We got scammed!

Me and a few of my classmates had a hilarious experience today. We're suppose to have this practicum thing for school for the next two months. We're supposed to act like consultants for a company so we can use what we learn here in school. It's supposed to start on the 17th and I'm panicking already because I don't have any company yet to work for. So when I got called for an interview, I was hoping this could be my back-up company in case no other company would call me anymore. I went there with Inyas (an Indonesian), Jeff, and Stephen. We met another classmate there, Lori. We sat together in a small room and there was a projector in front of us. They presented their product, it was a golf membership club. It's like getting playing rights in different golf courses around the Philippines. I was thinking...okay, this is good. Then slowly, they showed us the membership fees, and I'm like, so far so good. Then they brought out another slide about recruiting members. Uh-oh! That sounded weird. Then she was talking about pairings and direct referral fees...whaaaat!!!! A pyramid scam!!!! Okay, that was so harsh. The politically correct term is: Multi-level Marketing. Stephen and I were texting each other though we're a few seats apart. He goes, do they want us to sell? Then Lori, like the real Chinese she is, starts asking questions about how to earn money. I was just counting the minutes when I could leave the place. Stephen and I still exchange texts, Inyas kept on sneezing behind me, and Lori still asking how she could earn more money! Then Stephen asks how will we be graded since we were supposed to give a paper and the company was suppose to grade us. The girl goes...Oh, by the number of people you get! Hah! I don't think so! And before we could recruit, we were suppose to be members ourselves. We were supposed to pay Php20000. I was itching to storm out of the place! When she mentioned about the interview, I politely told her we had to get back to school for our class... which was true. Stephen and Inyas couldn't wait to get out either and said we could just schedule another interview, never mind that they weren't my classmates in Finance! Lori wanted to stay but didn't want to be left there. She was hooked with the millions they claim she could earn! So we left, acting like true Asians by telling them we would keep in touch and even exchanged calling cards. We went down the building and took a cab back to AIM.

Back in school we ran to the secretaries in charge of our class. We told them what happened. I couldn't stop laughing! Apparently they thought of making money out of us by helping them do networking. Oh! It was horrible experience and a total waste of time! But it was really funny!

I should have followed my instincts! I wanted to ditch the interview already but just couldn't bring myself to ignore it. Now I know...always listen to your instincts!!!