LAST NIGHT, WE TOLD YOU THE STORY OF PHOENIX ENTERPRISES - AND ABOUT
SEVERAL FORMER CLIENTS OF THE JOB PLACEMENT AGENCY WHO SAY THEY'VE BEEN
DEFRAUDED.
SINCE THAT REPORT AIRED, MANY PEOPLE HAVE CALLED IN WITH SIMILAR STORIES.
TODD VAN DER HEYDEN HAS THE LATEST.
[SOT](***SOT***)
[T JOB SCAM FOLO]
[SUPER=0099-More Unsatisfied Customers]
PHOENIX ENTERPRISES HAS LEFT A TRAIL OF UNHAPPY CUSTOMERS. MORE THAN A DOZEN
FORMER CLIENTS HAVE TOLD CFCF NEWS THAT THEY'VE BEEN RIPPED OFF- BY PHOENIX
OWNER, HARRIS BLACK.
[HARRIS BLACK VICTIM: LIANNE BUTLER]
I'm going to look for a job, better than what I have now, and I'm getting
screwed for $700
LIANNE BUTLER IS JUST ONE. SHE'S ANGRY AFTER PAYING PHOENIX SEVEN
INSTALLMENTS FROM HER VISA FOR JOB OFFERS THAT TURNED OUT TO TOO GOOD TO BE
TRUE.
[HARRIS BLACK VICTIM: LIANNE BUTLER]
he said "how does it sound to start at $33,000 a year?"
NUMEROUS PEOPLE WHO CONTACTED US ALL HAD THE SAME STORY. HARRIS WOULD REFER
TO SOMETHING CALLED THE "HIDDEN JOB MARKET" - A MARKET HE'D HELP CLIENTS TAP
INTO.
[LIANNE BUTLER]
That's exactly what he said on the Internet, "hidden job market"
[ANONYMOUS VICTIM]
I think he's ripping people off
THIS WOMAN, WHO DIDN'T WANT TO BE ON CAMERA, SAYS BLACK PREYS ON THE
VUNERABLE
[ANONYMOUS VICTIM]
I was so desperate, I need a job. So he says I'll charge you $100 plus tax,
so I gave him interac, so he took my money
BUT WHEN SHE RECEIVED HIS JOB LISTINGS...
[ANONYMOUS VICTIM]
basically what he sent me was totally useless for me
HARRIS BLACK AGAIN DECLINED TO GO ON CAMERA TO DEFEND HIMSELF. BUT IN A
PHONE CONVERSATION HE SAID.
[HARRIS BLACK IN TAPED TELEPHONE PHONE CONVERSATION]
I'm actually in contact with each and every company that I speak with - each
and every one knows of me and we've spoken before and I have the job
description. So in your mind - what's going on here? Why are these people so
upset? I think they have to be prepared to look in the mirror and blame
themselves if they have not been hired by the company
[DAWNA BIER - LEGITIMATE JOB PLACEMENT AGENT]
And they sort of cater to desperate people and take advantage of it
DAWNA BIER WORKS AT A WELL-KNOWN JOB PLACEMENT AGENCY. SHE SAYS PEOPLE
SHOULD NEVER PAY UP FRONT.
[DAWNA BIER/Quantum] So it is not acceptable that any candidate is charged
because we can't guarantee that a candidate is going to get a job
BUT HARRIS BLACKS' FORMER CLIENTS - AND THEY'RE MAY BE HUNDREDS OF THEM -
SAY THEY WANT JUSTICE.
[ANONYMOUS VICTIM]
I want to see him closed
[LIANNE BUTLER]
I want my money back!
[TODD VAN DER HEYDEN ONCAMERA CONCLUSION]
The Police' fraud squad has received complaints about Harris Black and
Phoenix - they say what he's doing is borderline. They'd like to shut him
down, but the hard part is proving that he's knowingly frauding his clients.
And so as long as people sign those contracts, the police say there's no
much they can do. TV, CFCF
