A netizen shared how he was scammed into becoming an insurance agent and that he now owes his boss money as a result.
Here is the story
I had just graduated from uni and was looking for a marketing job, I came across this job post which was for a marketing and events role.
Everything seemed great, there was no mention of the financial industry anywhere until the 2nd interview, they mentioned that they’re “collaborating” with an insurance company, lets just call it P.
They told me that my job scope was to create events, help people with marketing but I had to take a few finance exams. I know it was very gullible of me but in my defense, it was my 1st ever full time job so I just believed everything they said.
I was told that everything will be paid for, I will be paid to study/train. I was paid a monthly salary the 2 months I was training and taking exams. But turns out these monthly salaries were from my boss’ own pocket.
I had to retake a few papers but after passing all my exams and joining the company did I only realise the true nature of my job but by then I was told that I now owe my boss for the retake exam fees (which my boss had conveniently not mentioned that I had to cover for it, as all he said was “dont worry about it” whenever I failed the exams) and the monthly salaries that were given to me which were apparently advanced payments rather than actual salaries.
I was now stuck in the job with a debt to clear. I was not the only one that ended up in this situation, almost all my colleagues were in the same boat.
In the following months I was there, the debt only grew bigger as my boss made it compulsory for us to purchase marketing leads, put up ads in order to get more sales.
All of the money used came from not only my own pocket but was forcefully loaned to me by my boss. I was told that all these money used will be paid back by the company as long as we hit our monthly targets.
Fast forward to September, where we were supposed to claim our money from the company, I was told that there was a system error and that the money will be delayed.
I left the agency “illegally” after as I could not handle the stress and debt any longer. I still owed my boss money and we agreed that this debt will be paid using the money the company owed me.
The following months I kept being told that there was a system error and the money will be delayed. Fast forward 4 months later, we’re in a new year and the company finally gave me the money they owed me but because I was no longer active in the company and was no longer hitting my sales target, they deducted all that money and claimed it as penalty and financing deductions.
The 1st thing that came into mind was if they had not kept delaying, I would have gotten the full amount and the company would have no choice later on but to use my commissions to cover for the penalty and financing deductions.
So why am I the only one facing the consequences now? Why is the company not being held responsible for delaying for multiple months only to take it back from me. Why do I still owe my boss now when this couldve been easily covered if they had paid me on time.
What should I do?
Netizens’ comments
- Do you have any written agreements? I think your best option is probably to go to MOM and tell them the truth and hope for the best.
As you said, this was a scam. Totally agree. Scam deserves legal action or at least seek help from MOM
- Contact MOM and then submit police report too.
Submit whatever documents you have along with the conversation you have black and white and then wait for further advise from them or result.
- Why’d you think people hate insurance agents or whatever they wanna call themselves these days.
Pretty sure these people are protected by having you sign something you didnt read.