You don’t need to sell anything, says recruiter

PETALING JAYA: You don’t have to sell anything.

That’s what Diana Wong was told by a member of the company that was trying to recruit her.

And it all started innocently enough. A friend’s invitation to go paintballing ended up with her being pressured into attending a second meeting where “more would be revealed”.

While she had a good time initially, things turned bizarre when they went for dinner.

“At paintball, my friend introduced me to a big group of participants.

“Everyone was from different backgrounds but it was positive feel-good vibes all around.”

After the game, the group which had swelled to more than 20, went to eat.

That’s when Wong got suspicious.

Everyone sat in small groups. There would be one person talking in each group while the others just listened attentively.

Oddly, new faces were coming and going, she said, describing it as cult-like.

“A ‘successful businesswoman’ came to share life’s meaning with me, telling me how she’s so free now that she doesn’t have to work.

“She told me about her friends driving luxury cars with millions in the bank.

“She was very philosophical, talking about how work consumes so much of our time yet only the bosses and company benefit.”

Although the company has products like supplements and beverages, the woman claimed to earn RM20,000 per month without having to sell anything.

Then it hit her. Wong was being recruited.

She asked for the name of the company and the business it was involved in but details were sketchy.

She confronted her friend who explained that secrecy was part of the business model.

“Only then did she reveal that she was also member of the company.

“She told me the people I played paintball with would be my future colleagues but I’d have to attend the next meeting for details.”

Wong declined but promised to think about it.

“My friend got agitated, pushing me for a commitment. ‘What’s to think about, you haven’t even attended the second meeting’, she said, sounding aggressive.

“That’s when I left.”

Malaysian Mental Health Association deputy president Datuk Dr Andrew Mohanraj Chandra­sekaran said activity invites were only a “vetting exercise”.

A skilful scammer can identify who among the attendees will appear at the second meeting and the audience is then narrowed down to the most suggestible and vulnerable.

“During the first meeting, a senior member comes and starts ‘scanning’ for potential victims.

“The target is likely to be awed by a manipulator who appears to be authoritative during the presentation.

“The next step is fairly easy – the ‘it’s now or never’ approach is employed, netting in the most susceptible of the lot.”