Kirby vacuum cleaner scam

hmmmm Now I'm a little worried, I've got an interview in a few days for a service engineers position with Kirby. I'd never heard of them before so did a bit of digging, well I don't like what I'm reading, I'm even wondering if this job is for a service engineer or is it for a sales rep. I was a little worried when I read the job vacancy, it was a little light on detail and got an interview right away when I phoned.

Well I guess I'll see what's what.

Signed up just for this special occasion, with very very special offers, from me, you can get this machine for just 1500, that is a whole 25% off the original price.

























Nah only kidding :A

The other day I saw an advert on the Jobsite, and one a week previous in the local paper (The Sentinel) in Stoke. They were both advertising for 'delivery drivers', on £1200 a month. I thought yeah that's good it gives me some good money until I can find something proper (on part time work at the moment, thinking of going back to college to do an apprenticeship).

Anyway the story gets better now, my girlfriend rang up (not even me ), asking if the position was still available, yes it was, I had an 'interview' the next morning. I didn't begin to suspect anything yet, being my naive self , so off I trotted to wash and iron my suit for this 'interview'.

The company was called 'Unity Distribution' based in Longport, but for some reason google searches show that it thinks it's based in Crewe. So I drove through a horrible industrial estate, trying to find this business, finally I came across a grotty builduing with the sign of the company above it. OK, not a good start but still not that suspicious. Followed signs for 'Unity Distribution interviews upstairs', and went into their office and filled in a form with my details. There were three of us waiting, a middle aged man, a young lad who'd just passed his driving test and me, in my shiny suit.

Got chatting to the lad, then he was called up, five minutes later it was me. I strolled over in my suit , into another office, where some bloke invited me in.

I sat down and there were a few things that he said which stick out the most, firstly it was just a 'pre-lim interview' and if I was 'successful' then I would be invited back on Monday for a group interview. He asked me several questions in this short chat, tested my maths with a question out of the blue, mentioned about the company being in over 60 countries blah blah blah (I still wasn't suspicious, unbelievable), then he asked ME what job I had applied for. Thought yes, that was a bit of a weird question, but I ploughed along, 'delivery driver my kind sir', what do you want out of this job? 'Honestly? A full time job would be nice', then he rudely interupts my blinding honesty and says that they are after people 'looking for careers not just jobs' (Maybe I should highlight these key phrases, for future gullible, honest, suit wearing :T young gentlemen who fall for vague job adverts like this).

Anyyyyyway, he asked me if having a career is what interests me, well of course it does sir, I'm a suit wearing, naive 20 year old who recently dropped out of uni, with no real direction. (And no still not doubtful of this mans credentials or anything, this comes later in my fabulous story). So the story starts to unfold, after asking me to describe myself in one word, just about managing to refrain myself from saying suit-wearing (I added a line, surely it makes it one word?), I said determined, which iin my defence would be an extremely good word to use in an interview for a real job. He shook my hand, said he'd ring me between 7 and 8 if I was 'successful' and have earnt my place in the real interview. So I rolled out of the room, all confident and proud in my suit (I never said, I was wearing my addidas trainers with them, I forgot to change to my nice suit matching pointy black shoes).

Lo and behold, I get the phone call later that evening inviting me to the interview. Now out of my suit, and in my atonishingly fashionable Stoke City replica shirt, some jeans and the same Addidas trainers, I am happy, I have an interview for a 'career', maybe I will make something of myself.

NOW, finally, it is about an hour later, still in my Stoke City replica shirt , my suspicions start. I was being a good boy, and though I should do some research about the company before the interview (You know what, I actually knew absolutely rat all about who I'd got an interview with), searching 'Unity Distribution Longton' came up with mainly business listings, and a link to the AV forums, whatever that may be. After hours of reseraching I came across the AV forums, and a shifty looking myspace page, entitled 'Unity'. Again all the keywords came up on the myspace page, without much actual info about the company, apart from the word 'Sentria', which inevitably led me to 'kirby' and a whole massive huge, gigantic, enormous divine-like can of worms.

I know I'm writing an essay here, but bare(bear?) with me, it's a Sunday night and Traffic Cops is on Dave once again. So I am extremely suspicious now, but I'm thinking, I will go to the interview on Monday, for the craic, see how he describes the job, you enevr know I might be completely off the mark here, and I'll get to wear my fantastic stripey suit, with my matching, extremely hazardous pointy shoes.

I changed my mind at approximately 1400 hours on Sunday, I don't know what it was, maybe it was the heavy drinking session up Hanley last night, with free champagne (The bottle said champagne, but it was 5.5% and tasted strikingly similar to the ever so upmarket tipple of Lambrini), but my mind cleared. Siting on the sofa at my mums, watching Stoke hammer Newcastle on Match of the Day, I realised, I couldn't be arsed.

Not quite the end, sorry folks. Later on I told my girlfriends grandparents that I wasn't going, I thought it sounded extremely dodgy and I didn't want to get cornered into it. (Stacking shelves at Morrisons is still so much better than this con) With a look of concern they asked me why? Why don't you go to this interview in your suit and matching razor sharp shoes? That's when I mentioned the K-word (It rhymes with Furby). The moment I said it, groans of disgust went flying around the room. Bemused, I in my Stoke City hoodie, pondered 'Why is one disgusted with this extermely reputable company?'.

Long story short (yeah right ), they have had that 'raffle' thing, and won a free carpet shampoo, with intimidation as a compulsory extra. They didn't fall for it, they are far to clever and strong to get swept away by this. Anyway they showed me a few websites, with very similar stuff to what you bunch have said. By now I had already decided I wasn't going, but this just sickened me more than anything, I could never try to sell an unneeded product, at an extortionate price to an easily intimidated elderly lady (And neither would most people, plus I wouldn't do this to anybody, but the elderly are more susceptible to this filth).

So the name's Unity Distribution, it's based in Longport, Stoke-On-Trent, they place very vague job adverts hoping to entice you in, and it's easy to get an interview.

The main reason for this stupidly long and pathetic essay/rant is to make sure that people can find information about this company, which has been lacking on the internet, and not to fall into the net that they set out, I reckon a load of people have taken up this job without actually being aware of what it entails. Plus I reckon if you wear a suit with matching pointy shoes you are a shoe-in .

Sorry about that folks :beer: