The Wellington Group - Dallas review: Scam Employment Opportunities 49

Beware of this man, Nick D'Uva, birth name Jack Nicholes D'Uva - Jack is his dad's name, he goes by Nick. If you Google his birthname, you will find quite the criminal record of money laundering and securities fraud in the early-mid nineties. Since then Mr. D'Uva has formed and changed over many companies, all providing some sort of "service" which requires a lot of up-front payment from the client; His newest LinkedIn company: Blackguard, Inc. - which is described as "Anti-Money Laundering Technology"? Hmm, a little coincidental.

Same players, different name - NRA Companies. Paragon Group Texas located at 9950 Cypresswood Drive, Houston Texas 77090.

Patsy Collier and Bruce Clagg will insist that you really do need their help in finding the RIGHT job. But BEWARE of those two!
They will urge you to sign a contact so you can get started with your search - $2500 up front, plus another $2500 once YOU find a job. They are NOT a recruiting agency as they will initially lead you to believe (smoke and mirrors). They DO NOT arrange interviews with potential employers. Those promises of Paragon's long list of employer contacts to match your skills are totally untrue!

So $5000 seems a bit steep for advice on job search engines, resume writing and interviewing techniques?

Please BEWARE of Paragon Group Texas.

Unfortunately, when I checked the BBB they had an A- rating so I did not do any further research. Complete waste of my time and money down the drain. RUN!

I wish I had read these complaints before agreeing to meet with National Recruiting Affiliates (the Wellington Group). Like others, I received a call stating they wanted to discuss a "specific" job opportunity with me. Knowing it was an external recruiter, I asked the question point-blank. "Are any fees paid by the client (me) or the employer"?. I was assured all fees would be paid by the employer if I was hired. I clarified a second time. I even said, I don't want to get all the way over there and find out you want to charge a fee to "market" me or some such thing. I already have a employment transition firm hired by my past employer. I was assured again that would not be the case. However, as you can guess, I was completely lied to. They did not have a specific job in mind. They just wanted to give me a "free" evaluation and when I challenged them on the lie they said "well... we do have some services that are paid by the hiring company, but we need to know if you meet the requirements first". In other words, it was a complete scam to get me in the door and a waste of my time.

Later that day I sent the company a bill for my time based on my previous hourly rate, my mileage, and toll charges and told them if I did not get paid for my wasted time I would let as many people know as possible. I was called by the owner and threatened with a law suit.

My advice to potential clients is to run as far as you can from the company and any of its subsidiaries. If they were as good as they claim at their job they would not need to use deceptive practices to get people in the door.

This company pulled my resume off of Career builder and contacted me. The lady who called presented the firm to me as a recruiting firm similar to Matrix and KForce, and said she was representing a firm called NRA. When I questioned whether this firm was recruiting for a particular client and if so, whether they could send me the job description and requisition ID number, she refused. She tried to get me to set up an in person interview in their offices where I would be provided all the details. When I point blank asked if they were trying to sell me career services, the women who called me told me to go to hell and hung up on me. I did a reverse look up on the phone number, and found that she was calling from the Wellington Group, which is also owned or a part of a company called NRA. As other posters have mentioned, this firm is a scam. And they have had numerous BBB complaints. Any company who has to troll the resume job boards and then try to represent themselves as a placement firm like Matrix or KForce must be desperate for clients. If they were reputable, they would not need to try and mislead the people they call.

As a former employee of The Wellington Group, I can confirm that they didn't always operate as an honest business. We were to keep the phone calls as short as possible to trick people into coming in. We were ABSOLUTELY not allowed to use the word interview, but we were supposed to play dumb about what the person was coming in for. We were supposed to say that we were just appointment setters and that all we knew was that it was a meeting about the persons resume. If a person were to start asking questions, we were supposed to "turn it around on them" which pretty much meant being condescending and making them feel like idiots for not jumping on this opportunity.

I cannot comment on how American Search Partners is run, since they changed the name after I left. I can say that I almost didn't get my new job because when my employer called them, they denied that I had worked there. It's a good thing I keep all of my paystubs and other tax info.

If this fraudlant outfit now goes by the name WorkSaveRetire;

Let me assure all here that this company is, in fact, a SCAM. They are NOT recruiters!

Here is the deal: These folks use their "career services" as a front in order to get a financial product salesperson in their "clients" front door to pitch them various annuity plans. In order to access their "career tools", you must agree to this meeting.

What does a job seeker get in return?: A thirty minute webinar, access to a very limited board of job postings, and some additional tools and "services" that are very generic and generally available elsewhere. One month later, and after my annuity sales meeting, I am still waiting for a phone call and my personalized job referrals. I won't hold my breath.

This outfit is a joke that takes advantage of today's lousy employment environment to sell their products. This is a sales company NOT a career service. Don't waste your time with Heather and her crew.

I will be rolling-over my wife's 401K into an IRA next month, probably into an indexed annuity, and I can assure you that this $140K will not go into one of this company's products.

I will be filing a complaint with the BBB in the morning.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

specknek@gmail.com
[protected]

I am very grateful for the comments. I too had an appointment, but due to my suspect radar and rare info given in the call, I chose to research. I too canceled immediately. This is really just wrong to prey on people who really need jobs out there.

After reading these posts, I can see that The Wellington Group (The Wellington Group DFW) is the same as American Search Partners (why the name change? or smokey mirrors or two different names for the SAME company?).
I have already been into their office here in Dallas for the initial "interview" and I have my second "interview" coming up this week. I met with Nick, but I was never given a last name and my email reminders of the set appointment does not have a last name for Nick either. I left the first appointment feeling very odd...Nick did most of the talking...using big words and talking about the market...probably because I have a Finance Degree but I could clearly tell that he really didn't know what the hell he was talking about. Nick did ask me if I needed to work to pay the bills for the rest of the year. I answered no, which is a honest answer, but I thought that it was a very odd question to be asking me in an "interview." He also asked if paying a fee for their service scared me. I also answered no. Those were the main two questions that he asked me and he did all of the talking for about 7 minutes. After, I went to an area to take a personality test.
The reason why I did a search on the company is because I had an uneasy feeling about their "service." Now I'm questioning if a second "interview", which I was told will be an hour and a half, will be worth the risk.
As far as The Wellington Group responding to posts...I find it very odd and I am put off that you are discussing "legal" issues on the complaints board. By you doing that you are losing your credibility as a company. Legal issues are normally kept under wraps and are not discussed until after the lawsuits are finalized so that YOU, as a company, does not compromise your legal situation.
I'm going with my gut on this one...and my gut tells me to stay away. Follow your own instincts, but people's opinions about a company can generally paint you a honest picture.

I was contacted by Wellington today. I don't believe they misrepresented themselves but I don't believe they represented themselves either. After making an appointment, I abruptly cancelled after reading these posts. NOT because I believe there is some form of scam going on here but for 2 reasons: (1) I am NOT prepared to pay someone to help me get a job! Never have, never will! (2) The way the company "defended" themselves was completely incongruous with their "professional" persona. Blatant airing of dirty laundry and vindictive name dropping tells me this is NOT the professional representation I need in my job search. I would fire an employee on the spot for posting some of the things Wellington posted in their "defense". This company scares the hell out of me!

oooookk so i just got thru reading allllll of this..i have an interview on thursday to be an appointment setter...wat are ur thoughts on that

If you were truly in a lawsuit with this Mr. Green.. your Lawyers would tell you... don't dare bash him and have your name associated...

He compliments our assistance, services, and staff, gives us high marks, until it is time to pay us for our work.

This is the second time we posted a response. Maybe companies are not allowed to set the record straight with the truth. This is very curious because out of the hundreds of people we have worked with, this is the only time we had to sue someone to recover our fees. Since this person doesn't have a leg to stand on in a court of law, he takes to the court of opinion on this site. In near record speed, something like 40 days, this person was hired with our assistance. At all stages in our assistance he complimented the staff and lauded our services, even stating he was lost without us (see copies of his complimentary comments below)...until it came time to compensate us for our work. For months he promised to "come by later today" or "I'll be there early tomorrow." We allowed him to start with a nominal retainer and agreed to a payment plan. Not once did he honor his promises, even to make a partial payment. We perform a valuable service by a dedicated staff of professionals with families and they deserve to be paid for their efforts and successes. We have our clients start with a retainer in order to pay our staff for their work with the client. In many cases we wait for the bulk of our fees until a later date. We care for our clients and our clients know it. And 99% of our clients are people of their word. We were the ones "fleeced" of our fees. We wonder if this person's present employer knows his word is not good.

This post is very curious because with the hundreds of clients we have been able to effectively work with, this is very first time we had to file a suit to collect our fees. Since he doesn't have a leg to stand on in a court of law, he takes to defamation in the court of public opinion. It is interesting that many posts here vehemently state that a firm such as ours should wait until after someone is hired to receive our fee. In fact, we wait for our performance until 90 days after a person starts work in their new position. In this particular case, we allowed this person to do just that with most of the fee. He started with $2, 500 as a retainer and we allowed him to pay $1, 000 in 30 days and $1, 000 in 60 days with another $2, 500 due 90 days after he started at his new company. In near record time, like 40 days he had a new position and thanked us profusely for the help (see his handwritten comments below lauding us and our efforts) stating that he was lost before we helped him. When it came time to make his payments, he blew us off, constantly promising to pay "later today" or "early tomorrow." And, he would never show to even make a partial payment. These promises went on for months. So, we were the ones who were "fleeced" out of our fees. We performed and excelled. He was ecstatic and so stated; but, when it came time to compensate us for our hard work, he refused to pay. 99% of our clients are honorable and good to their word. We really care about the success of our clients. For these reasons we are willing to wait for the bulk of our fees as long as we can compensate our employees during the process for their hard work from the nominal retainer. I wonder if this person's present employer knows his word is not good.

Wellington is not an outright scam - it is a cleverly disguised scam. They fleeced me for over $4, 000, wasted hours of my time, and taught me nothing I did not already know. The actual service supplied was superficial and ineffective and when I realized their 'coaching' was a charade I walked away before paying further fee installments - then they sued me for the 'outstanding' money. These are ruthless and unscrupulous people.

Thanks for the warning. I have been called twice to set up appointments, but as their office is over an hour drive for me, I checked them out first. You saved me several hours of my precious job search time, not to mention fuel expense.

Wow! I should think it took at least another hour of your precious time to write the Novel above! No?
I met with Nick today, (after having done the assessments) which was actually an eye-opener for me and helped me understand better where I fit in the current market! AND despite what people assume, they do have options that require NO Upfront Fees just like any head hunters do, and actually is on better terms! I guess depends on how marketable you are!
So if someone feels for example that they could use a better resume, and - just like Ladders or any other professional source - they charge a fee for that, that makes them scam artists?! Or does it make me a sucker because I need that service?! Obviously if you haven't been successful in your search, You're doing Something wrong!
I think people just get mad because they want something for nothing, or they don't feel they're worth it! Suit yourself!.. I did my research, and they are very credible!

I met with Ory this morning... I yesterday I was called by a nice sounding secretary asking me if I could come in for an interview about a position they were recruiting for. The call didn't seem right and I asked what position they were recruiting for she played dumb and said she just set up interviews and didn't know That was a red flag but when I directly asked was there a fee, she responded there wasn't a fee. I figured, what the hell, my morning was open so what did I have to lose? I should have Googled them but I had an open morning so what the heck.

Their location in Ft Lauderdale is in one of those short-term office spaces where 10 different companies share a receptionist. They had "candidates" stacked at 30 minute intervals and when I walked into the meeting with Ory I asked how many opening they were trying to fill and Ory was very vague and said I had to go through the whole process before he could tell me if they had any opening that was a fit for me, I wouldn't want them to place me in a position that wasn't right for me would I?

Then Ory pulled out some standard personality tests and said he wanted me to fill them out and set up a second meetings where they would explain more. I asked Ory if there was any charges for their services and he didn't answer me. I asked again and this time he talked around the question.

Finally when I pushed the issue he left to get his boss into the room, a guy named Nick. I didn't write down his last name but I am pretty sure looked like the same Nick D'uva who was mentioned earlier in this thread who got in trouble in California for being a scam artist and is now listed on-line as being in Dallas. He used the same buzz words and I suspect that he just opened a new scam office here in South Florida. Given that South Florida has really high unemployment and is the current epicenter of premier scam artists, Scott Rothstein, Bernie Madoff come to mind, if this is the same Nick, it shouldn't come as a big surprise.

Anyway, Nick pushed really hard saying "you would be willing to pay $10, 000 to get a job if it was $20, 000 more than you were even hoping to get wouldn't you?" I have seen car dealers with more shame.

He pulled out some paperwork claiming he got a $185, 000 offer with signing bonus and such and I would certainly be willing to pay for that kind of position wouldn't I? When I told him that I have a friend doing high-end recruiting for CEO's and CFO regularly placing people in that salary range and the company always pays the the recruiter's fees. Nick claimed that the $10, 000 he was charging would have come out of the salary they pay anyway so it didn't matter if I paid if or the company paid it, it would be a wash. Yeah, like $10K placement fee would stop any company from hiring a new CEO... When I told him fine, I will pay him the fee 120 days after he places me in a position he said that between his overhead and the cost of his extensive research team there is no way he could afford to do that...

Needless to say, I grabbed the copy of my resume he had and the form I filled out from him... he protested but I wasn't leaving anything behind. I walked out wishing I had saved the gallon of gas, $2 in parking and the hour and a half of my life

Long story short, they ask for $1, 000 to $3000 up front (probably dependent on the suckers ability to pay) and want a back-end payment of $7-10, 000 90 days after you start. I doubt he does anything for the up front money except have you fill out some worthless personality tests. Maybe they place people but knowing what I do about the recruiting industry... this is nothing but a scam to take money from people who can least afford it (the unemployed) and enrich a cheap suit wearing scam artist

I like what is posted, in that "There really isn't anything Negative about the Wellington's services here by anyone who ever worked with them"! I went there for a free consultation, and have seen actual documentation AND Videos of their actual clients, and their success rates. But before signing up with them, just wanted to do my due dilligence once more, and have found Not one piece of Negative information from any body who ever used Wellington! Just those who have never used their service, but repeatedly say: they are No good! Why?!
I'm glad I did more research, and I AM signing up with them, because I haven't been able to get there on my own, and feel confident they can help market me better than I could.

Dear mavr, who has posted noumerous comments here - and the rest of you who so seriously are spending so much of your precious time to put up negative comments and trash this company's name (!) - one may wonder: Why are you sooo interested in knocking Wellington down? Because, (unless you really don't have anything better to do) usually if someone was having a Complaint about a company, they post it and go about their business, No? Why keep coming back to make sure you can muddy the waters again, unless YOU have a direct interest in this industry!
The BBB (although it has a membership fee) doesn't shy away from reporting any complaints from a firms CLIENTS! If those who HAVE utilized a service, have nothing but positive to say, I wonder why are those who NEVER did USE such a service, so worried about WARNING others!? Are we just being good samaritans... or is there something in it for you?

Shelly - I find it very interesting that you've "heard success stories" (in fact I'm curious where and how you heard them), and that Wellington did great things for a "friend", but not for you. Unless you've had some form of direct interaction with the company, I see no value in your comment. Numerous people have posted here, who've had "direct interaction" with Wellington, and seem to have a different opinion than yours. Hmmm, I wonder why?

I've heard really great things about the Wellington Group, i have only heard success stories! This company is not out to get your money but, it is in their best interest to help people find the specific job they need! One of my friends got a position through this company, with little effort and she left with the knowledge she needed to find another great position in the future if she needs to! All posts about this company, being a scam, are NOT true because, anyone who leaves their office with no success are willing to say anything on the internet to get attention!

They called me and I specifically ask if they were fee based and the lady said NO. I responded back to their interview confirmation they sent and stated there would be hell to pay if I got there and they were infact fee based. The lady called back and canced the interview.

THIS IS A SCAM! THIS COMPANY IS SIMILAR TO HALDANE AND ASSICIATES WHERE I GOT TOOK FOR $7, 000 SEVERAL YEARS AGO!

If they will lie to get you in you know it is a bad deal!

My name is Horace David Mullican and this is a SCAM! RUN LIKE HELL!

I wouldn't say that they are a "scam" because there are many "career services" firms that do exactly the same thing. It's no different than paying someone to paint your house or mow your lawn. They perform the services we're either unwilling or unable to do. The thing is, spending $1, 000-$3, 000 for job assistance, particularly when you're unemployed, is unreasonable.

They are absolutely right in their assessment that more than 80% of new opportunities are not listed on the internet job boards...and for the ones that are, for every one position posted, a recruiter gets bombarded with hundreds of (mostly unqualified) candidates. It's overwhelming and your resume, if it gets looked at, gets a quick peak to see if it even meets the minimal requirements. That's why there's a relatively new system that scans your resume and "rejects" your resume if it doesn't have a certain percentage of predetermined key words.

The absolute best way to find a job is to think of it in the way you would think of gaining business for an organization; by building relationships. This is where recruiting firms and companies like The Wellington Group are able to help you. They have a network of relationships...If you want to save yourself $3, 000, take the time to build your own network. The best way to do that is by doing a bit of research. Make a list of companies you would like to work for. If you're unsure, try looking at different lists, such as Fortune 500, Business Journal's lists, 100 Best Companies to Work For, etc...Check the companies out on LinkedIn and find the decision makers (ie. hiring managers) in your particular field. For example, if you're looking for an HR job, try to figure out who the (local) HR Director is. Invite them to join your LinkedIn network and build that relationship. Also, don't underestimate the power of your local business organizations (ie. SHRM, American Marketing Association, etc) and the local chamber(s) of commerce.

Another tactic that worked for me is living by the principle "not now doesn't mean never." I interviewed for a job with a company and although the interview went very well, I didn't get hired. I stayed in touch with the hiring manager and e-mailed him about once a month. If I'd found a new position with the company that was a fit, I'd e-mail him and ask him to refer me (since he already knew, interviewed and liked me). If it'd been a month or so since we'd last spoken and I still hadn't found a job, I'd drop him a note to say hello and let him know that I was still on the market. A few months later he had an opening on his team; I was the first, and only, person who interviewed for the position.

Best wishes on your job search!

PS. I do think there's something to be said about a company who would spend more time bashing someone who they decided to hire than simply explaining how their services work and working to clarify misconceptions. What a PR nightmare!

I too was disheartened by the lack of substance from the caller. Misrepresentation is definitely the issue. I would not call it a scam but the way they go about getting their clients is very sales like which is an immediate turn off. Call came in and they talk about how they got your resume and they want to set up and appointment with you. They are hoping that the person on the phone is so desperate for a job and happy to have a call that they wont ask questions. Admittedly she caught me off guard and I almost let her hang up before asking enough. I asked what Job I was being interviewed for and that was where it all fell apart, there was none, they just want to 'see if we are a good fit' whatever that meant. I asked her if it was a recruitment agency and see hesitantly said yes. This is the second such call I got from companies preying on desperate people, the other was from Work, Save, Retire. I am not sure I will even give them the courtesy of a cancellation.

Nancy was the supposed name of the Wellington appt setter in Dallas who called me, and here's a more in depth outline of what happened...

1. Everything she said on the phone made it sound like their company is a placement service that will help you get a high paying job
2. On our first call, she said "all fees are paid by the employer"
3. Whenever I asked a question she said "I'm sorry, one of our partners will have to answer that for you (or give you more details), I'm just the appt setter, but the appt is only for 1 hr and it's free"
4. All responses to my questions during our first call were either evasive about fees, or she kept going back to the following rebuttal "one of our partners will have to answer that". You can't tell me that she doesn't know the answers to whether everything is 100% paid for by potential employers, or if job seekers pay any sort of amount.
5. When I called her back and told her about this site, and Wellington's own statement they posted here saying..."All of the preliminary meetings and assessments we perform are free to candidates until client engages services. "...and pressed her hard, she finally confessed that they do charge job seekers fees for their services. This means she lied during our first phone call.

Sorry but I don't do business with liars (Nancy) or any organization that associates myself with them. The rest of you can do as you wish.

Please be sure not to miss this part of Wellington's own post here...

"It is true that we are a business and that we expect to be compensated for the work we do on behalf of clients. All of the preliminary meetings and assessments we perform are free to candidates until client engages services. "

Your initial appointment to see Wellington is free, because it's a sales pitch to get you to pay for their career/placement services, all this is eluded too in the 2nd sentence of their reply above.

What should bother everyone to no end is Wellington's way of getting the appt ("it's free to come see us" but we won't tell you on-the-phone that once you're here, if you want us to help you find a job, it will cost you). They way the do things is IMO sneaky, shady, clearly doesn't divulge are your potential costs to them, and their evasive manner in which the avoid not telling people upfront on the phone "yes we're trying to get you to buy something from us", has made me never want to do business with them.

People, there are tons of free job boards on the internet, and recruiters that have their fee paid for by the employer. If a company is evasive on the phone and uses shady tactics to set the appt, for an in-person sales pitch about something that's going to cost you money, do you really trust them enough to buy whatever it is they're selling?

I just received a call from Wellington. Their appt setter will say "We help many people get jobs and we want to schedule a 1 hr appt with one of our partners". I then asked "is this free and paid for by the employer" and they said "yes". I then quizzed them some more and their answers became more evasive. Then I found this thread about them. I called them back and asked "does you company try to sell me on other services once I show up" and the appt setter said "yes". Avoid these guys, they mislead people and should not be trusted.

A POTENTIAL VICTIM RESPONDS.
Nice to hear from the company, finally. However, that response deals with internal company politics and does not address the issue of The Wellington Group's use of misrepresentation when recruiting potential clients under the guise of a job offer. Which seems to be still ongoing, long after "Jim Green" left the company.

THE WELLINGTON GROUP RESPONDS: We are the most successful firm of our type in the entire DFW area. We have tried to take the high road in order to focus only on the needs of our clients; however, the time has come for a response because we don't want silence to be deemed consent. The only mistake we made was allowing Jim Green anywhere near the company, its employees, its contractors, and its clients. He has been gone since early November yet his attempts to hurt this company continue. About half of the posts here are made by Jim Green (or his proxies) using differing screen names. The other half are posts from people who are not clients and are misinformed or judged without knowledge. Jim Green is the thing we regret. Because of his wrongful conduct, he has been brought to court to answer for damages in a lawsuit he will undoubtedly lose very soon. We strive daily to assist our clients in reaching their career goals. It is true that we are a business and that we expect to be compensated for the work we do on behalf of clients. All of the preliminary meetings and assessments we perform are free to candidates until client engages services. We have a deeply devoted team of people (with families) delivering the very best services to our clients (with families) who want to get their careers back on track. Jim Green continues to try to hurt the company by cowardly using multiple screen names alluding to some unrelated event 20 years old. It is a shame that some people can be persuaded against the value of decision-on-the-merits and self-discovery by anonymous postings on a site like this. In his short time in our office, we heard Jim Green's racist and sexist comments, his unprovoked rage against people in the office, his petty bickering, and his complaints about the diversity of our clientele. The only reason The Wellington Group is even listed on this site is because of alleged sexist comments Jim Green made in a room full of seminar attendees. And when he tried a hostile raid on clients and client files, wrongfully attempting to obtain money through deceit, he was warned that his conduct was wrongful and actionable. His failed first attempt at hurting the company, his failed attempt at starting his own business, and a lawsuit filed against him for his bad conduct that he will certainly lose in the coming weeks, makes Jim Green vindictive, bitter and sour. It is very difficult to be Christ-like in this Easter season when having to deal with a person like Jim Green who seems to be bent on hurting everyone, including the innocents at this company, candidates who very much want and need professional assistance, and our clients. We will continue to pursue excellence in assisting our clients. We stand ready to demonstrate why we are the best in the industry. We are highly confident that our dedication to clients, value of service and results-based approaches are the best in our industry. THE WELLINGTON GROUP RESPONDS

Place is a scam, just search "Jack Nicholes D'Uva" on Google and all will be told. There are too many career placement companies that don't have ties to scam lawsuits for you to pick The Wellington Group. The question is not why wouldn't you pick them, but why WOULD you do business with them knowing the pasts of their employees?

Thank you - thank you! I'm so glad I found this site and these reviews an hour and a half before my "interview" with the Wellington Group. It would have actually cost me money just to go to the "free" interview, because I would be leaving my "paid-hourly" contract job. Yes, I see both sides respresented here. Why would so many people bash one company on multiple sites if there wasn't a shred of truth to the accusations? With names. My "interview" was with Nick Duva, whose name I see in a few posts as questionable. Recruiters should be paid by the employERs, not by job seekers - if you're in the market for a new job, there are too many free options to have to pay someone.

Just got a call from them. Thank God for the internet and this site. I would have set up an appointment but I will have to pass now. I could spend that hour searching for more jobs and working other angles.

Regarding westberryeast's comment of "...through one of the job search engines" - that's exactly what I mean when I say misrepresentation. If this company is in the business of career management, why not say so? Instead, they scan the job search engines of the internet looking for people looking for a job, lure them in under the guise of a legitimate job interview and then, after how ever many "free consultations", spring the price tag.
As for being an accredited member of the BBB, I posted a complaint to the BBB regarding The Wellington Group. Unless the individual is directly asking for the BBB's assistance in a dispute involving a marketplace transaction with the company (i.e., the company took money from the person) they do not open a "formal" complaint. Fortunately I did not spend money with these people as I do not like their methods. They rank right down there with car dealers and their "bait-and-switch" tactics.

It is unfortunate that the so-called competitors of The Wellington Group have decided to disparage and defame on this forum rather than directly compete in the market place. The Wellington Group provides FREE initial consultations to candidates who have first submitted their information to the company through its website or through one of the job search engines. After the FREE initial consultation, a FREE follow up consultation MAY be scheduled in order to review a FREE CAREER ASSESSMENT. At the end of the follow up consultation, it is determined by the client and the company whether to pursue a relationship. The Wellington Group website explains the business model and the company is an accredited member of the BBB. So, find out for yourself before you believe these supposed complaints. You owe it to yourself and your career to not be discouraged by anonymous complaints.

The issue for me was misrepresentation. I received a phone call from a person identifying herself as representing "The Wellington Group". She said they had seen my resume online & wanted to interview me for a position that they had available. I asked when & where, and was given an appointment time and explicit directions to their office in north Dallas. I then asked two questions: 1) What position was this for? (as I had applied for many jobs over the past several weeks). She said she didn't have that information at hand, but that I would be told in the interview. 2) Is "The Wellington Group" a job placement service or a recruiting firm? She replied that all my questions would be answered during the interview.
At the interview, I quickly realized that there was no job. It was a pitch for "career services". What makes these people think that if you're unemployed, you can afford to pay thousands of dollars to someone for things you can do yourself?

This place is a joke. I have more job searching skills than they do.

"Insider", huh?!
Well you must either be an unhappy competitor, or a disgruntled ex-employee! Whichever it is, a business can't have a A rating and "0" complaints and be a Scam! It may not be the "right choice" for every one, but that's different that doing Wrong! I too was given a Free assessment, and even though I can't afford this option, but they at least helped me have a better idea where I stand in today's job market!

Anyone can put trash on the internet (and there is some good information), but heck if you want to find Negatives, there are even people who (Lord help them) say trash about "Jesus"! Don't believe me, Google it! Instead of trashing others, why can't you do some good?!

@westberryeast
You say they must be doing something right... Well, let me give you an insider answer.
The company functions by praying on the insecurities of people in a tight situation. You will go through a 2-3 months of "prep" before you are told to make a list and start contacting people.
The company would be a worth while if they followed through with what is promised in the beginning. Also the company has almost completely splintered. In the last 2months over half of the 15 employees making up the company have left or been fired.
Jack "Nick" D'Uva and Paul Ghasemi are the main two partners left, and only one of the campaign managers (the person who helps you research your contacts) is actually still with the company.
Save yourself SEVERAL thousand dollars and research contacts in your area, go to a few free seminars on resume building, and "work" your local area. That is what TWG will tell you to do.
So, if you would like, you can just pay me the $3, 000 retainer for the information I just shared. :)

I hope this helps others, and best of luck to everyone looking for a new position!

_Ari, AKU