Primerica Reviews

We stuck to our guns and escaped the building that night without signing anything. The couple found us on Facebook that same night and sent friend requests to both my wife and I. The guy that works with my wife began emailing her each day and coming to her desk to see if we had made our decision. This went on for almost two weeks, then, my wife finally told him that we would give Primerica a try. He gave her a paper to fill out which gives them authorization to run background checks on us as well as deduct our $99 fees.

After providing him with that information, he told her that he was going to fax that information to corporate and make her a copy of it as well. Two days later, I got a promotion at my job and with my new job title, Primerica just didn't fit into our very busy schedules. We went to the Primerica office and spoke with the reps that recruited us about cancelling our background check since we were no longer interested. We specifically asked if we would receive a refund and we wanted to make for certain that our bank information would be destroyed and we wouldn't incur any more charges.

The rep looked us square in the eyes and advised that Primerica has a 100% nonrefundable policy for IBA fees so unfortunately, we could not get our funds back. They thanked us for stopping by to let them know we were no longer interested and told us that we had nothing to worry about, all of our personal information including banking information would be destroyed and we wouldn't be charged another dime.

Eight months later, we were reviewing our accounting report and noticed that for the past eight months, we had been charged $25 monthly by Primerica. I was livid. I contacted the rep myself to get this issue resolved. The rep informed me that they submitted a written correspondence to the corporate office to cancel our contract immediately after we had left their office eight months prior. They apologized profusely and provided us with the contact information for the corporate office to get a refund and cancel any future debits.

We called the corporate office and spoke with a very rude representative. We explained our situation and she stated that we were not entitled to any refund but that she had cancelled the automatic debits so we shouldn't be charged anymore. We demanded to speak with a manager in regards to our refund because we weren't giving up that easily. She placed a woman named Doris on the line and this woman had a very nonchalant attitude and stated that she would need to speak with the rep that recruited us.

We informed her that the rep told us to call them for assistance with obtaining our refund. She grew silent before telling us that there was nothing she could do. We immediately contacted the Attorney General's office for the State of Texas as well as the Better Business Bureau. Two weeks after filing our complaint, we contacted BBB and we got a response from a woman named Laura ** at Primerica.

She shifted all the blame upon us and stated that as a "good will gesture," she would refund us our money back. I am disgusted with this company and the lack of morale and ethics throughout their entire business. I would not recommend this company to anyone for any reason. My worst enemy doesn't even deserve the torture of being affiliated with such a deceitful company and as long as I'm alive, I'm going to tell everyone about this horrible experience.

When our representative found out that my husband didn't have a job, he asked if he could come by and talk to him about an opportunity with Primerica. We signed up together and paid our background check and licensing fee required to start up. My husband, a month or so later, decided it wasn't for him. We were refunded the money for the classes he didn't take and not the money for the background check (which the representative told us beforehand). I, on the other hand, have earned back all of the money I put into starting with them, as well as gotten paid nine times the amount since I began four months ago. Needless to say, I'm very happy working with and being protected by Primerica. And I have learned a lot about life insurance and other aspects of the financial services industry.

For most people, they don't understand why they have to "pay" to get in. It's simple. The $99 covers all of the legal costs and classes required to take your state license exam (repeatedly, if necessary), to license you to sell life insurance and other products, including securities licensing. This is a ** sweet deal, as it points out in the presentation. You would spend well over a few hundred dollars (of your own money) if you do it on your own. Why do Primerica? It is because there is no other business in the world, that I can think of that respects and treats you the way you want to be treated as a human being. Not only are you paying $99 for a licensing fee (which should cost more, but that's Primerica's way), you are also joining a family of people who only want you to grow your own business, and will help in any way they can (including sitting down with you at home) to get you prepared and started.

Most people are so lazy, that they will not even try to start their own business, and expect everyone and everything to come to them and do it for them. This is a very goal-driven business. You have to set a goal, a financial one, so that you are driven to do what you need to do to get to where you want to be. Everyone's goal is different, but everyone's destination is the same (grow a business, help families out by helping them save money, and make money for retirement and move on.)

The only way you don't make money in this business is either you don't work, or you don't take the time to get good at what you do. There is a host of people here who are willing to help you out (millionaires including) and grow your business. You have to do it. You have to open your mouth. Even if, you are shy, you can do this business. I was shy my whole life, and I have talked to people with more confidence than I've ever felt in my entire life. Why? It is because I know where I'm going, and I've set a goal. That's it. If you wanted to stay where you're at (accept mediocrity) then this business, is not for you. These people have felt success, and nobody, not even you, are going to stop them. That's why they are so excited for you to join, because they feel that everyone has a deep secret of goals hiding away, that truthfully, only money can bring. Rich people do not get there over night. This is not a get rich quick scheme. The system works! It's you who is the problem if you don't find time to get good at what you do, or set an appointment to meet people. That's it. You meet and talk to people every day. That is your "warm market". Those are people you can sit down with and either recruit, or get them to save money by switching to Term Life Insurance.

When the twin towers hit, Primerica was the only company to pay out on the families of the victims; they do not have a clause that states an "act of war" is voided in a policy. They cover suicides. Most policies (the corrupt ones) do not show you the fine print. Primerica helps families, and when you do the right thing, you will always succeed against anyone competing with you. There really is no better company out there that I can think of that is structured and provides for families and individuals out there than Primerica. Life insurance is a necessary evil. Money is a necessary evil. Unless you're satisfied with mediocrity, or are selfish, you will want to do this business. Why? You want to help yourself, and you want to help your family by saving money for retirement, and growing a business. That's it. If you have questions and comments, please contact me at **@yahoo.com.

First, to pay only $99 to cover my background check, and licensing tests and fees...that is a freaking DEAL! Second, the only way YOU fail is if YOU don't do the work. Obviously you have to sell things and get people excited about something, and if YOU can't do it, Primerica isn't for you. To top it off, paying $25 a month to keep your business running is just a hassling expense that needs to be done. Woe is me! I'm a single mom and that $25 could have bought my son new shoes! Yes, but that $25 is keeping mommy employed and keeping our butts off the street in a cute little rental property!

FYI--If you work at a car dealership, they usually have you sign a clause that states you cannot work for another car dealership within 200miles for a period of 2 years after your quitting or release date. Did any of you know that? Same with fast food, rickshaw companies, and virtually anyone with competition. EVERY JOB HAS A CATCH, Primerica's catch is probably having to actually use your brain to make things work. Duh!

Like any company there is bound to be a few bad eggs, people who are not honest upfront and only want to make a sale. Truth be told I believe Primerica to be one of the best companies Ive ever researched and worked for. If you notice all the people who had a bad employment experience resulted from the inability or reluctance to do the job. Why should you be paid if you dont work? If you applied to be a handyman, spent hundreds of dollars on your own tools and never did the work should the company reimburse you for those tools? This is a career and all careers require some sort of expense whether it be clothes, textbooks, tools, or something else.

If you had a bad experience with a certain office or rep don't blame the company, thats like a waiter being rude to you and instead of directing the manager to the problem waiter you just stop going to the place and tell others not to go there either, despite other people saying they've never had a bad experience. With that all I have to say is do your research, do the work, and dont blame others when you fail. This job is for the business driven, and the motivated...not the lazy or people just trying to get rich quick...it doesnt work like that outside of the Lottery.

I had to cancel her credit card and call bogus numbers given to her by this Jason **l (the boy who asked her to come). If a company is on the up and up then why the bogus numbers and when I called the regional Vice President named Buzz Walters have they not returned my calls for the application back?

My daughter didn't sleep all night worrying and being upset about being used by someone representing this company; i.e the boy Jason **. His number is 1-757-899-0983. Thank you for your help.

They tell you like a 100 times that all your money is going again in your pocket. But then, when you get out, because you saw that Primerica is garbage, they tell you that now you are not getting your $99.00 dollars back, but now you are getting $69.00 because of some other fees. What a great company that "helps people".

So did I just get interviewed for a job? I was so confused. I thought what could it hurt? I really needed a job, and I had been hurting for money. So I told her I needed to write a check and that I would have to post date it. She said okay. Fast forward, and I make it to one of their meetings. I listen. Again, they accentuate all these things I will be able to buy, and all these places I will be able to go to because I will be making so much money! At the end of the meeting, Ro comes up to me and says,"Is there anyway we can date the check for the second? " (it was dated the 4th).

"No, there's not going to be anything in the bank! " I said. "Don't worry, it won't be out until the fourth, it's on a Sunday," she said. "I don't know. We'll talk about it on Sunday," I told her (it was Thursday). "What if you just initial the change on the check? " Ro kept bugging. "I don't know, maybe," I said, just so she'd go away. "I wonder if I could initial it for you," Ro said. "What? " I asked, freaked and uncomfortable about that question. "Is it okay if I initial it for you? "Ro asked. "I said we'll talk about it on Sunday," I told her.

She went away to a meeting but, I had such a bad feeling. Ro kept calling me from that night through Friday, through Saturday. Come Saturday morning, I go to the training. I'm introduced, more blah blah. I tell Ro I'm feeling uncomfortable, she texts me later saying some kind of quote that's supposed to make me feel better. She thinks I'm feeling uncomfortable because I have to sell stuff. I didn't tell her it was about her or Primerica.

I called her after training on Saturday, and asked her if I can just give her cash. Ro says we can't accept cash. "What? Why?" I asked.

"We are a business, so we just can't," Ro says. We get into it a little, then I hang up. Now it's 10:30 pm Saturday night. She texts me asking again about the check, says she needs to give the check to her managers or something because they have to go to the bank. She wants me to give the okay to initial the check again. I get ** off. I call her, there is no answer, so I leave a message. "you have not stopped calling me for the past three days, ever since I met you. My life wouldn't better because you try to say buying things makes me happy, being this thing that you are is not what I want in life. You look so stressed every time I see you. I want to b a designer, not you. You have bugged me about my check, and I've had enough. I am stopping payment on the check and I never want you to contact me ever again. you seem like a nice person, so I am very sorry about this. I am done with Primerica, it was all those agents, and the company I was uncomfortable with!"

That was the last time I heard from her. I stopped payment on the check the next day. But someone from Primerica texts me the next Friday, "hope to see you tomorrow for training, we are happy to have you as part of the team. I text back and explain what Ro tried to do, and say I stopped payment on the check. I tell them nothing went through, and leave me alone. I don't know whether they still have me as a member, but I check everyday and will for awhile whether my checking account is messed with or not! I'm more paranoid, and frightened now. I am just recently separated and really struggling. I'm afraid to apply again for other jobs.

I got promoted to RVP, made the Financial Independence Council (earning $100,000 in a 12 month period). I am working on my next promotion to Senior Vice President by helping others get promoted to Regional Vice President. In 23 years in Primerica, I have never had a complaint from one of my recruits or clients. If you work this business right and do unto others as you want to be done unto you, you will succeed. I'm a living proof. Let my record stand for itself!

I feel obtaining reference information while waiting, and deception of innocent job seekers is a very bad business practice especially in these hard times. It is a waste of everyone's time and effort. I would never want anyone to support this company, let alone my friends! It's a waste of time for job seekers.

Like many of the others, my indoctrination fee was also $99 per month and $25 per month from there--still a challenge for someone living in Michigan's economy. I'm currently not in a position to divulge my own experiences online, but I would give anything--even considerably more challenging payments than those mentioned above--to have a face-to-face discussion with Mr. Tom **.

If this can't be achieved, then I'll settle for a telephone discussion. Somebody needs to wake him up, and I would love to be the one to do just that; and if nothing else, I do hope that Mr. ** finds this website to become informative about the fact that my experiences are not isolated. Anyone in Primerica's hierarchy listening out there? Would you care to give me a call? I think it's very sad that Mr. **'s contact information remains unknown to the newcomers.

As a recent college graduate desperate to find a job in this sluggish economy, I gladly called back and set up an interview. So I met with the guy who was to become my "field trainer" or whatever and he explained to me what I would be doing. As a journalism major in college, I hadn't the slightest clue or interest in selling insurance, which is what I got out of the interview. But being desperate to work, I agreed to a second interview, and the really weird part is that he asked me if I wanted to meet at the local office or if I wanted him to come to my house (strange).

I always felt really pressured when I met with him, and I found it strange the way he always had me write down names of people who I knew. He told me that there was a $99 fee but that if I didn't have it, I could do a "scholarship" program to where I go with my field trainer on three "successful" interviews with prospective buyers/victims in my "warm market" (people close to me - friends and family) to waive the $99 fee, which is what I chose to do.

So we went on several interviews to houses of people I knew and the whole process just seemed a little strange to me. I found it weird how I wasn't participating (I would just sit at the kitchen table watching him explain all this information to my friends who were just as confused as me) and how he always left papers with everyone and asked them to fill out names of people they knew. Even to customers who didn't or wasn't interested in the whole process, he would constantly call me and ask if I had gotten the list of names. Finally after the third client, my field trainer just stopped calling me and that's when I knew that I had been scammed. I could tell from the beginning that it was a little strange and didn't seem like a real job, but being the desperate unemployed college graduate that I am, I accepted.

I feel absolutely embarrassed to have to tell my friends that it was a scam and I am constantly apologizing to them for putting them through this and for giving out their personal financial information to these crooks at Primerica. These cronies are a weird bunch as well. My field trainer told me that I needed to go to the weekly meetings which were every Tuesday night and this was during the summer and Tuesday nights were volleyball nights for me so I rarely showed up and just made excuses as to why I wasn't there.

The few meetings that I went to were absolute repeats of one another. The same people got up in the same order and talked about the same old stuff - about how great Primerica was and how it's changed their lives, etc. I spent the entire time asking myself, "What am I doing here with these scammers?" To top it off, my field trainer told me that I needed to go to a regional meeting in St. Louis, which was the biggest joke and waste of time of my entire life. All of these Primerica people are the most brainwashed and ridiculous-acting people I've ever met. I thought to myself that it was just a big cult. To anyone who comes into contact with these people, I would say hang up the phone or slam the door immediately before they lure you in before it's too late. I made no money but lost no money either. The only thing I lost was some respect among my friends and a great deal of time that I could have spent looking for other jobs.

Many potential clients and recruits seem to have issues not because of how the company operates but how the representatives treat them. We are all sorry for the actions of these few individuals. However, I ask that you do not write complaints without looking up the facts.

We are a major company with a 30 year good standing with the BBB. We currently have an A+ standing with the BBB and an A+ rating from AM Best. Our company stock is even hitting the market soon. Some recruits have complained that their rep wanted to go on client appointments to make themselves money. This is for training and not mandatory. You could very well choose to do no training appointments until you have received your license and can receive a commission of your own. The company even refunds you for the cost of your life license (gained through the state) and will pay for your securities license once you have reached a certain level with the company. Understand that an individual rep does not gain money by recruiting. They can only succeed by helping the people they have recruited to succeed.

This is a good company that does right by its clients and employees. I have seen so many people that would have lost their homes, paid extravagant prices for other companies' services or simply had no help at all with their finances if not for Primerica. I am sorry for the individually bad experiences some have had, just please don't apply that to the entire company. Thank you.

After being laid off in December 2008, I really didn't think I would have trouble finding a job. I have a graduate degree and ten years of corporate experience. However, I was wrong. I had applied to over 40 places in one month and couldn't even land an interview, as most companies at that time were either laying people off or were in the beginning of a long hiring freeze.

Needless to say, I received a phone call from a good friend about three weeks later asking me if I would be interested in going to lunch with him. He had something he wanted to discuss. I agreed. I met him and another gentleman for lunch who discussed the business with me and answered all my questions. He brought some papers with him, showing me how much earning potential there is in the business.

I honestly wasn't really concerned with how much one could make at this point, as I simply wanted to make enough to provide for my family. He told me that working full time, it would be very feasible to make between $50,000 and $60,000 the first year, which was what I had made before being laid off. So I decide to join up.

I had $125.00 in my account the day I wrote the $99.00 check. I figured if all I had to lose was $99.00, I'll give it a shot. I worked with PFS full time from January to May. By the middle of April, I had a good idea that a great job offer was coming my way, so I slowly started pulling out of the business. I dabbled in the business part time over the course of the summer and fall of 2009. By the end of 2009, I started receiving nasty letters from PFS, which I will get to in a moment.

With all that said, there are good and bad things about the company as mentioned. I think it best to break it down and explain each one in detail. Before reading these, however, please understand, I no longer do business with PFS, which you will understand why as the story unfolds.

Products. Honestly, I think PFS has decent products. After a lot of research and my own study in the industry, whole life insurance really is a bad product when compared with term insurance. And PFS does really seem to want to help people get out of a bad whole life product. As far as PFS term insurance is concerned, they are not necessarily the cheapest, but they are very competitive. They have high industry standard ratings, and honestly, if you are considering purchasing a term policy through PFS, you are purchasing a good product. The SMART loan from Citi is also a decent product. People get a little confused because the interest seems high, but they don't understand the interest is simple interest. At the end of the day, I was able to help take several years off a few home loans for friends and family using the same money they were used to spending each month on their traditional fixed loan.

From a products standpoint, simply do your research and compare with other companies. If it's something that meets your family's needs, PFS does have decent products--life insurance and home loans.

Solicitation. Unfortunately, the negative aspect of their products is how the products are marketed. You are asked to build a list of names. Anybody and everybody you know or ever knew. You then take a "training" script and convince these people that you basically need their help while you're in training. What they don't realize is that, yes, technically, you are in training, but your end goal is still to sell them products. And worse, recruit. If you are not comfortable soliciting friends and family, then Primerica is not for you. If you are, then this won't be a big deal. I was somewhat uncomfortable, but I still did it, because I needed income.

Recruitment. Possibly, the worst aspect of the company is the ridiculous pressure to recruit. You can make a little money selling products, but you are not going to make any real money until you start recruiting and recruiting very heavily. I recruited six people in two months, and I got a little effort out of one individual and decent effort from another individual. But in both cases, the effort was short-lived. They were sold an idea, as are many people, but because Primerica takes almost anybody who is breathing and has $99.00, these folks really lacked the skills required to sell and run their own business.

I was embarrassed going with my trainer to the early sessions where I had asked a friend to let me come over for the purpose of training, only to have my trainer spend thirty minutes trying to recruit him. I wound up learning the presentation on my own very quickly, so I could go out on my own as fast as possible, because I didn't want my trainer pressuring my friends and family who were doing me a "favor" into joining the company.

It started to actually irritate me. The pressure they put on reps is not products or helping people (though they do talk about this); the real pressure is on recruiting. A good company screens qualified candidates and selects the most capable. PFS takes anyone, and I do mean anyone. Needless to say, the six individuals fizzled out before I did.

I was told by the RVP that it takes an average of 30 recruits to find one good one who will stick. If you need income sooner than later, don't depend on overrides for at least 9 months to a year.

Training. This is another area that really lacks. Because my background is Sales Training in the corporate world, I had a strong skill set when it came to presenting and selling. However, the training process is a joke. My upline was somebody who wanted to build his business by merely recruiting. He had no interest in learning the products or doing appointments. So I basically had to rely on the RVP for training. His efforts were decent in the beginning, but there were a lot of broken promises and business left unfinished because of something he forgot to show me or tell me.

There are no training standards in place or formal programs. The reason this process frustrated me is that I broke the selling process down into three phases: the presentation, the sale, and the delivery. I nailed the presentation almost immediately. I nailed the close almost immediately. However, I was never really shown how to deliver the policy or what was expected once the sale was made. I didn't know what to ask, because I didn't know what I didn't know.

Because of this, I wound up with a lot of sales that fell through the cracks, thus a lot of charge-backs. While recruiting they talk about how you can make all this money for a few hours of work. And by setting 8 - 10 new appointments each week, you can make a ton of money. Well, that's true to some extent, but what they fail to mention is that each potential customer who has interest turns into 3 and sometimes 4 appointments to finish business.

If you have several go-backs, closes, and deliveries to make in a week, how the heck are you still supposed to schedule 8 new appointments? Then if I decide I need to take a little time off to spend with my family, I am criticized because my priorities are screwed up and am not committed to the business. PFS reps will tell you that they say: 1) God; 2) Family; 3) Business.

But that is not true. They hide behind God-mask, but it is clearly business first. They tell you what you want to hear about making time for family and working when you want to work, but once you're in the business, if you're not working on their terms, they let you know about it. They tell you how you get to run your own business, but after you sign up, scrutinize you if you're not running your business on their terms.

Meetings. This was perhaps the most irritating thing about PFS--the meetings. We had a weekly Opportunity meeting that met one night per week, and it was expected that we be there regardless if we had potential recruits or not. Kind of irritated me because it was the same thing week after week after week! And it took a night of appointments away from me or time with my family. Everybody was also told that the meetings would last one hour, but they always lasted very close to 2 to 2.5 hours, which is why I never invited anybody.

When I approached the RVP and told him that it might be a good idea to keep our meetings to whatever time frame we tell people, such as start on time and end on time regardless, he became furious. "We only started 20 minutes late! That's why we ran late!" Instead of taking constructive criticism, he became defensive. I stopped going to the Opps meetings, and I was constantly harassed about it.

Then we were expected to also attend the Saturday morning training sessions, which again, were very repetitive and always lasted three or more hours. Again, time away from potential appointments or time away from family. If you miss, then you are harassed and told you are not committed to the business. This doesn't even include the big events that are held in hotels and halls. These events are expensive and more of the same thing that's been shoved down your throat the entire time.

Except now, you have hotel, food, and travel expenses. You go to the event and listen to a handful of people talk about how rich they are for six hours. Again, if you don't go, you are harassed and told "How can you afford not to go?" These sessions did nothing to help my business but take money out of my pocket as a tax write-off.

The meetings are really designed to keep people plugged in and motivated. If the business is so great and so easy, then why do you have to constantly have rah-rah sessions?

Financial Planning. In the beginning, I made mention of how PFS products are good. I spoke strictly of life insurance and home loans. Avoid any financial planning with PFS. Their people are securities-licensed (as I was with a previous employer), but very few reps actually have any clue how to invest other people's money. I thought my RVP was investment savvy, until after watching him suggest the same exact fund family to the fourth client in a row. He did not take suitability or risk tolerance into consideration at all. He simply suggested one fund family, because that happened to be the fund family he knew a little about, and so could speak semi-intelligently about it.

Rich people seek out the best advisors with experience. PFS takes anybody off the street regardless of education, ability, or experience. Are these the people you want handling your investments? No!

From what I can tell, the RVPs I met all had the same story. They started with PFS in their late teens or early 20s, because college wasn't for them. And nobody would give them a chance. PFS would though. And so, while they didn't have families, any debt or living obligations, they spent the next 2-3 years of their lives building their business while living in mom and dad's basement.

If this is a sacrifice you're willing to make, then yes, you can probably make RVP. Unfortunately, I have a mortgage, bills, and a family. I can't afford to make a living off $1000 a month selling as a senior rep whoI couldn't afford to wait the 6-9 months they say it takes to really start building your business. And my kids are at the age that I didn't really like the idea of working every single evening and all day Saturday and Sunday (which was happening despite being told I could make a ton of money working a few hours each day).

All in all, is PFS a scam? No, it's not a scam necessarily. It is multi-level marketing. It's not a pyramid scheme as many claim (real pyramid schemes eventually collapse because no product or service is exchanged, just money). Where it becomes hazy and suspicious is the fact that PFS doesn't give you the whole picture up front. They have shady recruitment practices, paint this picture of getting rich working a few hours each week, and many in the business have bad manners and poor business etiquette. Unfortunately, this is the face of PFS. You just need to know what you're getting into.

Would I do it again? Not in a million years. I made about $1,000 a month for five months working 60 hours a week, only to walk away owing the company $2,500. I was constantly told "Keep persisting and you're going to go RVP in 15 months! You're doing great! Charge-backs are part of the business!" Well, you do the math: 1200 hours of work for $5,000 income minus $2,500 in charge-backs = $2,500 of gross pay (which doesn't include taxes)--a far cry from the $50 or $60,000 I was told a full-time person could make in the first year. And it wasn't for lack of trying. I worked my ass off. And now, I'm being constantly harassed with letters telling me PFS wants their money.

With PFS, the people make the business, and I have yet to see a truly good person working with PFS. They talk about how they want to help you and all these people. And guess what? They're no different than anybody else--they're trying to make a buck just like the next guy. There is so much more I could say. But I think, you all get the idea from this post. I hope this post has helped even one person make a more informed decision.

My rep came, introduced herself and took me into this room with other people. She told me that the information that she was providing me with should just stay between her and I and that I could not discuss anything with any of the other representatives either (weird). She gave me her life long story on how she was raised on a farm far away somewhere and how she got to where she was today. I guess she was trying to relate to me in some way being that I live in the south. The story didn't touch me any because I'm from the west coast. So, she hands me a paper and leaves me for a second and wanted me to jot down names of people I know (with kids, without kids, with jobs, etc.) so I did. And when she seen my list, it seemed as if her eyes screamed "money!" So she took my paper when I was done and left me in the room by myself while she made copies. The whole time I didn't feel too good about the situation. I sat there for some time until someone approached me and said that I was free to go. I felt robbed from something. So I left.

The next meeting, I came professionally dressed and ready to work. The lady I was working with came to me and basically said that I was over dressed and told me that next time I could come in something a little more comfortable. But I didn't see the reason to why. I had spent so much money on a week’s worth of business clothes that I felt the need to wear them only to Primerica because I felt like I needed to look professional. So that was a waste of money right there.

Anyways, she takes me a room in the back and tells me to sit down and take a test that was on the computer. It was so hot and stuffy in that room. No vent and the desks were cluttered with papers making it so uncomfortable to work. I clicked through the test just trying to get out of there, with people sneezing and coughing, I didn't want to get sick. So after I was done, no one was around so it was like she stood me up like the first visit. So I got up and walked out.

The next day at work, my co-worker came up to me smiling and grinning saying that he got a call from the same job company I was "working" at (Primerica). My co-worker said they were looking for someone like him. The same crap they said to me! So, I told him that they were frauds and to not waste his time with them. After blowing $99 with them, I didn't want my money gone to waste so I was thinking of ways to just play everything out so I can hurry and finish the course.

The next meeting, she set up with one of my "clients" a good friend of mine. My representative and I met at my friend’s business and sat her down to talk with her. My rep told me to just sit back and watch, so I did. And at the end of all the number talk about how my friend can save money for having Primerica as her insurer, the price came out on how much I would have made. I already told my friend about the whole scam thing before we arrived so my friend turned it down and said she would wait till I finish so she could know that her money would be safe with someone who wasn't a stranger. But that still didn't work! My rep told me the only way that I would start making money is if I had three of my clients take her offer. So by the time I make one cent, I'd have to give up about $4,000. I then said forget it and that was my last day of even dealing with them.

I wanted to make sure my name was taken off the whole Primerica company so I called up to the office and said that I wanted my refund back. The secretary said okay and that she would tell my rep about it. But just to further make sure things were going in my way, I decided to take a visit to the building. I spoke with the secretary and told her that I wanted to see my rep so I could further see how everything would come along. I waited in the front for some time and I heard my rep in the back finally, saying to tell me that she was not there. So, I said fine and walked out.

They didn't take the money out of my account yet so I called my bank and closed my account, which was another thing that I shouldn't have done. So, I had to open it back up with a $30 fee and let them stick their nasty little hands in my account again for $125. My dad wrote to their company head boss in charge where it seemed they didn't even know who it was. My dad then told me that the refund was going to be made. I was happy that I could get my money back. But about a week later, I got a note in the mail reading out the numbers of what my money was used for! I know what it was used for. I just wanted my money back! My dad told me not to worry about it but it just upset me so much the way people are.

So to break everything down for the next person, Primerica is a company that likes to feed off of people really going through the struggle of this recession and wanting to hang that $125 over their heads so they can chase their own money while making more for themselves. And by the time you’re tired of chasing your own money, they hope to gain $4,000 off of you plus your lousy $125 that they don't even care for. My advice to anyone is to stay away from them! The damage done, $300 spent on business clothes for a better presentation of myself that I never wore again, $30 for closing down my bank account, $35 in draft fees, $15 in gas to make it to the meetings and $125 from Primerica itself.

The fee to join was $99. Although this seems like a small amount, it was incredibly difficult to come up with at the time. It took me two weeks to accomplish. From the moment I signed up, I said I work Saturdays and could not attend meetings with Primerica. Before signing up, Sunny called me nearly daily. I went to the second phase and spent 20 minutes with Sunny's son Austin and his wife Geeta. Austin explained the process to get online to me while talking to his wife and mother. He walked away several times and told me to "poke around in there" and I would be able to figure out the computer process. His mother, Sunny, was useless.

On Saturday afternoon, Austin called and asked where I was. There was a meeting in progress and I was expected there. I reminded him I could not make the meetings on Saturdays. Two days after this, we had a serious car accident and I was unable to work for over a month. I communicated this to Austin via text message and never received an answer. Later, Sunny called me and asked why I wasn't at the meetings. I told her about the accident and she was less than supportive saying, "If you aren't making any forward progress, we aren't going to mess with you."

In the meantime, $25 was drafted from my account for computer access. I sent a text message to Austin and told him I needed to cancel the web access for now as I couldn't work and therefore couldn't afford to pay for it. He agreed to take care of it. He didn't! The following month I came home to no electricity. The check I wrote to the electric co-op bounced due to the Primerica draft that Austin didn't stop - he broke his promise. This cost me overdraft fees ($35) and a reconnect fee ($50) for the electric. I sent Austin another text message in caps saying I needed the draft stopped now! He said he would take care of it. The following month I ordered a small birthday cake for our daughter's birthday party. I went to get it and my debit card was declined. Austin bombed again! So, there’s no birthday cake!

Austin contacted me via text message a couple of times and I told him to leave me alone. He had done enough damage. That was a couple of months ago. Today is Christmas and Austin sent me a text message! The guy just doesn't get it! I am out $175 for Primerica and the OD fees and reconnect fees. Neither Primerica nor Austin nor his mother will step up to the plate on this. It is all numbers for these fine Primerica folks - not human kindness and emotion! Just numbers. Stay far, far away!

As was stated earlier, I did eventually learn that this was an MLM company and because I had no interest in working for them, I immediately withdrew my name for consideration. A few weeks later, I noticed the first $25 charge on my credit card statement. The charge was dated two weeks after I declined the job offer at Primerica. I attempted to contact Primerica Corporate. Each time I called, I was prompted to enter my Primerica employee identification number. I obviously had no number, at which point the answering system leaves you no options but to terminate the telephone call. I did locate an additional phone number for their Accounts Payable department, but the line is always answered by an automated system with an outgoing message stating that the department is in a corporate training meeting.

Eventually, February 2nd came about and another $25 was charged to my credit card for computer access. At this point, I contacted Nick ** at Primerica's Woodbury, MN office. Nick was the so-called vice president that I had interviewed with in December. I related what was occurring to him, at which point he told me that he did not appreciate my lack of professionalism and that I was stupid for declining the job offer. He then went on to say that he would terminate the $25 monthly charge only if I provided him with 25 names of friends and family that he could contact regarding Primerica's services. He communicated that I owed him this for wasting his time and that I consented to the $25 charge and therefore was required to continuing to pay it until I provided the aforementioned list of names and telephone numbers. On May 2nd, my credit card was once again charged for the fifth time by Primerica.

The sales pitch was this: that they didn't need your $199, but that they collected it to make sure that people were serious about completing the process, once you did complete the licensing process your money would be given back to you. At one meeting Mr. Andlovec even stated that I would be receiving a check for $200 and so "you will even be making a buck on the deal" is what he said to me. At another group meeting that I attended I personally witnessed the owner, Roosevelt Kirby hand a couple $200 in cash, the statement he made about it was that he was refunding their fee early (they had not passed the exam yet) because they had recruited other people.

There was also a fee of $65.95 for having fingerprints taken for the process of becoming licensed. Primerica also promised that this fee would be refunded upon passing the examination. I did everything that was asked of me, paid the fees, took the training course and I passed the examination on June 21, 2007. After passing the examination I tried to make inquiries about when I would be receiving my refund and I would not get a response to that question or I would get a vague response. After not receiving my license or being contacted by the company by approximately August 27th, I called and spoke to Ingrid, who is the company secretary I believe. She acted like she had no idea what I was talking about in regards to a refund and told me there was no refund of the $199. In regards to the $65.95 she said they needed more information about my employment which I faxed to her promptly. I was told she would inquire about the refund situation and get back to me but I have again heard nothing from them. I now feel that this is some sort of scam.