Not long ago Keiondra Henderson says she was looking for work and she says a job found her.
She said, "They called me, like, numerous times."
Henderson says someone from Dialet Communications called her and said she'd either recently applied for a loan or a job.
Henderson recalled, "I was currently looking for employment, so they gave me the address and they was like, 'Come tomorrow at ten o'clock.'"
Henderson says she paid $35 to Dialet to become an agent recruiter. Henderson says her main duties would be calling people and asking them if they wanted a cash advance loan, credit restoration or a job with Dialet. Henderson says she never got a phone list from the company and never earned any money.
Robert Holmes, who runs Dailet Communications, explained, "We are here to try to help people, Jeff, not hurt them, but they have to work."
Holmes says those who pay $35 to become recruiter agents, including Keiondra, are given phone lists and full support from the company. Holmes says recruiter agents also sign a contract requiring them to pay $35 a month to Dialet for six months for phone lists and office support.
Holmes said, "The fee with us covers their leads, covers their back office and their training. These people go through a three hour training class."
Holmes says the training classes explain that agent recruiters are actually independent contractors, not employees, and pay is earned by getting cash advance applications, signing up someone for credit repair services or getting them to become a Dialet recruiter. Holmes says it's up to recruiter agents to make as many as 200 phone calls a day in order to get paid.
He said, "Talk to 200 people a day, somebody is going to buy something, bottom line."
The Houston Better Business Bureau has received more than a dozen complaints about Dialet over the last three years. Most are from people who say they paid to work for Dialet but didn't make any money.
Monica Russo with the Houston BBB said, "If you have to pay any money in advance or pay monthly, make sure you read that contract and understand what your responsibilities are, what your job duties are, in order for you to be compensated."
Before you sign up for any job make sure you know exactly what will be required to earn a paycheck and if you are unsure, even if you really need a job, the best advice is just to walk away.
We asked to speak with a recruiter agent but instead we were contacted by a woman who is on the payroll. She said she earns a steady income, but again she was not a recruiter agent.
