Real life PUNK’D! (Should be SCAM’D!) - LONG BUT WORTH IT.

I woke up around 4am today.

Despite the fact that I slept late and of course who couldn’t forget about what happened yesterday. I feel so drained right now. I think I only slept because I needed to but as soon as my body felt somehow recovered, my brain suddenly hit me with a lot of doubting questions, unending sighs, and of course the piercing feeling of being betrayed. It’s almost depressing. It's actually depressing.

Last Saturday, I received a phone call from an insistent caller. I wasn't able to answer the call before but while I was waiting for my derm, my cell phone rang and voila its the same number. I picked it thinking it was from another company but I thought of ending the call thinking again its from CitiFinancial reminding me of my aunt’s debt. (This is another story) So there you go we talked. The first few sentences of this caller is like a pure adrenalin rush. It was so fast that you could only assume one thing: A BIG JOB IS WAITING FOR ME. AND I’LL BE RICH!

To fully explain the situation here’s a phrase taken from another blog. Edited to fully explain my side:

1. They always hide the truth [about the company]. They first call you saying you were referred by a friend and that they are in need of a business partner for expansion of a U.S. based company or they are in need of executives with a monthly salary of 20k to 30k per month.

2. Once you show interest, they will tell you to proceed to the [building] and if you ask them what the nature of the job is, they will tell you "it is too long to explain it here over the phone" (hello, what is 5 mins of a rundown)! If you ask what company, they will not tell you first but if you ask again, they say [insert the scumbag’s company].

3. Then you begin to scratch your head and decide to ask if this is network marketing or MLM, and they will tell you "it is not".They will do all misrepresentations, deception, and lies in order for you to proceed to the bldg. They really practice unethical business, and this blog will expose it all.

In my case, #1 happened to me. The caller told me that they got my name from our school’s database. I trusted him thinking it was my school. I worked at our career office before graduation so I know that these things happen. For #2, perfect explanation!!! “I cant explain it on the phone, you need to come over.” The company he said is Kaizen International. It’s a rare opportunity. He selects few and he mentioned something about US blah blah. He doesn't have an email, no website. The evidences are there but I still believed. I’ll tell you why later. For #3, I ASKED HIM VIA PHONE, “You are not a networking company, aren't you? He bluntly said, NO, we aren't. Clear, concise words.

Wait before you raise that eyebrow. I know what I did was really not my character. A friend of mine even said, this is not you. You are always meticulous and you research before you go. But mind you guys, that guy I have talked is skilful. Given the fact that I let myself be fooled, I was swooned by his words.

What pains me more about this is that I actually went there. I had the bad intuition already but I didn't follow it. Did you know that I was in the province right now? I even went to Ortigas for that scumbag? And despite the unbearable heat and the scare of the swine flu, I still went there! Wow, I even waited long at Megamall because the meeting was at 3:30pm. I arrived by 11am. IMAGINE. To kill my time, I went to Netopia. I announced it on my twitter and on my YM friends that I am meeting this guy from Kaizen International and I am quite suspicious of his actions. I told them the name of the guy. Sorry Vincent I have to name drop you. Your surname is safe. See I am still kind despite of what happened, I really don't know why. Me and my friends researched but all we can see are not really the Kaizen International thing that the caller is saying. I told my friends to blotter this guy if they wont hear anything from me after a day. HAHAHA. As serious as that. They were worried. My grandma is worried. My parents didn't know it because I don't want them to worry. I know deep inside this is a scam but I want to see it myself. I already know that a bad news is coming.

I always told myself, whenever an opportunity comes, just go and see what’s in store for you. How to detect a good call? Listen to his English Communication skills. If its good then go. JUST GO. If not good, then lesson learned. Well then its really a lesson learned.

On our scheduled meeting, I went to that building.

I picked up a taxi. PS. I am not an Ortigas person. So I asked the taxi if he knows Robinsons bank beside Linden Suites. Taxi guy is clueless but he knows the Linden Suites. He said, “OCTAGON?” I said, “NO ROBINSON’S BANK BLDG” When we were in that place, I saw it finally. ROBINSONS BUILDING IS IN OCTAGON. Hmm something is really fishy here. Do you know that I even wore a corporate attire? F*** it. Now you can laugh. I went straight to the guard and asked about Kaizen Int’l. Wow how could he not know the company? Along the way I heard another girl asking, “Ano bang meron jan sa Kaizen na yan, Kuya?” I looked at her and talked to her. I learned that she already went to the same building a year ago. Same propaganda. DIFFERENT NAME BUT BOILS TO ONE: NU SKIN.

My jaw dropped. I am already there. I need to know it more myself. The girl that I was talking is really pissed. Who wouldn't be pissed? They are insistent, they are manipulative, they even fooled her twice or thrice! She wants to leave but I convinced her to stay and we will work in team lol. We are determined to smack that first class A-hole’s face.

I couldn't even believe it myself. Several fresh new faces. All of them dressed up for that event. Most are naive and clueless. I am glad I was already informed. I saw some real action of deception. People in their most confident attitude shaking hands with people with confused almost hypnotized persona. Their tactics: look at the name in the logsheet. Call out that particular name, sweet talk and voila, they will let them proceed to a seminar room. I dont know what’s in there but based from my newly founded friend, its a talk where a person says, I got rich from this at 23 blah blahs. YEAH RIGHT.

We waited. Vincent texted us the same forwarded message. It was really A BIG LOL. He asked about what color are we wearing. WTF?! No we didn't answer. I told him I was there waiting. He said, he will let his top executive talk to me. OF COURSE I DONT WANT ANYBODY. I WANT VINCENT HIMSELF. IF THEY INSISTED, I MUST HAVE EXAGERRATED THAT MOMENT AND WILL SHOUT TO EVERYONE, “GIVE ME THAT VINCENT! GIVE ME THAT VINCEEEENT!!!!!!!!!” hahaha but his executive found and talked to my newly founded friend. I texted Vincent that I want to talk to him personally and nobody else. Few minutes went by and he is there. Hmmm. In a corporate suit. OOOOOOOOO.

What happened next is really a BIG LOL AND AN OBVIOUS DECEPTION but since Vincent is really passionate about his work, I didn’t even bother to punch his face (GAY LINGO: JOMBAG) or to scrutinize his work. After all, I am educated and I graduated Psychology. I should understand these personalities. (CECILY’S UNCONCIOUS SELF REAL TERM: Mentally retarded bastard people)

I still cant believe it. I am sad about his work. Despite of what happened I still think he has some good traits. Give him a benefit of a doubt. But I don’t understand how he can live by lying and how he can use it to trick people. I was listening to our conversation again last night. YES I RECORDED IT. I HAVE EVIDENCE. That brought me a lot of emotions. Anger - confusion - pity. Vincent told me his story. It turned out that I was the one interviewing him. He managed to know a lot about us so we should know more about him. He started just like us. Confused, didn't know what to do in life after graduating. Went to a good school not practicing the course. But he chose to live in that kind of lifestyle. He chose to earn money by trapping people to come attend a certain networking seminar. Yes I don't doubt their products. BUT THE KEY IS BELIEVING IN A PRODUCT. I don't even trust their manner of recruiting people, how can I believe in that product? Networking is already taught in Chicago University something or in DLSU or Chiang Kai Chek? FINE. BUT IT DOESNT WORK FOR EVERYONE. Cause first, a real practical person wont use his PHP 12,000 to use the skin care, putting creams on his face, drinking the supplements and waiting for the big pot of gold from heaven. NO. CAUSE YOU HAVE TO DO THE SAME. TRAP AND DECEIVE. Isn't that such a low life living? (Enter Vincent's voice: I didnt force you) Nobody forced us yes, I don’t care even if you did, I might still attend. Remember, I am very eager to answer my curiosity. The psychoanalytic person in me kicks in. I should put that as a thesis next time if I pursue Social Psychology as my MA or PhD. But again its the deception. And the lack of privacy that they have invaded. This is what irks most of us who are angry at NU SKIN.

Vincent is intelligent. He is the perfect manifestation of that movie where Leonardo Dicaprio starred in, Catch me if you can. That might be exaggerated but come to think of it. If he can manage to do one single very minute tiny little white lie, how sure are you that he wont do a black lie later on in his life? Okay that’s not how a Psychologist must answer lol. but really, just asking. Is that what you call living in principles? Where are your values come in? He even taught me about people trail. I rather call it, the Mother Goose Theory. Little geese's follow their mother as soon as their eggs hatch right? That’s how according to him the people trail works, you follow the successful person and eventually you’ll be the same. I said, “WOULD YOU FOLLOW BLINDLY?” He said not necessarily blindly. Just base your assumptions with the facts (FACT YOU. CECILY UNCONSIOUS’ SELF TALKS AGAIN SRY). Now he’s really talking. If trapping and sweet talking people is what he is referring as “THE FACT” then I think I will believe with Imelda Marcos when she said, “God is love. I have loved. Therefore, I will go to heaven.”

I'm still investigating about his so called resources. Where did he get my number? To think that I have kept it safe since high school. I am starting to think that my internet based raket has something to do with it. See the price of working home based? It’s risky.

I have to say this, when I went there, I was waiting for Ashton Kutcher to appear and tell me, YOU ARE PUNK’D!!! BUT NO ITS REAL LIFE and ASHTON IS NOT EVEN HERE IN THE PHILS. PS. I dont want Carlos Agassi haha.

PS. Kaizen International according to Vincent is his own company. He is a partner of NU SKIN and PHARMANEX. He makes system for them. That system is a euphemism of direct selling. He will say that it is a business development company and the work is a leadership position. When we went there, he reiterated his words saying that I dont remember saying I am offering you a job. I am very careful with my words. And yeah he didn't but he said, its a leadership position so who wouldn't think its not a job? He knows the drill. He knows how to play with words. He should pursue law. Definitely he has a future in that field. If you were deceived as well, don’t be apathetic. Do your job by informing people in the littlest way that you can. I am not sure why they weren’t on XXX yet or in Imbestigador haha. I guess they have played the cards really well.

LESSON LEARNED.