□ Not at all descriptive of me
I need others to reassure me that I have made a good decision.
□ Very descriptive of me
□ Somewhat descriptive of me
□ Not descriptive of me
Problem solving is serious business; and as such, there is no place for fun or humor.
□ Completely agree
□ Mostly agree
□ Somewhat agree/disagree
□ Mostly disagree
□ Completely disagree
As a general rule, I am on the lookout for different ways to approach a problem.
□ Completely agree
□ Mostly agree
□ Somewhat agree/disagree
□ Mostly disagree
□ Completely disagree
In general, once I've reached a decision, I feel good about it.
□ Very descriptive of me
□ Somewhat true of me
□ Not descriptive of me
Tradition is preferable to change.
□ Completely agree
□ Mostly agree
□ Somewhat agree/disagree
□ Mostly disagree
□ Completely disagree
I look for quality not quantity when brainstorming.
□ Very descriptive of me
□ Somewhat true of me
□ Not descriptive of me
Making use of previous experiences and applying a method or approach that has worked in the past is the best possible way to proceed when problem-solving.
□ Agree
□ Disagree
When brainstorming, I stop to think critically about suggestions.
□ Always
□ Almost always
□ Sometimes
□ Almost never
□ Never
I trust my intuition.
□ Very descriptive of me
□ Somewhat true of me
□ Not descriptive of me
I am told (or feel) I may be slowing things down by overanalyzing.
□ Always
□ Almost always
□ Sometimes
□ Almost never
□ Never
Producing many ideas that have the same underlying theme is a waste of valuable time.
□ Completely agree
□ Mostly agree
□ Somewhat agree/disagree
□ Mostly disagree
□ Completely disagree
When working on a project/problem, I like to get clear instructions on going about solving it before I start.
□ Very descriptive of me
□ Somewhat true of me
□ Not descriptive of me
Asking for input from others when problem-solving is a sign of weakness or lack of resourcefulness.
□ Completely agree
□ Mostly agree
□ Somewhat agree/disagree
□ Mostly disagree
□ Completely disagree
I keep a notepad, PDA, or timeline with me when I have a project on my plate; ideas (possible solutions) come when I least expect them too.
□ Always
□ Almost always
□ Sometimes
□ Almost never
□ Never
Once a good suggestion is brought to the table, coming up with different ways of pursuing a goal is senseless.
□ Completely agree
□ Mostly agree
□ Somewhat agree/disagree
□ Mostly disagree
□ Completely disagree
I jump at the opportunity to come up with innovative solutions to problems or creative approaches to work projects.
□ Always
□ Almost always
□ Sometimes
□ Almost never
□ Never
As far as change is concerned, I;
□ ;prefer to maintain existing methods.
□;am somewhat accepting of doing things differently.
□;readily accept changes and innovations.
Overall, I am generally a happy person or at least appear to be □ Completely agree □ Mostly agree □ Somewhat agree/disagree □ Mostly disagree □ Completely disagree END OF SURVEY NAME (Last, First, Middle)
________________________________________ SOC. SEC. # (OPTIONAL)
___________________
ADDRESS (Number and Street, City, State, Zip Code) ________________________________________ PHONE NO.
(___)______________
POSITION DESIRED
________________________________________ Full-time ___ Part-time
___
EDUCATION
NAME AND ADDRESS
OF SCHOOL MAJOR DEGREE/
DIPLOMA
High
School
___________________
___________________
___________________
________
________
________
________
________
________
College
___________________
___________________
___________________
________
________
________
________
________
________
Trade, business, other
___________________
___________________
___________________
________
________
________
________
________
________
SPECIAL SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS: List job-related licenses, skills, training, honors, awards, and special accomplishments related to a PA position. (Note: You can skip this and the next section if provided on resume)
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:
Current Employer: ___________________________________________________________________________
Supervisor: _________________________________________________________________________________
Phone: ____________________________________________________________________________________
Position Title: _______________________________________________________________________________
From: ______________ To: ______________
Duties: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Salary: _______________ _______________
(Starting)
(Ending)
Reason for leaving: __________________________________________________________________________
Previous Employer: __________________________________________________________________________
Address:___________________________________________________________________________________
Supervisor: _________________________________________________________________________________
Phone: ____________________________________________________________________________________
Position Title: _______________________________________________________________________________
From: ______________ To: ______________
Duties: ____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Salary: _______________ _______________
(Starting)
(Ending)
MAY WE CONTACT YOUR PRESENT EMPLOYER? Yes _____ No _____
I CERTIFY THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS SURVEY AND APPLICATION IS TRUE AND COMPLETE TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND THAT ANY FALSE INFORMATION ON THIS APPLICATION MAY BE GROUNDS FOR NOT HIRING ME.
DATE________________SIGNATURE__________________________________________
Would you like a copy of this page sent to you? Yes _____ No _____ This list is intended for nothing more than an answer to a FAQ of this company. We do not work directly for, nor do we employee any of these people. Rarely do we stay in contact with these individuals, unless they require additional services. These individuals, however, received hosting (Personal Assistance) by someone from this organization.
-This is NOT a complete list-
-Matt Pinfield,
-Paris Whitney Hilton
-James Blunt
-Hulk and Brooke Hogan
-Beyoncé
-Justin Timberlake
-Rapper T.I.
-Russell Simmons
-Beastie Boys
-Sean "Diddy" Combs.
-Bootsy Collins
-George Clinton
-Fat Joe
-Regina King
-Tracy Morgan
-Mike Epps
-OutKast: Andre 3000 & Big Boi
-Forest Whitaker
-In addition to this list of celebrities includes numerous CEOs and Executives from Fortune 500 Companies.
NOTE: If this list makes you flustered, star struck, or eager to ask for an autograph, this job is not for you. We strive to produce competent, well qualified, adept individuals who will represent our sect in the utmost professional manner.
Mail Checklist:
Complete Pages 2-7
$40 handling\processing\assessment fee, via concealed cash or money order made out to JP and Associates. (Credit Card is NOT the preferred method of payment; however, if you must pay by CC, contact our office immediately via e-mail to avoid a delay in your application\interview process. A $15 fee will be assessed to all CC payees) A current copy of your resume, if previous work history is not included above Mail to:
JP and Associates
484 Bottesford Dr.
Kennesaw, GA. 30144
Suite B
As a courtesy to all applicants, we will contact you immediately after your assessment has been successfully processed and reviewed. Tentatively, interviews will be during the week ending May 10th, 2008.
Fact Finding:
Their offices:
As Google Earth clearly shows, their address is a residential cul-du-sac, 40 miles from their claimed location of "Buckhead / North Atlanta"
JP and Associates Website:
Their website, www.JPsAssociates.com, which they claimed: "(Our website is finally being upgraded, Yippee!!)", as of April 30, 2008, is non-functional. Reports on other websites indicate that it has never had anything other than this "under construction" sign on it:
The domain is registered in India. That's right, India, to a "Shikhar Sharma". Here's his email address: shikhar_sharma@hotmail.com and phone number: 0121-3291000. Apparently, he lives across the street from a movie theater.
Registrant:
sharma, shikhar
opp.Filmistan Cinema
Khair Nagar |
MEERUT, Uttar Pradesh 250002 INDomain Name: JPSASSOCIATES.COM
Administrative Contact :
sharma, shikhar
shikhar_sharma@hotmail.com
opp.Filmistan Cinema
Khair Nagar
MEERUT, Uttar Pradesh 250002 IN
Phone: 0121-3291000Technical Contact :
Rediff.com India Limited
domaintech@rediff.co.in
L J First Cross Rd, Mahim-W Mumbai, MH 400016 IN
Phone: 91-22-444-9144
Record expires on 02-Aug-2008
Record created on 02-Aug-2007
Their email address:
JPandAssociates@Bellsouth.net is a personal email account from BellSouth, not a account linked to their own domain.
The Business Entity
Normally, businesses are incorporated, registered and/or licensed in the state in which they operate. There can be exceptions to this, especially for businesses with locations in multiple states, but this would be the expectation. A search on the State of Georgia State Department website finds no matches for "JP and Associates", nor for any business that starts with "JP and". The closest match we could find is "J P Associates, Inc.", based in Kennesaw:
Officers
Title: CEO Name: A. J. PATON
Address: 2006 ECTOR COURT
KENNESAW GA 30152
This does not appear to be a correct match, as the officer's name and address do not match.
"Dr. Bradley's cell phone:
Exchange 206-222 is in or around Seattle, WA, in King County, Zipcode 98119. It is possible that the owner of this phone lives in Atlanta and maintains the same number after moving from the west coast, but it is certainly another piece of information that is inconsistent.
The fees:
Application fees for job applicants? That is odd and rare, especially if they are supplying personal assistants to wealthy celebrities!
Poor grammar and syntax
From which university did "Dr. Jonathon Bradley" earn his PhD? He uses phrases which sound like an uneducated person's concept of what an educated person would say; such as "Thusly".
Other allegations of a scam
A number of other individuals and websites have posted the same email and identified it as a scam:
Conclusion
If this is not an outright scam, then it is certainly a misrepresentation or a very well disguised company. We have found no evidence that JP and Associates:
- is a legal business entity,
- actually has the celebrity clients that they claim and
- after collecting the application fees, actually does find jobs for applicants.
Other Jobs Scams
There are a variety of sleazy scams that look, at first glance, like legitimate job offers. Before you write back to them, pause a moment and read about the scams below!
Some of the more common job scams are