No toys for you! (On being a skeptical charity donor)
I hate being skeptical about charitable solicitors, but I am.
This evening there was a solicitor with a table display of children’s toys on the sidewalk in front of the Long’s Pharmacy on Middlefield Road, next to a barrel marked for donation to Toys for Tots. In general, I like to make planned donations, and usually only make unplanned donations to people and causes that I know or are reasonably likely to be who they say they are. (Girl Scout cookies come to mind…)
For some reason, this evening I actually took the time to stop at this woman’s display and hear her pitch. The basic idea was that you buy one of her “pre-approved” toys and put them in the donation barrel at the end of the booth. The suggested items were around $20, and at the moment I didn’t recall hearing of Toys for Tots before (it turns out they’re legitimate, and well rated at Charity Navigator), so I asked if she had any credentials or anything else to vouch for her. She had a letter in a plastic sheet protector describing Toys for Tots, but said she didn’t have any ID and no one there would know who she was.
I was starting to vaguely recall something about Toys for Tots (it’s the toy drive run by the Marine Corps), and it seemed they would be better organized than that. The woman offered to call her supervisor and proceeded to dial a number on her cell phone, but no one answered on the other end.
At this point in the conversation I’m thinking I’ve already spent too much time on this and want to leave, but I get out a pen to write down the contact info on the letter in the sheet protector anyway. The woman I’ve been talking with doesn’t offer her name, but volunteers that she’s working for a company called Fifth Dimension Promotions, so I write that down as well, and departed without making a toy or cash donation. I told her I wasn’t comfortable making a $20 donation to someone I didn’t know with no plausible credentials, and suggested that she have Toys for Tots or her company provide her with something for future outings.
Later, digging around on Google, no such company turns up as “Fifth Dimension Promotions”, but “5th Dimension Promotionz” is apparently a multi-level marketer based in San Jose. They don’t appear to have their own web site, but show many listings on various job sites. They describe themselves:
5th Dimension Promotionz is the nation’s leading provider of promotional marketing and event marketing solutions. We work in conjunction with industry leaders in the fields of hospitality, sports, and charities. 5th Dimension Promotionz provides unique cross promotional strategies and product launch promotions. We provide staff to represent our clients at trade shows and sporting events for sampling and product demonstrations, as well as providing sales and marketing efforts throughout our communities.
So, in the worst case, we have a freelance charity promoter, selling toys at what appears to be a relatively high markup in the name of charity, and perhaps even reclaiming the items from the donation barrel at the end of the day so little to nothing ends up going to charity.
In the best case, we have a freelance charity promoter, selling somewhat overpriced toys and using most of the profit margin to pay for the booth staffer and downline MLM, with some additional toys going to Toys for Tots. The donors would have achieved more by giving directly to Toys for Tots, although the promoter is arguably providing a marketing and convenience service. I probably would have donated if I were confident that some of the money would end up in right hands.
Having looked up Toys for Tots on Charity Navigator, it looks like it’s well run, with 98% of funds going to programs rather than overhead. I’m not sure that they even have an affiliation with 5th Dimension Productionz, other than having some extra toys turn up at the end of the season.
I have mixed feelings about all this. In principle, I think most people would like to help others who ask. In practice, I’m reflexively distrustful of anyone claiming to work for a charity or political cause. I was puzzled by the woman and her booth this evening, and was curious enough to spend a few minutes checking it out. I started out feeling kind of bad that I didn’t trust her, and ended up feeling kind of bad that I was probably right. I suspect that 5th Dimension Productionz isn’t doing anything wrong, exactly. The woman staffing the booth is just doing her job, trying to work up the MLM ladder. But at best they’re misrepresenting or conflating their objectives and the Toys for Tots. At worst they’re preying on the goodwill and lack of curiosity of passers-by to separate them from their money in the name of a good cause.
This is why I usually stick with planned charitable donations, other than to people and causes I know.
If you would like to make a donation and be sure that it’s going to Toys for Tots, you can use their online form here.
If anyone knows more about 5th Dimension Promotionz and Toys for Tots or their other charity clients, feel free to comment below.
Is Paradigm Events Inc (http://www.paradigamevents.net)
similar to 5th Dimensionz Promotionz??
You know there is an another website for Paradigm Events Inc..(http://www.paradigamevents.com). Which is located in Canada.
Please tell me is Paradigm Events Inc (http://www.paradigamevents.net) is anything like 5th Dimensions Promotionz
To the Unknown user post on March 19th, 2008 at 9:02 pm…
First of all, you see all these posts where everyone calls it a scam because everyone here is misguided. We all had a frustrating experience of doing some free labor for you. Your 5DP posted job adds on carrerbuilder, monster claiming an internship program, opportunity for recent college grads, event coordinator, event marketing etc. Now, where do you see this as an internship? where do you see an event? How can this be an opportunity for college grads when you do not even need a high school education for such work? Recent college grads do not go to college to do this type of work.
you say your firm is out there to teach people how to market themselves? Let me tell you, marketing involves tons of strategies, there are several different market segments that people have to learn. People cannot learn marketing by just standing in front of the store, catching shoppers for donation. Another reason, it’s a scam is because people who do donate believe all of their money is going into charity. How about letting the individual know that only 5% of your money will reach CPEA? You think they would still donate? I do not think so. Of course CPEA will accept a donation from you. They get the donation that’s all matters to them. Where did you get that money? They do not know or will bother to know. What Diligence, Persistance, Heart, Time, Passion are you talking about here? Why don’t you explain us? I do not know about the bracelets for cancer you are talking about, but it seems there are in the same boat as 5DP which is not too far from sinking…
I answered an ad in Career builder for 5th Dimension. I received a very nice email back stating that they had the following positions open, and would love to interview me.
Event Marketing Assistant, Manager Assistant, Customer Service, Event Coordinator and Public Relations
I went in for the 1st interview which lasted for all of 10 minutes (after waiting in the lobby for 45 minutes). I was jazzed about the position however. Event coordination is right up my alley, and the fact that they are raising money for charities such as DARE and CPEA, WOW! What more could a girl ask for.
I was called back for a 2nd interview the following day. This would be an on the job training type interview, to see if I was really interested in the position. Cool… I can deal with that, after all it is a cause I really believe in. Well folks, that is the end of the happy story.
I am asked to ride to the ‘event’ with my interviewer and the new hire she was training. On the way there, I begin asking questions about the company. What kind of ‘event’ are we going to. No answer, rather questions. ‘What is the difference between direct marketing and indirect marketing’. I answer, and my answer is met with approval and more information about all the fundraising activities they do, and the partnerships they have with Disney, Warner Bros. etc.
I’m so excited about their work, and so engaged with talking to my interviewer, I forget to pay attention to where we are going. We get there, and the first thing that happens is I am given a book to review while they ’set-up’. Oh, by the way, I have learned we will be doing direct marketing outside of a Lucky store in the ‘Cambrian district’.
I step inside the Lucky and sit in the Starbucks area reading the information and taking notes. After all, I have been told to ask lots of questions, and based on the quality of my questions, it will determine whether or not I get the informative lunch interview.
I read the information, which is mostly about how other companies are laying off etc. The information that is included about the parent company ‘Innovage’, makes it quite clear that the goal is for this to become a MLM with many branch companies underneath. Red flag #1.
I finish reading the information and return to the table outside. The nifty little trainer lady tells me to just watch what they are doing. Next thing I know she is quizzing me on the 5 steps she is completing. Ok… I’m watching, I tell her step #1 is to engage. ‘No, it is to introduce yourself’. Duh… engaging someone basically means that you are getting someones attention by introducing yourself.
Anyway… as the morning drags on, I notice that they are offering the items to people for different prices. I ask about it, and am given the whole story about margins etc…. Red Flag #2. Ok, usually you try to get full price, then allow people to bargain with you.
So finally I get to start asking my questions. My question #1 – How much out of what you collect, actually goes back to charity. Answer – 5%. My jaw must have dropped because she didn’t miss a beat when telling me how much they raise and that it doesn’t matter that they only give back 5% because they still raised $3M dollars. Hmmmm… BIG RED FLAG.
Then a lady comes out of the store and basically rips us a new one and explains about recent scams in the area that are only giving 10% back to the charities. WOW I think to myself, that is double what we are giving back.
I spent about 10 more minutes watching and mulling over all my new facts and told my interviewer this job was not for me. She was cordial, and said that is why they do the interview that way. She told me I now have 3 options. 1. Call a friend to come get me. 2. Take a taxi home at my own expense. 3. Hang out with them for the day and she would give me a ride back to my car.
I said I would find my own way home. My original intention was to simply walk as I had left my cell phone at home and didn’t have any phone numbers with me. I walked for about 5 minutes before realizing, I didn’t know where the hell I was or how to get home. I walked to a corner to find street signs, found a phone a called my friend.
My poor friend probably thought I had been raped or something as all that came out was ‘Will you please come and get me I am stranded. I don’t have my phone or my car, this is where I am, I’ll explain when you get here’.
Luckily she got there fairly quickly and I soon recovered from my stranding.
NEVER EVER let your interviewer take you in their car to some unknown destination. If the won’t allow you to follow them, run on home and thank your lucky stars.
5% back to the charity is not nearly enough in my book and it is my sincere hope that someone will look into this SCAM of a company.
Sure wish I had seen this blog BEFORE my day of torture.
FYI, this company is not a scam. if you guys are open minded enough, if one of you guys stay and put up with it for a least 2 weeks, you’d understand how this business works. It is true that %5 goes straight to the charity that this marketing firm works with….but 5% is actually pretty generous compared to the bracelets you buy at stores supporting breast cancer (they give 3%) if u help out to stop poverty with whole foods… are you aware that only 1% goes straight to the organization? A marketing firm is a for profit company…..it’s there to teach people how to market themselves to become successful but at the same time helping out a charity so we can feel good about ourselves and so that we don’t feel greedy….if you still think that it’s a scam….read this website: http://www.csrwire.com/News/8617.html Quantum Event Marketing is the mother company of 5th Dimension Promotionz along with alot of other even marketing firms. there’s over 100 offices around america raising money for CPEA….an average office makes about $18,000/week (low-balling it)…multiply that by 120 offices that’s raising for the same charity…..5% is actually alot of money…if you don’t believe me, the article will tell you. Obviously not many of you know the meaning of entrepreneurship…… Diligence, Persistance, Heart, Time, Passion….without any of these things….you basically have a employee mind set.
Thanks everyone for their comments. I’ve had to be extra careful after using hotjobs and careerbuilder and such. I had a response from Terra Wholesale, saying “because of the overwhelming something something call us to schedule an appointment…” just like a blogger in these posts said. Does anyone know them? I was thinking of 5dp but obviously not anymore. I received responses from three or four places, and they all seem to use similar tactics. They always start by saying “after reviewing your resume” and then they ask for a resume with all my contact info. That raised a flag when I received a response from Regionaljobbank.com, on behalf of a major company. I went to the actual website of that company and the qualifications and responsibilities, and the company’s description were the same, half ways, and they have postings on behalf of many other companies from McDonalds to Lockheed Martin. So I contacted the actual company and they immediately replied saying that was a scam. So avoid regional job bank. It was also weird that they ask for your cell phone, and cell phone carrier. These scammers make monster and all those websites difficult to use.
I went in for my first interview today. I had to drive out to San Jose and yes the place is trashy. This was my first real job interview so i was excited. The interview was only about 10 min. and i did meet with Lindsay. She is probably 28 i would say. I was excited to get the call back for the second interview but thought it weird that it would be from 9:30 to 6:30. They were saying that they work long days and saturday and that they are opening up a new branch so there would be lots of advancement opportunities. They needed managers and so on… Any way thanks for the posting i will not be going to my second interview and giving them free labor while trying to sell stuff by exploting peoples generosity. But on the bright side, the reseptionist was hot and was flurty so going into the first interview wasn’t a compleat waste.
Thanks to all u guys for the input, my wife did get an interview call and that too from “Lindsay” and doing google on the company brought me to this page. After reading i called my wife and told her to forget about this company and it is a big hoax ..
I was duped recently at my local Safeway and ended up buying the id and medical emergency “kits”. When I got home, there was nothing in the packages except written information for me to fill out and THEN send to an out-of-state company for processing. I fell for the scam because I wanted to help the “non-profit” organization find missing children. I have an 18-month daughter and I just wanted to protect her, but I realized later that I could have her fingerprints processed at my local police department. I paid $75 for the 2 kits and an overpriced child’s safety board game.
WOW! wth is up with this company. I had just finished a preliminary interview from this company today. I knew a lot of things were wrong with this business. First of all, the website that 5th dimension promotions had created seemed to be very sketchy. From the previous postings I had noticed that people have said that this company didn’t have a website. I did research on the company and found their website. In seeing that they have a nice page I would have expected the company to be a very large and profitable business. Though when I got to the location in San Jose, I was stunned to find it in a business park in a small office with a receptionist trying to flirt with me while the office was bumpin’ Billy Jean by Michael Jackson on the stereo! I just figured that this was a laid back kind of company… Everything that everyone else says is true, the interviewer brings u into a room and does like a 5-10 minute interview, and sez that she’ll call you back if they decide to choose you because of the great amount of traffic they have with applicants. I had just got the call-back for the 2nd interview while I had stumbled upon this blog. I AM SO HAPPY I FOUND THIS BLOG! This saves me from wasting my whole day with the nonsense that they have to try to sell to me. I aint spending a whole day in front of a fricken bestbuy or safeway… come on! SAFEWAY!?!?!?!
This really takes a toll on the people that really need to find a JOB. I feel really sorry for this one Indian lady I had seen filling out an application, she looks like a mother trying to support her children. I had also seen another Mexican woman looking like she had needed to start a new career and was soo excited to had been called in.
Please help to expose these people, you can also let people know and warn them on this website ripoffreport.com
[...] Later that night, I meet up with Frank, and he says he got a new job. After explaining what they do and the company he works for, it seemed kinda sketch. I start to google around and we turn up with another blog who had a similar experience. Ho John Lee ended up meeting someone from 5th Dimensions Productionz while walking out of a store, and after asking some basic questions, he walked away and didn’t donate. You could read his story via this link. While reading thru his site, the comments section included a person by the blog name of Molly B posted a comment on his site about her experience with the interview process and experiences. Here is an excerpt of what Molly mentioned: [...]
I am sure Jr Promotionz in Grand Rapids MI is the same exact thing. I too went to an interview. OMG! I declined the 2nd interview because I smelled a scam!
I am sure Jr Promotionz in Grand Rapids MI is the same exact thing. I too went to an interview. OMG! I declined the 2nd interview because I smelled a scam!
Thank you for saving me all the time and effort of finding this out.
Thank goodness I found this page! I was going to do the same thing and call them for an interview! Thanks so much for all your input!
beware, 5th dimensions promotionz has expanded, they have a partner called sierra promotion concepts. same office same number. so glad i stumbled across this page. beware of this company.
is there some way we can inform the job sites of this fraud?
Holy crap! I’m glad I’m smart and googled 5 dimension Promotionz, and found this page. I have interview with the infamous Lindsey tomorrow morning. Screw that! Thanks internet Gods!
Yikes! I found 5th Dimension Promotionz online and they made it sound like it was a good opportunity. I am about to graduate from a great school and am looking for event work in the Bay… I thought this job might be good as an internship so I called to find out how I can apply. Some rude woman told me that the girl I need to talk to already left but she can schedule an interview for me TOMORROW. I thought that was a red flag already because she didn’t ask for any information about me at all and had time available for an interview anytime between ten and four. Weird. I can totally imagine showing up at some crappy office and being taken to a Best Buy or Safeway to do free work for them… so not happening. Thank you SO much for providing information on this company, I am definitely not driving home tomorrow just to waste my time!
Much appreciated!
Amen. I had a first interview with The Merrimack Group and they had a VERY brief interview with me and setup a second day of training(8:45-6:00PM). After reading this post at 6AM this morning, i’m pretty angry and definitely not going. I had the same EXACT experience as the last poster, as far as the girls being young and casual, the building not being a giant black shiny one(instead being a ganky white building behind kinkos), and no material relating to the job. They also shy’d away when I twice asked them direct questions about the performance pay. Thanks for the information guys, saved me some gas and some study time(as I actually have an advertising midterm tomorrow, lol).
-Brandon
I had an interview yesterday with The Merrimack Group. They made it sound like a completely amazing job. Entry level marketing, good clients, etc.
The interview was very short. About 10-15 minutes, and there were no direct questions about the job or any direct information given. The building that the office is in is NOT the one pictured on their website. The actual office is in a tiny building in poor condition, the offices are small and there were only 3 rooms total. The receptionists were girls that looked to be about 17 and were wearing really casual clothing. I was asked to come back and spend a full day (8:45 to 6:00) “shadowing” a member today. After doing online research and finding nothing about the company other than job postings on various websites and a few sites saying it’s a scam, I called it off.
It sounded too good to be true from the start, and that should have let me know something was up.
Thanks for the heads up.
I will not be attending my interview tomorrow.
I just got back from one of these all-day “second interviews.” I wish I had found these posts first. It’s ridiculous! My experience was similar to the others here. The point of contact listed in all the job postings and the web site was Alexis Davis, and I don’t think she even exists. Every time I called, I was told that Alexis was not in, but that the receptionist could schedule the interview with me, etc. The name of the company in Savannah is North Wind Promotions. Look out!
thanks a lot. I just wanted to learn about the company 5dp and now I know its a scam. Good heavens, I knew it before I went for the interview today.
Watch out for The Merrimack group and SF Marketing group…They are the same type of companies!
Thank you everyone for the information, I have been duped by similar scam artists before, expecting a completely differnt atmosphere and wasted all day walking around parking lots in humiliation, when looking for a job the description they put is incredibly misleading, I’m glad to find out more about these crooks and will not be going to the “interview”, it’s very shameful that they take advantage of not only job seekers but people with kind hearts as well. I hope the law catches up with them soon.
Hey guys,
I just wanted to thank you all for your great info. You saved me about $30 in gas money and 10 hours of my life. We should work together and bring these rotten bastards down! There must be a way…
Just like others, I found a job posting on one of the agency for a marketing position. I was a recent college grade with a degree in Business. I got a call for an interview. I went in and filled out the form, but the office was strange looking and everyone had to wait for at least 45 minutes until they get to their interview. Yup, it was this person Lyndsay who interviewed me. Just couple of basic questions, and the interview was over. I felt weird. This interview was even simple then the interview I gave at Mc Donalds for a summer job during high school. Lyndsay says she will call back to let me know if I qualified for a second interview. I got called back the same day and she said I was qualified. I went back the next day at 9 AM, and I was introduced to a person name Stephanie, a 19 year old girl working for this company. First thing she told me to do is turn of my cell phone. Second question was, if I have a college degree? I answered, you are suppose to already know that as you are holding my resume right here in front of me. Again as other, I went on a ride with her, she explains me about the whole event, and how we meet the clients, how we work with them and some marketing strategies? She pulled over in the parking lot of Albertsons. All we did was set up a table in front of Albertsons, catching people coming out of Albertsons. I felt so horrible to be somewhere totally unexpected. Within an hour, I was tempted to call a cab to take me home from there. I stayed till lunch. She told me during lunch that within year and half, you can reach up to the level of making $100,000 per year. This just reminded me of those MLM money making schemes. I was interested in knowing how much we make now? Answer was about $300 per month. That is based only on commission, not hourly or anything. It was a complete ridiculous. First of all, using it as a charity program, but putting 80% of the money in your pocket. Giving people idea of some high level marketing jobs, but just stand in front of a store all day and try to catch shoppers of which ever store it is. Stephanie started giving me weird looks, and was completely unfriendly as she was realizing I have no interest in this. She thought that she was doing the best thing in the world. Also, she had no college education, and there was no point of her asking me if I had a college degree as you do not even need high school education for such things. I ended up staying all day. I wish I had seen this site before, but to the people considering 5th dimensions promotionz, just stay out of it.
I am yet another person who almost went to an interview!! When I couldn’t find their website, I googled it and came to this site. Based on the limited information I received on the phone, I figured something was up. When something is to good to be true it usually is, eh? Thanks all of you!
Thank You very much for the extremely great info!
)
I had sent my resume to them and received an email stating I was selected for an interview and to call to schedule an appointment. I’m so glad I came across this article.I’m am a student majoring in communications and i wanted to try and start to get some experience under my belt. They defiantly got me with the entry level PR and Marketing, will train crap. Thanks Again and of course will not be calling for that interview
Tell all your friends and family about this company. And the scam they are doing in the name of charity. And if you, or your friends and family see them in front of stores, ask to speak to the managers and tell them about the scam this company does. Speak your mind and tell others to bring this company down and expose them for the scam that it is.
This company NEW DIRECTION PROMOTIONS call me for an interview, furthermore I meet with them as well they said I was fit for there company and I was to received a phone call around 5:00pm for a second interview the next days from 9:30am to 6:00pm. The next day I told go with this two members and drive to a certain location, obviously I was skeptical so I ask questions and they just told all my questions would be answer at the middle of the day. I was surprise how anxious they were to sell the product and promoting Child Protection Education of America Inc ( CPEA) and touching people’s hearts in order to sell the products. I was excited to work for this company until they told me they scam payment plan moreover the money would come from the products for every thing also get paid 200 to 300 a week for six months and driving around all over the place and later on I would make 100k in one year and more opportunities.
. http://www.newdirectionpromos.com
Thank you so much for all your inputs. I found the job on hotjobs, sent in my resume, got an email to call a numbers, but I didn’t so they called me. I was schedule to have a meeting with Lyndsay this upcoming Monday, but after reading through all these posts, I think I will be skipping the interview and spend my time doing something else better. I am glad to find this posting.
I also received the email. THANK YOU ALL!! I was actually going to call for the interview, since I’ve been looking for a marketing position. I was also looking for a website and couldn’t find anything. I ended up finding these blogs. I’m so glad I did. Thanks so much!!!
Ha, thank you all!!! I have an appointment on Monday with 5DimensionsPromotions that I will be sure to miss. I am desperate to find a job, but I don’t need this trash.
I am 55 yrs old and have gotten no offers. I was so excited to finally get a response and I learn it is this malarky!
Back to the drawing board.
The best thing I know is to make sure you know your credit history. Keep up with your score and make sure nothing else is opened up or signed under your SSN. You should seek some legal advice. There are plenty of free legal advices at courthouses and non-profit agencies (no pun intended) that can help you out. I dont know why they ask for SSN on an application, on which if they want to a background check you would have to sign under a statement saying they will do a credit check. Hope it all works out.
Im afraid im one of the suckers that got tricked into being their free labor. worst part is,is that i DID put my SSN on their phony paper work. What should I do?
I received an email one morning from a recruiter and in the email it stated :
“To schedule an interview please give me a call…Due to the overwhelming response to our advertisements it is imperative that we schedule your
interview as soon as possible.”
At first I was happy that I have an interview, but when I called the number I was put on hold and no one picked up so I finally hung up after 15 minutes or so (I was having some doubts but wanted to find a job so I thought let me give it a try). I suddenly got a call back for an HR, and she told me to come in for an interview the next day and meet Lyndsay – corporate manager.
I went on Google to do some research about the company but could not find anything, so I called the office number HR had given to me, and the receptionists said she was really busy and could not tell me about the company. She gave me a website: http://www.5thdimensionpromotions.com/ or http://fivedp.com/(this site does not really work).
I am so glad that I found this website. I was having some bad feeling about this company because they sent me an email instead of calling, the interview was set for the very next day, even though many many prospective employees were applying and there was a little information about the company. They also have many posting on many job websites like hotjobs/careerbuilder/monsters.
I received two calls in one day by two different “companies”. Apparently I was told by the caller to meet with Lyndsay!, and at the same address!
I called the first “company” back to check whom I was interviewed by…sadly it was no mistake. I was told that these two companies share the same office, although Lyndsay is their manager and not the other. I’m still slightly confused, but not enough to be fooled.
[...] Later that night, I meet up with Frank, and he says he got a new job. After explaining what they do and the company he works for, it seemed kinda sketch. I start to google around and we turn up with another blog who had a similar experience. Ho John Lee ended up meeting someone from 5th Dimensions Productionz while walking out of a store, and after asking some basic questions, he walked away and didn’t donate. You could read his story via this link. While reading thru his site, the comments section included a person by the blog name of Molly B posted a comment on his site about her experience with the interview process and experiences. Here is an excerpt of what Molly mentioned: [...]
If 5th dimensions promotionz stand in front of places like SAFEWAY groceries, then how much does Safeway earn?
They constantly said that there’s a contract between 5dp and Safeway when others wanted to use the the entrances too. Does Safeway really know who they are letting in front of their door? I saw MANY annoyed and generous donators who gave a LOT of cash. Many of them did NOT even take the items they paid for!!!
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061118002034AAN4X6C
I really wish I read this before. I gone through the same process. I can’t believe that they frequently “interview” to find gullible college grads for FREE labor. This is the worst company ever. I agree with everyone here who saw what they are doing to everyone. Why can’t we do anything else about it? This company should pay for everyone’s loss. I wish I can figure out anything else but a lawsuit.
Hello!
Like Molly, I was humiliated by going to one of their interviews and progressing into the second interview. Let me tell you about myself: I graduated from a highly accredited university majoring in Business Administration. I thought that this company was a legit so I went to the interviews. As it turns out, they were not! Like Molly, Lindsey interviewed me and it went by really fast and I felt that I would definently progress to the second round of interviews. And yes, I was given a call back! I went to the second interview and it was very terrible. They had me with a crass individual that was very arrogant. This certain individual (name and description will be excluded) felt that she knew everything and everyone is beneath this person. As Molly has stated, the event was to only be in front of a store and try to finger print children, even though they had not intention of fingerprinting–they were more interested in selling the products so they can make commission. As it turns out here is the breakdown of the proceeds: 20% goes back to the charity, 35% goes to the seller, and 45% goes to Lindsey (Lindsey needs to pay for fees pertaining to her business, maybe, I don’t know if her silent partner might pay for fees etc.) When I learned that only 20% was given back to charity, I knew that this job at this company was not for me. I mean come on! These are non profits that need 100 percent of proceeds! Its very disgusting how this company works. Also, this ‘business’ has not motivation or team meetings or any kind of meetings to boost up their performance. How do I know? The person I shadowed told me so. All in all, it seemed like working for this company would only give bad karma by lying to consumers and suck them out of their money and give less to the charity that needs more. As I learned, many of the workers there are not college graduates…if they were college graduates they would have known all operations of BUSINESS ETHICS!
Wow. I’m so glad that I stumbled upon this. I have been looking for a job and sent my resume in to 5th Dimension Promotionz just last night because I am trying to get into Marketing. I received an email this morning that I was accepted for an interview and that I should call right away because there is a lot of competion. My first warning was that I received an email, rather than a phone call, but I reluctantly called anyways and I have an interview scheduled for tomorrow morning….well, I guess not now after reading this info! I was really skeptical, it all happened WAY to fast, as if they are desparate for employees. So I looked them up online and found no website, which was alarm #2 for me. I even told my husband that it just didn’t feel right to me, I’ve interviewed a lot in the past and I’ve never been given as little info about a company as I was given today, alarm #3. All I know is that I am supposed to meet with Lindsay (the aboved named in another posting). I had no idea what to expect, and already felt that I may be over qualified for what the pay would be (not that they said) but the other part of me felt that I would have to suck it up and get paid less if I wanted to start off fresh into Marketing. They said they would pay for my training too. Good thing I ran across this posting in my search to look up the company. All I have found are job postings and this blog…no legitimate website. Thanks to everyone who saved me from wasting my time tomorrow! It’s a shame to sucker in people who genuinely need a REAL job and waste their time.
Thank you so much for all the information! A big thank you to Molly B.–I’ve been scouring the ‘net for hours looking for information on this company. They called and offered my husband a warehouse job, but I wanted to know more about them before driving all the way from San Diego to San Jose. You saved us a 10-hour drive and a lot of grief! Thanks again!
Thank you all for your input. I was going to go to the interview tomorrow, but after doing some research on 5th Dimensions, I’m not going to waste any time tomorrow with these bastards.
Yeah, these “companies” are popping up everywhere, I wish I would have thought like that guy. I ended up wasting a whole day that I thought would be a worth while interview, being free labor. They get you when they say marketing and promotions, but you pretty much a trying to sell products to random unsuspecting customers infront of a Sam’s Club, walmart, publix, or where ever else they end up holding the “event”. I actually went to school and earned a degree in PR, so this was definitely not what I had in mind, and I felt pretty tricked into the second interview. This company by the way had several names but pretty much the same description and MO, located in Clearwater and Tampa, Fl.
Thanks so much about this! I was about to go to the follow up interview on monday. PHEW good thing I won’t be wasting my time on this crap. Kudos to you all who have informed everyone else.
Thank you for your candid and informed comments regarding 5TH DIMENSION PROMOTIONZ. Unfortunately, there are wolves out there representing themselves as sheep and as a result it becomes risky to donate to non-profits. Mr. Lee gives sound advice in checking out the charity and its affiliates BEFORE getting out your checkbook. I know first hand about being roped into a so-called non-profit’s scam as their business and administrative consultant. It rapidly became obvious that they were not a legitimate organization and further, I was now connected to them. A group of us went to the authorities. Even with the evidence that finally made it to the District Attorney’s office(among other authorities), no one seemed too interested in chasing these scam artists down and bringing them to justice. I think this particular band of thieves knew that they would not be prosecuted and acted accordingly. So sad that now it is “GIVER BEWARE!”. Legitimate organizaions suffer because of their illegal actions, which hurts us all.
Thank you so much for this message.
I may be able to offer some more details about how 5th Dimension Promotionz operates, unfortunately, it’s not encouraging. My background is as a recruiter in the professional services field and I am currently seeking employment in the Marcom industry and I responded to a craigslist posting that seemed legitimate enough for a marketing coordinator position. When I was invited to interview, I was not provided any information as to what the interview would include or who would be meeting with me and that was my first flag. I really expected to walk into a pyramid scheme gang style interview, which in hindsight may have been better. When I arrived, the office was hardly presentable. Paint was chipping, chairs were almost falling apart, the receptionist was blaring music, I was asked to complete a form that includes my birthday and SSN. I left it blank. I was then invited to meet with a woman named Lyndsey who was maybe 23 and claims to be the President and owner of 5DP yet when I ask her how she generates client leads she says “They take care of that.” Huh? When I ask her how she became an entrepreneur, she says she started in the San Diego office and then transferred to San Jose. Oh, and by the way, her tenure with 5DP totals no more than 18 months. Huh? Gee, sounds like a good gig. That was quick. Well, apparently the only “client” they have other than Toys for Tots, whom they “serve” only during the holidays is a non-profit called CPEA.
I was invited back for a second interview, which was today and was supposed to be a full day lasting from 9:30-6:30pm. I was told we were going to go to an “event” and I would have a chance to observe a top manager in the company and learn how it all works from the bottom up. I was 1 of 6 candidates invited to shadow at different “events” today and the competition is stiff so I should definitely try my hardest to be selected for the 3rd round. When it became obvious to me that I was going to be asked to ride in a car with the manager, I asked where we were going so I could drive separately and she would still not disclose the “event” location so I told her I wasn’t comfortable with the situation. Finally, she acquiesced and said she would explain the “opportunity” in full to me and I could decide if I was interested. Basically what it boiled down to is we would be driving to a Best Buy and finger printing little kids for CPEA (see their website: http://www.find-missing-children.org/about.htm)
but then trying to sell additional goods and services to their parents. Any sales made would earn us commission. I imagine the Toys for Tots gig worked the same way. They are doing something to promote the charity, but still selling something to earn a commission for themselves. The most aggravating thing to me isn’t that they are using legitimate charities to make money for themselves, it is that so many of the other candidates they sucker in spending a full day “interviewing” end up being free labor. They just don’t have the experience to know when to smell a rat. I am annoyed a wasted about 2 hours driving to their sh***y offices in San Jose on two separate occasions, but on the other hand, I am glad I have been exposed to yet another unthinkable scam that I can educate my friends, family and cyber-community about.
Beware of 5th Dimension Promotionz!
http://www.5thdimensionpromotions.com/ or http://fivedp.com/