Upset - Need to Vent!

lizblizz2012

So I don't know if any of you have heard of Vector, but it's a shady company that recruits naive college students to sell expensive CutCo knives. They scam kids out of a ton of cheap labor and money and are super sketchy. The trainings are unpaid, you have to pay a deposit to work there, you make almost no commission, you pay your own gas to get to appts, and there are penalties for not selling quota. Seems a bit rough for a college student. I've had several friends get conned by them and lost TONS of money. They also have had several lawsuits against them for fraud. Well they set up a kiosk in one of the buildings at my university. Two girls that I know stopped and asked for info and began filling out applications. The representative guy asked if I wanted information, and I said no because I knew it was a scam. Other students around said they had been scammed. I then walked away and went to the campus coffee shop.

THE GUY FOLLOWED ME. He accosted me and he chewed me out in the lobby of the coffee shop. He said I was wrong, that it wasn't a scam, and that he didn't appreciate me "scaring off" other students. He said I had no credibility to make those claims and basically just went on saying how "uncool" that was. I told him I understood he was doing his job, but that I would not stand by while kids fell into the trap, and that I knew people who had been scammed, and that I had researched the lawsuits against them for fraud.

At this point, people were staring. I believe I had a moral obligation to say something. The kids around me felt that way too because they also said something. Was this guy totally out of line? Should I contact his supervisor/the student affairs office about it? I ended up calling my husband after it happened and he was NOT happy.

Thanks for letting me vent.

Hearts_2015

a report to the local BBB would be a good start!

BubblySharon

I would definitely file a complaint against him! He was totally unprofessional!!

pphrog

you were right and i would definately contact student affairs with his conduct.

lizblizz2012

Thanks, I will definitely contact someone. Just making sure I'm not overreacting.

Lalouse

You should totally report it to student affairs! No vendor that comes to the school should talk to a student like that or follow them for that matter...

You could stand there all day with a sign right next to him that says it's a scam and he has no right to stop you! If you have a school newspaper, I think you should ask them to write something about this company. Maybe some students would be willing to share their experiences or that of their friends.

I heard of things like this when I was in college. My little brother once almost got scammed by one of the companies when he first started college. He filled an application, went to the interview, and when he told me about it, and that they wanted money for the training.. I looked them up and found lawsuits and scam alerts, just like you did. Other friends of his fell into the trap..

Mallory0418

He was WAY out of line. You're the consumer, it's not your job to make his company look good. Maybe if you had stuck around he could have had some room to "argue" your claims but he was completely inappropriate to follow you once you left. You should definitely report him, and in my opinion, he shouldn't be allowed back on campus as a vendor. That's just crazy.

UsedToBeHusky

You need to at least complain to whoever allows this guy to have a kiosk on campus.

Edit to add.... and campus security!

Edited again for having the election on my brain, LOL!

serena569

1. He should not have treated you that way. You should report him to the school and to Cutco.

2. My daughter worked for Cutco last summer and I felt the same way when she told me she was doing it. I was proven wrong. She didn't have to pay for anything up front and she made wuite a bit of money. They work as indeoendent contractors so they are responsible for all their expenses, income taxes, and social security payments - same as the Kirby vacuum guy or the Avon lady. Also, she did not return her knofe kit at the end of the summer. I've been waiting for a bill for it and haven't received one although it's been more than a year. So I started using them and they are awesome knives and scissors.

lizblizz2012

Thanks guys. I feel better.

misslindseylou

They once tried to get me! As soon as I figured out that it was door to door knife sales, I backed out and told them that I wasn't interested. That really wasn't something I wanted to do and it just felt like a scam to me...which sucked, because if it wasn't I could have really used the job and money.

6packb450

I would call the campus police. Scam or not... NO ONE SHOULD EVER FOLLOW YOU, or accost you like that. I would have taken that as a threat!

RedHeadDevotchka

Ya, I would say something. You have the right to voice your opinion about the legitmacy of something especially when HE approached you to ask if you wanted to sign up.

kelseyhere

he shouldn't have followed you, i'm sure his supervisor would be upset to hear that he left his post unattended.

guardian419

I would have done physical bodily harm because he was following and harrasing me, and made me feel in danger. But thats just me, I'm not a nice person :happy:

_skittybang

I did this in high school.... it was legit. I made money but it was such a pain in the *kitten*.

You should have seen me cutting through a tin can for my friends and family - a joke.

But legit.

Skinnymunkii

Get Campus Security. That's harassment.

d_Mode

Since stabbing him with a pair of scissors that can cut through a penny wouldn't be a good option, reporting him or filing a complaint would probably be best!

GretchenReine

a report to the local BBB would be a good start!

^^^ THIS!

tomomatic

You said "accosted." Did he put his hands on you or threaten to harm you in any way? If so, that's assault.

I've been to a cutco meeting. My uncle and best friend sold their knives. Their product is actually not bad. Their business practices are something else. You're buying the inventory that you're supposed to sell. If you can't sell, then you have to keep it. NuSkin and other businesses operate the same way.

I would also work with the school to have them banned from campus. They lure students off campus with hourly wages and then force them to buy their system. It's a bait and switch.

Jennloella

I would report it to campus security maybe he won't be allowed back.

lizblizz2012

You said "accosted." Did he put his hands on you or threaten to harm you in any way? If so, that's assault.

I've been to a cutco meeting. My uncle and best friend sold their knives. Their product is actually not bad. Their business practices are something else. You're buying the inventory that you're supposed to sell. If you can't sell, then you have to keep it. NuSkin and other businesses operate the same way.

I would also work with the school to have them banned from campus. They lure students off campus with hourly wages and then force them to buy their system. It's a bait and switch.

No he did not touch or assault. It was all verbal. I have no doubt that the knives are great. I just said that they were expensive... so expensive that they can be hard to sell. But yeah, I'm more concerned about his conduct than I am about the legitimacy of the company. And yes I will definitely work on getting him outta here. Definitely not going to be comfortable walking past that kiosk.

dmpizza

That's very brave of you.
If I were you, I would go to whatever school authority sanctions these booths and air your grievences.
I assume your sources are reliable, so if they are, then there is no reason your school would not protect students.
If you are uneasy about this, a call from your parents would probably make them dissapear even faster.

Goosiesnougs

Had a guy do this sort of thing to me a week ago at Walmart......I knew it was a scam but I let him do his thing for 10 minutes and then said no thanks.....Don't want a job.

This week I went and saw him doing the same thing to another woman and I walked past her and said "Keep walking, he did this to me last week...It's a scam."
She left him and he came flying out the door, told me to mind my business and then said "Nice cellulite!" (I was in workout shorts because I had just left the gym) This coming from a 200+ pound man to me

---

I'm 5'7'' and 140. I run every morning then go to the gym and lift for another hour! Apparently he was pissed off that I ruined his schtick! Go tell on your guy....Totally out of line!

lizblizz2012

You could stand there all day with a sign right next to him that says it's a scam and he has no right to stop you!

This is actually a great idea. Something I would totally do. I might just do it, just as a matter of principle.

postrockandcats

Oh, gosh

Definitely complain. Get a few students together and sign a petition if you need be. That's NOT cool.

lizblizz2012

Had a guy do this sort of thing to me a week ago at Walmart......I knew it was a scam but I let him do his thing for 10 minutes and then said no thanks.....Don't want a job.

This week I went and saw him doing the same thing to another woman and I walked past her and said "Keep walking, he did this to me last week...It's a scam."
She left him and he came flying out the door, told me to mind my business and then said "Nice cellulite!" (I was in workout shorts because I had just left the gym) This coming from a 200+ pound man to me

---

I'm 5'7'' and 140. I run every morning then go to the gym and lift for another hour! Apparently he was pissed off that I ruined his schtick! Go tell on your guy....Totally out of line!

Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry that happened to you.

ggcat

I would have done physical bodily harm because he was following and harrasing me, and made me feel in danger. But thats just me, I'm not a nice person :happy:

Yes! Me too! Follow me and good things will not follow you!

BeautyDoll

You also need to contact the campus police and file a report.

lorib75

I'd say the University is responsible for kicking his butt off campus. Whomever deals with security there should be contacted. Especially since he followed you. That is scary.

lizblizz2012

That's very brave of you.
If I were you, I would go to whatever school authority sanctions these booths and air your grievences.
I assume your sources are reliable, so if they are, then there is no reason your school would not protect students.
If you are uneasy about this, a call from your parents would probably make them dissapear even faster.

yeah, I just emailed the manager of student affairs. And I think I'll have my husband take care of it. If I told my parents they would FREAK out and blow it way out of proportion. Seriously. One time I got in a fender bender accident when I was in high school and the lady I hit called me a b**** and my dad when CRAZY on her. The police had to be called. But yes thank you for the advice!