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by s8s8discourse 1578 days ago
The scam is misrepresentation. There's an almost intangible line between "fake it til you make it" and "fraud". There's pushing that line, and there's jumping over it.

- Misrepresented previous client list - Misrepresented project experience - Misrepresented personal brand (fake LinkedIn reviews) - Misrepresented other brands (faking reviews from fake Nike employees) - Misrepresented company status (faked employees) - Misrepresented company director status (fake GQ adverts, fake instagram followers)

The scam is that an individual carefully constructed a fake reality to sell a "job" to a bunch of individuals under false pretences. This wasn't an honest mistake. It was an orchestrated and premeditated punt at using a group of individuals labour at zero cost to land a big client for significant financial reward for the perpetrator.

> A scam is something which is a deception or a lie, not terms to which you openly agree to.

"Come join our new agency. We have no client list, or leads, and no pedigree with which to land a big client, and I will be unable to pay you until we land our first client"

vs

"I am a highly successful creative director with a swathe of personal and professional connections to high value businesses. I am offering a commission only role but given <all of the misrepresentation> we will definitely land 7 figure contracts! You don't have to take my word for it, look at all the <carefully crafted misrepresentation>"

Shameful to be insinuating this is an honest business practice, IMO