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Responsible Marketing

Personnel Concepts’ marketing: Out of compliance?

By October 8, 2008July 23rd, 2020167 Comments

I don’t like receiving upsetting letters.

Nobody does.

But here’s an envelope I received in the mail yesterday:

Envelope from Personnel Concepts labor law poster notice+enlarge

Why would I receive a letter from The Compliance Service Department at PCI marked “Important – Open Immediately?”

I didn’t know who PCI was, but I was afraid it may have something to do with our business insurance so I opened the letter posthaste.

Here it is:

Personel Concepts labor law poster notice +enlarge

“Final Notice?”

Okay, that made me nervous. We pay our bills around here, and we pay them on time. What’s happened?

As I read a little further, the knot at the bottom of my stomach began to loosen. We hadn’t screwed up—this was another deceptive marketing trick.

In fact, it was trick I was informed about in late August, when I was contacted by Janet Attard of Business Know How, a 20-year-old company that sells these posters online.

She contacted me because she was fed up with questionable marketing tactics of some of their competitors and thought it would be an interesting topic for The Responsible Marketing Blog.

An excerpt:

Businesses regularly get mail . . . telling them they need to buy or update posters immediately to avoid being fined.

The mail is usually worded to be confusing, but not quite (by a hairline) be false advertising.

For instance, there were some changes voted into law for the FMLA this year (Family Medical Leave Act).

The US Department of Labor put an informational poster on its site, but that is only a temporary poster, and while it’s recommended, it’s not required to post. That’s because the DOL hasn’t finalized or issued the new FMLA posting.

That didn’t stop the sleazy marketers from telling companies they had to buy a new poster with the new FMLA regulations on it.

Janet never named names, but the letter I received from Personnel Concepts yesterday sure seems to fit the bill.

It would appear Personnel Concepts’ goals with this mailing were to:

  1. Create enough uneasiness with the envelope to get someone to open the letter
  2. Create enough uncertainty with the letter to get that person to act
  3. Make the letter and envelope look official enough that it might fool companies into quickly routing the form to accounts payable for immediate payment

There is information in the copy that explains that this a product for sale, and that the same posters are provided by the government for free. But everything else has been deliberately crafted to create fear, uncertainty and doubt—with a goal of tricking someone into paying without thinking first.

We’ve seen this approach before, from vanity scams to domain name renewals—some companies would rather deceive instead of trying to persuade buyers their product is worth the price they seek.

To be fair, Personnel Concepts approach isn’t that unique. Some direct marketers use this approach frequently—because it works.

So, is Personnel Concepts’ marketing out of compliance, or are they just really effective direct marketers?

Comment below to weigh in.

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Join the discussion 167 Comments

  • I agree with you 100%. I am sure you will ever do business with them, and now anybody that reads this, perhaps finding your blog after a search for them, has permanent testimony to their un-trustworthiness.

  • joel says:

    It’s corporate America’s version of a Nigerian 419 letter.

  • Ed Healy says:

    I don’t get as many of these via snail mail as I do via email. I do get them, though. The ones I dislike the most are the ones that appear to be negotiable checks – only if you deposit them, you are signing up for a service of some sort. I consider this a bad business practice and wish it would be squashed.

  • Just like the 419 scams, these are clearly deceptive yet obviously effective…

  • I’ve received e-mails of a similar nature that take the approach of a Better Business Bureau complaint against my business (filed by someone I’ve never worked with). With further investigation, it turns out to be bogus. But these marketers are definitely creating fear and then attempting to take advantage of that fear by offering a solution for it.

  • Dalene D. says:

    My office was scammed by Personnel Concepts about 5 months ago. My boss & I were unaware that this company was not on the up & up. The information & posters we received and paid for from Personnal Concepts were the exact same thing that we could have gotten from the Labor Board for FREE, which I heard on the TV news by a guest from the Better Business Bureau. Personnel Concepts called our office today and I absolutey refused to talk to them.

  • Nick says:

    When I get letters like this it makes me mad when I find out it is not something important or urgent so it goes in the trash. I don’t even give it consideration. I get a lot at my house and they are mainly car dealerships, but now I have learned to open, scan to the bottom, and trash if it is a scam.

  • Veronica says:

    I do book keeping for a small business and have received several of these letters from Personnel Concepts regarding the compliance posters. I paid for the initial posters, around $50 I believe, then within a month began receiving more letters telling me the posters I just bought are now out of date and I need to buy more. That’s when I really began to get suspicious and just started throwing the letters out. I just received another one so decided to look it up on the web. My suspicions have now been confirmed and I will not be purchasing posters from them. They do make their letters look very official so you assume you need to pay for it. I believe the product is necessary for business owners, but nice to know there are other means of obtaining them-and for free. Thanks for the post!

  • AmyB says:

    I kept getting these bills and “final notice” letters as well at a past business. Seemed the receptionist before me fell for it and spent $1000’s of the business money trying to keep up and make sure we had what we were “required” to have. (there are 100’s of these companies out there). So I did a little research, even contacted the Better Business Bureau. As one other person commented, the only place you need to get posters and forms from is your State Labor Department and they are FREE!!!!! Don’t fall for this expensive scam! I had one company call me to tell me that they were going to fine us $800 for not keeping up to date on the posters and forms and I told them I knew they were a scam. They hung up without saying another word. Paranoid?!!!

  • nancy says:

    We received one of these “final notice” things at our church, and since I am the new treasurer, I dutifully hurried to pay it so we wouldn’t get fined. Then, when they CALLED us to tell us we needed another poster for OSHA compliance and this would cost $100, I started to smell a rat. When I told her I was going to look into this, she said I could call her back at any time to approve the purchase. Well, I did call her back and told her she was deliberately decieving me, that all the posters I needed would be sent free from the state, and beside that, I wasn’t going to spend the Lord’s money on a fraud. She said, “Did you want to cancel the order?” DUHH!

  • Shawn says:

    I ordered an update for the poster I had previously ordered (I believe it was to cost around $14). I was suspicious about it, but I just wanted them out of my hair, and it wasn’t much money. I sent the order in via snail mail. I ended up receiving over $300 worth of merchandise. According to them, they called to “confirm the order”, and supposedly the boss (whom they spoke with) ordered all the extra stuff. Looking at the list of things they sent me, there’s NO WAY the boss would have ordered or agreed to all that stuff (as most of it has nothing to do with our business). Heck, they sent me a binder about musculoskeletal disorders (WTF?). I don’t know what they said to my boss on the phone when they were “confirming my order”, but it had to be incredibly deceptive. They managed to tack on a list of 20 extra things. I’m sure they acted like they were just confirming an order I had already placed. I don’t think they could have possibly pulled off such a bait and switch without flat out lying to my boss. I called them and yelled at them for being scamsters, then I told them we were canceling the payment, and if they wanted their stuff back, they would have to provide me with a shipping label (which they emailed me). These guys are first class scumbags.

  • Kirstyn says:

    I just received this letter in the mail and my gut told me to do some research before sending a check off… thank you all so much for the postings and confirming what I’ve always believed… listen to your instincts!

  • Terry Reinhart says:

    A trick we used to use to get even with entities like this:

    If they have an 800 number, get as many people as you can, call their 800 number….continually.

    They have to pay for each call they receive on their 800 line.

    terrein

  • Peter says:

    Im a business owner with 2 locations I was first approached by personnel concepts about 2 years ago. At first I thought it was a scam too but I thought I would give them a try. 6 months ago 1 of my workers got a pretty serious injury and we had OSHA inspectors here immidiatly. They told me if it wasnt for my saftey posters on the wall they would have to fine me $1000 for each of the 3 changes not placed on my poster and for “not properly addressing health and saftey in the work place”.
    I am soo greatful I spent $200 to keep my butt out of trouble so now I just leave all that updating to them, They charge about a total of $300 a year for all my stuff and to a small biz owner like me its cheaper than having to deal with a lawyer.

  • I agree with Terry Reinhart. We should call their 800 number and hope that will cost them their business. Start calling 800-333-3795!

  • Greg Rivers says:

    Honestly, call thier 800 to get even??? I do also agree they have some pretty confusing marketing but I also never realized how many laws change throughout the year. I took it upon myself to cancel personnel concepts service and do it myself for a year. Im in the construction industry and we have many other diffrent laws that only apply to that industry. There are too many changes and things I had to keep up on that I just call them up and let them deal with all the notices.
    Many people dont realize these posters are required by law, I know this because my brother works for an OSHA saftey inspection company and he fines business owners all the time.

  • Brian Rausch says:

    Im a GM for a company with over 130 locations across the us. OSHA and Labor Law Posters are part of strict audit criteria. If I don’t have my facility updated with the most current posters I’m in trouble. The company actually trains it’s GM’s on matters such as these explaining how many times they have been fined by OSHA for not having these postings or not having the proper programs in place to be compliant.

    I’d bet most posters here are small business owners that have little or no knowledge of the severity of not having this information posted. Take the time to educate yourself and might find your self worrying about more important matters than a piece of mail looking like the government. They disclose who they are, and they tell you the information is free from the government so how deceptive could they be?

  • Office Manager, Large Non-Profit says:

    I’ve received the letter also. They do a good job of looking official, but we too pay our bills on time and NEVER get final notices unless it’s a scam of some kind. I usually walk away from companies forcing me into a rush decision because it never ends up benefitting our organization.

    I agree with Brian Rauch on one point though. A jazzy design and creating a sense of urgency does not a scam make. They offer a poster that may or may not be required. Luckily there are smart people out there that recognize PCI for what they are. That’s the glory of being free in America. The Gov’t can protect you from terrorism, but not your own stupidity…that is a freedom that many enjoy, unfortunately it is not always blissful.

  • Terry Reinhart says:

    Start forwarding the “letters” to USPS, if they get enough complaints, they’ll do an inquiry, which puts a scare into cons like this.

  • Logan Linares says:

    Great point “Office Manager.” The general public is pretty stupid. It’s always somebody’s fault your stupid when it gets brought to your attention. No one likes to hear it but when your a business owner you have responsibilities. No one is going to teach you, you have to learn it on your own and if getting fined is the way you learn so be it.

    Since we are on the topic of stupidity and commonsense I’d like to point out the “Janet Attard” comment. Janet is a competitor of Personnel Concepts. Why would anybody put value into another competitors devaluing comments about another competitor? There are several scammers out there that will tell you their competitors do bad things and they don’t but several times they turn out to be just as bad as their competitors. Can someone tell me how one could take her comment with more than a grain of salt?

  • J says:

    Thanks for submitting this! I received this letter today from Personnel Concepts. I was unsure about it and googled it and found your blog.

  • Got mine today re: Federal Labor Law Poster.

    First tip off (among many): my name was followed by “or Current Occupant”.

    Can this group get away with what they are doing by what is written in the final paragraphs on side 2 of their document, particularly the sentence: “Notices are available free from the government; we do not sell or provide individual government posters.” ?

    Just curious. Liz

  • Daniel Yoldi says:

    What’s written on the back means nothing. It’s there for the customers satisfaction of knowing they are being told they can. It’s more than likely a tactic to fend off the complainers such as the ones in this blog. The truth of the matter is that you can get the posters from the government for free and it’s illegal to sell individual posters available from the government. However they are not doing that. They are taking several posters and combining them into one poster which is not the same. Of course that is over simplifying the matter but the black and white of the law says they are doing nothing wrong. It’s the public’s common stupidity we are talking about and as Office Manager stated being free to choose to be stupid is not always blissful

    Take for example K&N filters…if your familiar with cars. The filter is claimed to be American Made when the fact of the matter is the filters aren’t even produced here in the US. They’re manufactured overseas and then shipped here . Though according to US laws because it was oiled, shrink wrapped and boxed here it’s American made. Most people have no clue about the in’s and out’s of the law and are often scammed by some of the largest most respectful companies all the time but since it doesn’t make them feel stupid they deal with it.

    I’m an HR manager and I discovered Personnel Concepts several years ago. I received their “Final Notice” and remember being annoyed by the message but after I made a purchase with them I soon forgot about their crummy marketing scheme. They offer several other products and not just posters. It wasn’t until recently when we received a final notice that I realized the power of the internet and perhaps the people that are on it.

  • Tammy says:

    I just received this letter today. I have been checking with every letter that comes through our mail that is from a company that I am not familiar with and found this site by doing so with this letter. THANK YOU!!!
    I have so many scam marketing and posts out there from companys that have been sending my company junk mail! I’m glad that I have started doing this.
    Thanks again!!!

  • Josette says:

    I don’t get it. Where’s the SCAM? Everyone keeps talking about a SCAM and then there are those that say it’s required. Does anyone have authority in this blog or are they people that are speaking to hear themselves?

  • Josette,

    Good questions. The key thing here is their marketing approach — the fact they are leading with trickery instead of the products benefits and their company’s differences that matter.

    “Speaking to hear themselves?” Really? Everyone that comments here has the authority to speak. They have experienced Personnel Concepts marketing first hand, and they know exactly how it made them feel.

  • Mike says:

    Definition

    SCAM: A fraudulent deal. Business plan intended to defraud; To defraud or embezzle.

    If it’s trickery why do they disclose who they are? Why do they tell you it’s free? Why do they provide an 800 number to call them and verify information? Does the government not require this information to be posted in your business.

    Because someone feels uncomfortable it’s a scam? I don’t get it either. I don’t like getting bills and then having to pay for them but I do it anyways because I’m required to pay.

  • Kim says:

    Some of people on this blog are ridiculous. Personnel Concepts is a $40mm company apart of Brady a BILLION DOLLAR public company. Go ahead and call their 800 number and report them to whoever. Obviously investors don’t mind. Personnel Concepts has been around for over 20 years and been doing the same kind of business since then. If it was a scam I’m sure they would of been shut down by now and wall street would have nothing to do with it. A blog like this gets posted and everyone feels educated but blogs like this just show the ignorance and laziness of people not to really find out the truth of the matter. Why is it everyone lives their lives to their highest level of mediocrity?

  • Thank you for your candor, Kim.

    So what you are saying then is, “might makes right” and if they aren’t shut down it’s not questionable marketing?

    This is a discussion about the marketing tactics being used. It’s about Responsible Marketing, not irresponsible marketing that makes people angry but is okay because laws aren’t being broken or a company is large.

    While their company may be legit, it’s the opinion of the readers of this blog that their marketing IS deceptive.

    Your argument that this company is part of a billion dollar public company only makes the offense worse. I can see this from a small, scrappy company just trying to make it, but the bigger the company, the LESS excuses they can make.

    Since when have public companies been guilt-free? A large part of the responsibility for our current economic crisis is due to the under-regulated excesses of public companies.

    Your question “Why is it everyone lives their lives to their highest level of mediocrity?” is incredibly ironic.

    This blog (and it’s author, yours truly) and the people commenting on it expect companies to live to a HIGHER standard.

    If you believe that the the blind acceptance of marketing tactics like this is okay, who’s really being mediocre, Kim?

  • Kim says:

    Thank you Pat for your response.

    I’m not suggesting that simply because a company is a public corporation makes them legit. What I am saying is Personnel Concepts has been around for over 20 years and the their tactics have been known just as long. If there was something wrong with there tactics (morally, ethically, or legally) you would think the negative press would cause them to loose…right? A public company does not make you guilt free but it does mean your business is an open book.

    You cite Janet Attard’s comment and it could lead one to believe Personnel Concepts a great example of the problem when I have yet to hear or see some of the tactics mention. I personally have received several mailings from Personnel Concepts including the infamous Final Notice. Though the mention of selling products people do not need I so far have found untrue. I also find interesting another poster mentions Janet Attard’s devaluing comment about another competitor. Business Know How has used the same tactics of Final Notice and officialness that scares people. Whether she uses it now…I’m not sure. However, reading some other blogs and press out there she sure likes to toot her horn like she is a role model of perfection.

    Not to get off target but to get back to your point. This is about Responsible marketing and what appears to be deceptive. I’m sorry but I can’t totally agree that the point of view that it’s irresponsible marketing on behalf of Personnel Concepts. Everything that one person needs to determine the validity of their Final Notice is present on the mailer and all they have to do is read. Since when is the irresponsibility of the consumer the responsibility of the advertiser. As one poster said choosing to be uninformed is your choice but feeling stupid isn’t always blissful.

    So to wrap this up even though every bit of information you would need is given to you to make an educated conclusion about the legitimacy of a notice, because it LOOKS scary it means it’s deceptive. I’m sorry I really don’t buy that. You mention the posters here feel it’s deceptive but I see some that feel it’s not so deceptive. What kinds of businesses do these posters have and how large is there business. I have yet to see a business of some type of size or stature complain…or is it just me?

  • Lisa says:

    I finally figured this out too and I work at a church! The only posters you are required to post are sent to you by the government for FREE!

  • Carl says:

    I am sorry, but I for one will not spend money on something that is available for free and unlike the companies that have money to throw away, I am not one of them. This is not being money smart.

  • George R. Sutterman says:

    Its scary to even think some of these people who run a business just totally ignore things like this. If you run a business please just do your due diligence don’t be so cheap and at least keep those posters current. Small business owner that think they are above the law will have a very rude awakening when they do get an inspection done. Trust me Im someone who knows how costly these OSHA inspections are, lets just say that “you can be fined” thing is oh so very true. You know the government gives these free but don’t think for a second they are going to call and remind you one of your posters needs to be updated until the day the labor commission come in then they let you know how many updates are missing by way of fines and written warnings. Its a wise choice to at least get a new poster once a year.

  • Becky says:

    Several things are WWWAAAYYYY out of line here. First of all, their entire presentation is modeled after official government postings, which makes it look ‘official’. Secondly, ANY of the posters that they have for sale are usually available from your state department of labor for FREE. Third, the letter itself is actually a SOLICITATION/SALES PITCH, but your first impression is that you or your company are out of compliance and possibly liable for a $17,000 fine. This typs of mailing must state clearly and visibly somewhere in the body that it is a solicitation, and not an official government document. Finally, when you call the company – be careful and listen for the ‘beep’ which means your call is being recorded. However, you are not informed that the call is being recorded, which is another violation. This company is using visual cues and language that are basically strong-arm tactics. I’ve already complained to my state department of consumer protection, the FCC and the US Department of Justice. Businesses like this need to be put out of business.

  • Debbie says:

    I realize not everybody has time to make sure they are up to date with their posters and if you are one of those companies, order away. However, I do have a problem with my “FINAL NOTICE” as it was actually the FIRST NOTICE I had ever received from them….so that is a “little” bit deceptive and sneaky. When I called to have our self insured government agency taken off the mailing list, the man on the telephone was extremely professional and courteous.

  • Margo says:

    I just put junk mail in the envelope and send it back postage due.

  • Randy says:

    I just listened to a meassage from these people telling me they want to talk to me about employee #1529596. Being a retired State cop I was suspicious about the call, googled their name and found this blog site. You all have confirmed my suspicions. I can’t wait for Ginger to return my call.

  • I am the president of a very small nonprofit. We don’t even have a brick and morter and was very confused as to why I needed to purchase signs. Thanks for the clarification.

  • Ken Stein says:

    haha, I just got this too! scared me because my car insurance bill fell through the bottom of my mailbox last month… I don’t even own a company, who are these people kidding?

    if they had only sent me a postage-paid business reply mail envelope… I’d be mailing it back taped to a cement block.

  • Property Manager says:

    Thanks for posting these!!! Just saved us a bunch of money and a headache. Very deceptive. Sent it to our apartment manager and he thought he was in trouble. I recognized what this was immediately. This site confirmed my suspicions.

  • John says:

    Hmm…I’m a little confused. I understand the deceptiveness part but I was just reading another marketing blog and I guess the former owner commented about the same piece that everyone else is commenting about. He claims a lot of the copy comes directly from federal and state laws that have been published as public information. So the fact remains I still need to get my posters but according to most here I should not worry. Some people say I can get it for free and they all post the federal dol website but what about state posters….not every state is the same. Does the government inform you at all when chances occur.

    Marketing Blog: http://eyeingmarketing.com/2008/02/26/personnel-concepts-direct-mail-piece.aspx

  • Chica says:

    These posters ARE required by law but they are free of charge from the government. You do not have to pay for them. If you do, it’s a scam.

  • your mom says:

    Im currently work 4 personnel concepts. I do believe that it is the law 2 post your OSHA and your state and federal. However the reason our customers get so upset is because they send out constant mailers, but wouldnt you want to know if there is a change to the law?? Do you as a business owner really do research as to when the federal laws change? Yeah u can get the postings for free but do you have the time? Would you even know where to look?? I laugh when people say “we dont need osha” oh yeah?? What if 1 of your employees hurt themselves then turnes around and called osha on your business, then they come out and inspect you and your not compliant then you get fined…

  • fontbandit says:

    I got one of these in the mail today. Deceptive. Wrong message. Misdirected at a businesses like mine. Do not do business with Personnel Concepts.

  • nunnya says:

    These people are scumbags that know they are being deceptive. That’s probably why a company from California has a return address in Canada? Not to mention the name and information they used as my company name was incorrect mash of names and addresses from my past jobs, company names, and addresses. To me, this is the stuff that should be illegal. PERIOD! Off to the better business bureau…

  • nunnya says:

    Ha, here’s the quoate from the BBB…

    Our opinion of what this rating means:
    We strongly question the company’s reliability for reasons such as that they have failed to respond to complaints, their advertising is grossly misleading, they are not in compliance with the law’s licensing or registration requirements, their complaints contain especially serious allegations, or the company’s industry is known for its fraudulent business practices.

  • Jeff Largent says:

    The BBB is a paid service and is just as corrupt as any other agency. I’ve had my fair share of BBB complaints and what I have learned is they mean nothing. I can go over to my local BBB office and stroke whoever is in charge and get my rating from a C changed to a A overnight if I wanted to. The statement above is a generic statement by the BBB and not directed towards them but a blanket statement and any combination of those statements or only one actually pertains to that company. Some people don’t have the intuition to make reasonable comments.

  • Deb says:

    Being relative new to HR, this ‘letter’ was passed on to me. I knew there were changes and wanted to be up to date. So, I ordered 5 sets of posters at approx. $29.95 ea. After a few weeks, I got a call from their rep saying he wanted to confirm my order and then proceeded to tell me the additonal charges for each section of the poster. Final tally-almost $800 for the 5 sets. I immediately told him to cancel the order. I later had voice mail from him asking me to contact him to complete my order. I called-got vm-left message that I wanted the order canceled.

    I later got the posters, laminated from our state Chamber of Commerce for a tiny fraction of what PC was going to charge.

  • Justin says:

    First off, I used to work for Personnel concepts, and they do not scam ANYBODY into buying stuff. I always let my customers know that too. If you recieve letters and you dont wanna buy, DONT BUY!! Have you people been on the OSHA or DOL website?? It is confusing! Personnel Concepts benefits large or small business who do not have time to research, research, research and so PC provides them with information they need in order to notify their employees. Many large corporations order with Personnel Concepts such as Subway, McDonalds, GAP, and so on. How are you seriously going to find out what exactly needs to be addressed/posted? Every state has different laws/requirements. Employees need to be notified of their rights anyhow. Personnel concepts provides it in writing for you. Bottom line is, If you dont wanna buy, dont buy. They are a legit company. You of all people should know, business is business. Their products are beneficial to most, of it isn’t to you, then move right along.

  • Amanda says:

    i hate them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i called to place an order for ONE poster and the gentlemen kept asking me questions and was telling me if i dont buy stuff, i’ll get fined!! i paid with my credit card and declined everything he was trying to sell me and 2 weeks later i recieved a bunch of crap i did not order to authorize!! over $300 was charged to my credit card!!!!! i called and cussed them out, they apologized but took a month for a full refund. ridiculous!!

  • kely says:

    I hate them they are so yucky

  • Shawn says:

    From what I’ve seen and researched, looks like the company offers what you can get for free but in a simple package that meets all government regulations. You pay Personnel Concepts to provide that service for you. Great idea, I wish I thought of it. But the real issue is what the thread title states, Are the marketing tactics out of compliance? I am no compliance expert but I would agree that the tactics are deceptive. How many people have bought “an extended factory warranty” for their vehicle because of an deceptively marketed mailer? I believe mailers like the two mentioned here are unethical and should be stopped. If the companies are so sure of their products or service, marketing material shouldn’t stress on urgency or make the documents resemble official government documents but the overall value of the products that the company offers. Time closing is a great sales/marketing tactic, but the loss of taking action on that “final offer” should be made clear. Not taking advantage of that Personnel Concepts’ offer will not put you in violation of labor laws, failing to post the labor posters will.

  • I have just come across this site and have so far found it interesting and informative, I have to say there is nothing worse than receiving mail like this especially when you have made that payment.

  • jerome says:

    If you think their mail is sneaky and deceptive, wait till you try their irritating, “we can’t hear you say no” telephone technique.

  • jerome says:

    They are irritating to have to deal with on the phone with an “I can’t hear you say NO” attitude. The latest twist in trying to unsubscribe, after returning a poster they sent after my telling them NO, is to send an unsigned refund check, which of course the bank won’t accept.
    This is the rankest kind of boilershop sales operation.

  • Jessie says:

    PC often sends us “final notice” mailers with what looks to be an invoice at the bottom.

    When I took over my position here at the office, I simply assumed that PC sent you only what was needed for your company. But it got to a point where I was paying for a new updated poster or booklet every month.

    I just got off of the phone with the woman who calls a couple times a week to describe how my company is “out of compliance”. I’m over it. I’ll research my own posters and purchase them myself.

    Here’s to you, you pushy, prodding Personell Concepts

  • A Elizabeth Ivanoff says:

    DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH PERSONNEL CONCEPTS. You order one poster and they send you three and bill you for them. If you say you didn’t order the other two they tell you that yes, you did give them authorization to ship those posters. Then you have to return them at your expense. THEN, after having these posters for about I month I get “the letter” everyone is talking about saying that my All-On-One State and Federal Labor Law poster is out of date and must be replaced. ALWAYS GOOGLE A COMPANY LIKE THIS BEFORE YOU DO BUSINESS WITH THEM. I wish I had.

  • Sheryl Montie says:

    It’s exactly as Elizabeth says they totally rip you off – sending you posters and books that you did not order and then they charge your credit card. Will never deal with them again.

  • Jessica Stephens says:

    This company is HORRIBLE they will rip you off point blank end of story they WILL charge you for things you DO NOT order then say that you said yes to said items.

  • vicky says:

    You can add the old “Bait & Switch” scam to Personnel Concepts unscrupulous tactics. I mailed in the ad marking it “Bill Me” figuring if I receive the poster, I’ll pay them. Got a call today from “Patrick” stating the laws in Illinois changed and that he had to update some info – always a red flag. Said we had to upgrade to include OSHA info etc. Yeah, right. How much more, I asked. Another $100. Told him to cancel the order. So if you see AIO Acquisition on your caller ID, hang up LOUDLY.

  • Lisa Cassidy says:

    I HATE these people!! They try and look official and government-like with their mail to scare you in to buying their posters. I received another one today. I finally sent them an email demanding they take me off their mailing list. We’ll see if that works.

  • Pleasance says:

    As I’m owner and have no employees I wondered why I would have to put any posters up. Then decided that Personnel Concepts was simply a scam.

  • Renaissance says:

    Received a legitimate looking notice in the mail. Too bad the name of our organization was spelled incorrectly — also why would a company out of Ontario, Canada send mail about our posters & notices complying with state & federal labor law?

  • BetterBiz says:

    Personnel Concepts can be sneaky with the tricky mailings but if you actually ask the right questions and take the time to listen they did help me out a lot with keeping me in compliance when I had an inspection. I continue to do business with them but I never send in any mailings without talking to someone first. And btw I asked if they were located in Ontario, Canada and they are actually located in Ontario, California. Again, just take the time to talk to someone legitimate and you will get accurate information.

  • Dude says:

    Personnel Concepts is not a private company. They are owned by a publicly held company called Brady. AIO Acquisitions is a legitimate name though it falls under many different names under Brady (NYSE: BRC). They know PC is a dirty operation, but profit margins are high when you reproduce a piece of paper that is free from the government, so they keep it quite and reap the benefits of it.

    Pascal Demand is the a**hole that oversee’s this operation. He isn’t the CEO but he is one of the VP’s of Operations.

  • Brenda says:

    DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM THIS COMPANY! I wish this company would go out of business. They keep calling and sending us posters we do not order. They will not take No for an answer. I would like to sue them for harrassment. DO NOT, let me repeat DO NOT ORDER FORM THEM.

  • Paul says:

    I buy the main posters from these guys because I think they look professional. But they call and harass me about 3 or 4 times a year and tell me I need to keep in compliance. I think they’re full of it and I have not once heard of a company in our space being “inspected”. It’s really hard to get them off the phone and I wish I didn’t waste 10 or 15 minutes on this today. I would not do business with them if I had the time to figure out which posters I need and when the are updated. Really, this is the WORST supplier of anything we have ever had.

  • Marie says:

    Yes, they just did it to me too. Called and said I needed updated materials. OK, send them. Yes, they are updated posters, but not what is mandatory to be posted. Pay close attention to that….not everything has to be in a nice poster format. We have the all in one poster, so I thought I was ordering the right thing. You can imagine my surprise when we received the invoice for $69.95 for a Workplace Identity Theft Prevention Kit (we have 2 employees!!) and an All-in-one FLSA compliance poster for $24.95, which of course was not needed. I have already flagged them to not accept anymore phone calls. Will be doing my poster business elsewhere because they hoodwinked me into believing I needed these things. Also have to pay the postage both ways!!!

  • Janelle says:

    Wow, I didn’t realize they have irritated so many people! Yesterday was the last straw for me when they called and tried the “we don’t understand NO” technique so many of you have stated. I simply told them I found it cheaper elsewhere and hung up on the sales lady. Sure it was convenient to get all the posters on one laminated poster, but the pushiness and ridiculous marketing totally turned me off. Way too much mail and like I said, the pushy phone call ended any and all future purchases from this company.

  • MICHELLE says:

    I TOO AM TOTALLY SICK OF THE NEVER ENDING PHONE CALLS FROM THESE PEOPLE TELLING ME THAT WE ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE AND THAT A POSTER NEEDS TO BE UPDATED FOR ANOTHER 30-40 DOLLARS AFTER I WAS TOLD THE LAST TIME I RECIEVED A CALL TO RENEW MY POSTERS THAT IF AN UPDATED OCCURED WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR OF MY SUBSCRIPTION THAT IT WOULD BE INCLUDED AND SENT TO ME WHEN THE UPDATE HAPPENED. THAT WAS SEPT 2010 AND HERE IT IS JAN 2011 AND I GET THE YOU NEED A UPDATE CALL. WELL NO WAY NOT THIS TIME IM DONE WITH THIS COMPANY. IM SICK OF THE 4-6 PHONE CALLS A YEAR AND IM ALWAYS TOLD SOMETHING DIFFERENT. THEY ARE WAY TO PUSHY THEY NEVER LISTEN THEY JUST TALK OVER YOU SO FROM NOW ON THEY ARE JUST GETTING HUNG UP ON!

  • Jude says:

    I have been a customer of PC for years, before I even had a computer! I should have googled them before. They take advantage of small businesses by threatening them. I was told I could be reported for not having up to date posters. Even though we are a family business, I was told that my home office could be inspected and fined for not having these posters. I was foolish to listen. These posters are available for free. A home business does not need them. And they call and send letters several times a week, even though I purchased a full years subscription supposedly. I won’t be fooled again.

  • Rob says:

    I keep getting these things…. my boss FLIPPED on me cuz he thought it was an insurance thing.
    This irrisponsible and just plain annoying. I tryed get them to stop sending me things and still i get them.
    i will NEVER buy from them simply because of this thype of advertising. I will GLADLY pay double to another company.

  • Lynda says:

    I am also one of the victums of Personnel Concepts. We have a non profit company with only 8 employees. I know as all business Owners/Managers know that we are required to post all of the new laws for our states/federal governments to keep our employees informed. But I know as all business Owner/Managers know that there is a right way and a wrong way to “do business”. I sincerely do not appreciate any company who uses the unethical and unmoral guerrilla tactics that this company employs in order to “do business”. You do not need to scam me into be over compliant for laws that do not apply to my particular company nor to scam/scare me into purchasing the next years compliance posters early because you know that there are new updates comming down the wire and need to offload these old posters you just purchased to recover your money and then turn around and sell my company the new update seperately when the update finally comes out. I spent $29.90 for the 2010-2011 all on one FLSA 9/22/10, I then spent $24.95 for the chipra $49.95 for the hipaa, and $42.95 for the dc space saver 2 poster 10/13/10. 4 phone calls and 15 out of compliance notices later, it is 2/16/11 and I have another letter asking for another $42.95 (plus $7.95 s&h) for the district of columbia space saver-1 labor law poster. With the rise of massive unethical and unmoral business practices it is a wonder that there are not more companies like enron who are stealing from each other and destroying the business to business and consumer to business trust that should exist to further the future of us all. I am searching for a new company to purchase my posters from today. I am looking at a company called the Labor Law Center. I seriously urge every business owner to take the time out to inform your self of what compliances are necessary for you. Find a company that will provide that need with out using false and unethical or unmoral business practices to keep you in compliance. Stay with them until they begin to display the some guerrilla tactics such as personnel concepts does. When they do leave and find another company you can trust.

  • Chris says:

    I was just in a training class for personnell concepts and i gotta tell ya that the traing they try crush in 3 days and then put you on the phone’s to scam people out of money made me uneasy. Really how many times do you need a new poster to hang up. I ran a retail store and i only had to hang the poster up once. This company will tell you that you could be subject to fines up to $17000 if you dont update your information because you could be subject to a inspection is really just preying on the weak minded. You can get this stuff on the internet for free or have a attorny update you when changes happen. This is a scam DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY OR TIME BUYING OR WORKING FOR THEM PERIOD.

  • jane says:

    You can get all of ur posters for free on the internet. Start googling EVERY GOVERNMENT AGENCY that requires u to have posting notifications. That’s about 12 of them and each of those agencies has several acts and laws that business owners need to abide by. After reading the bligs a lot of peoples main concers are the too recent updates and blaming personnel concepts saying they are ripping you off, but how are they ripping you off if these updates are what the GOVERNMENT agencies REQUIRE??? I have worked at PC for a few months and personally feel that they are doing business owners a favor by researching the laws for them! As a business owner do you really have time to sit there and go to each website on a continuous basis? Blame the government for the updates not personnel concepts. I don’t understand how what they do can be considered a “scam”. They are poviding a service and telling you they provide a service. Also, everyone says they received stuff they never ordered, but we are strictly trained to repeat the order and price before the end of the call so I don’t believe someone orders without knowing what they’re getting into. Most small business owners don’t have the money to hire an attorney to do the research for them. The possibility of being fined up to $17000 is very real. You buy health insurance for precautionary reasons as well as car and home insurance. You never know when and even if something might happen to ur health, car, or home same with ur business, you never know when and even if you’ll be inspected. Better safe than sorry if I do say so myself.

  • Jesse says:

    Hi Jane,

    Try asking your customers sometime if they actually appreciate your phone calls. I hate them. Not to mention that you have experience with the phone calls, not the mailings they send out. Take a closer look at the piece of mail at the top of this page. The “FINAL NOTICE” is absolutely false. I wish every one of my notices would have been FINAL.

    After buying posters several times that I didn’t need, I looked for another company that would tell me only when I actually needed another poster. Also, after originally telling me I didn’t need the OSHA poster, PC told me I must have it if I have even 1 part-time employee.

    Regardless, I switched to a company called Business Know-How. I’m on their email list, so I’ll find out when to order another All-In-One poster. I believe you can also get posters at Staples and OfficeMax.

    I would like to know how to stop the phone calls and junk mail. I’ve told Personell Concepts to stop, 2 times EACH by Phone, Fax, and Mail. By phone, they promised to stop the phone calls, but they keep right on calling and sending Scare-Tactic Letters. I’ve told them that I switched to another company, but they won’t quit contacting me. I call that HARASSMENT.

  • Don says:

    Personnel Concepts is a company profiting on pure lies. They use scare tactics and lies to sell their posters. They tell people that they need additional posters such as the HIPPA and IRS notices that are not required just to get extra money from you. They constantly send out their letter stating FINAL NOTICE and touting a $17,000 fine. They have multiple complaints in every state. They also have multiple websites and use the alternative website to sell posters under their cost with marketing to put their smaller competitors out of business. Please CALL YOUR STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL TODAY AND REPORT THEM. If they hear us they will eventually have to do something.

  • Christine says:

    DO NOT ORDER FROM THESE SCAM ARTISTS! I placed an order for two “all in one” packages, which were 29.95 each. Before they shipped them, I remember they had someone call me on the phone to try to sell me extra products, which I clearly remember I said NO to all of them. Now they sent me additional packages and are trying to get over 300.00 from us! Unbelievable! I’m going to try to return everything just because they don’t deserve my money!

  • Betsy says:

    In Colorado, your workers comp company will send you any & all required postings that you need for free.

  • Carrie says:

    Our office has been receiving the “you are not in compliance” phone calls. They will not take “we are not interested” as an answer. This company has sent our office so many “needed” posters that our entire back room wall is full of them, only to find out that we dont need 3/4 of them after all. When I first started this job they would call and I would agree to a poster, they’d send several and then bill me for all of the posters. I’ve done some researching and you can get anything you need for free online. I’m done with Personnel Concepts.

  • Katrina awing said…
    ATTENTION TO ALL BUSINESS OWNERS!

    Personnel concepts is really a scam company first let me tell you who they are they are under brady corporation, they have a site at ontario california and manila phlippines. Ontario reps holds or own their own accounts of customers to where they sell posers regularly on a monthly basis or for some yearly. While in manila reps are employed in a call center called brady direct marketing philippines and once youre employed they will let you work on their accounts such as personnel concepts, catalogs and etc.

    Each rep has a goal of 1800 dollars per day! And the company is letting them sell anything that apply to whoever pops up on the computer, if you have 1or more employee then for sure they will have the rit poster for your business so no matter how big the business is once ou bought 1 poster from personnel concepts for sure you are already an account or a buyer which the reps will dial every month or multiple times ayear to sell something. These are not mandatory posters these are just recommended posters because businesses in the states are just required to post the federal and state labor law posters. Other than hat everything is just required policies and procedures not a posting.

    I know all of these because YES I AM AN EMPLOYEE IM WORKING THERE CURRENTLY for a year now. I AM a FILIPINO and personnel concepts is owned by an american and the sales sie is managed BY ELAINE YOUNG, HR COUNTRY HEAD IS CAROLINE CO a filipino. For the rest of the bosses i do not know their position. The reason why i am out here is because this strategy is very sad. An american trying to steal and mislead an american by using filipinos! This should get to PRESIDENT OBAMAS ATTENTION because filipinos are being used and this is not the only account being dialed here in the philippines we have thousands of accounts that you thought youre dealing with an american on the phone but its US because were highly tained to speak well like an american!

    Just imagine the goal we have is $1800 per day and we have 22 dialing or working days pr month and that sums up to 40k per month goal each rep we currently have 100 reps dialing to sell posters to all businesses. We sound authoriative! We hard sell! We bully! We threaten every businesses to meet our goals because we are working for the company and what they care about is us to hit our goal or else get out of the company were getting commissions if. Meet our goals up to 50k per month aside from the basic salary of 15k plus 8k benefits. What im trying to say is the american boss wnat us to hit these goals but of course its degrading for us and sad knowing that were misleading our customers to retain the employment. Were trained well to be like this and tha reason why im saying all of these is because the company has no plans to STOP!

    They will continue to get money from all businesses as long as no one is complaining againsts them. This has to stop!

    The customer servie number is [removed] the rep who will accomodate you is [removed] thats in ontario california. Email is [removed].

    To hack all The employee emails and product lists that reps are mandated to sell go to [removed] then enter the name [removed] password is [removed] once youre logged in you can now access all the products both filipino reps and ontario reps are telling you you are required to have or post. Use this as a tool for future lawsuits againsts them!

    Use this message to save alot of lives struggling just to get money do this to help save two countries from recession! This is one of the cause! Save AMERICA! I am saving my country philippines from being used! We dont need a big amount of money by misleading people! Please!

    GET YOUR MONEY BACK FROM THEM.

  • EVELYN says:

    MY HUSBAND HAS HIS CO. AND WE HAD TO SEND OVER $600. I HAD ORDERED $40 HERE, $70 THERE OF POSTERS, BUT THEY SENT ME SO MUCH MORE AND ALSO OPENED THREE DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS FOR US. ONE WAS MAILING ADDRESS, OLD MAILING ADDRESS, AND PHYSICAL ADDRESS. SO WE GOT DOUBLE AND TRIPLE THINGS AND HAD TO PAY FOR ALL OF IT BECAUSE IT WENT INTO COLLECTIONS. I ASKED TO STOP THE MAIL, BUT THAT IT WOULD TAKE 6 TO 8 WEEKS. 🙁 I’M JUST GOING TO TRY TO FIND MY OWN POSTERS!!!!

  • Rags says:

    Simply; bait & switch. You pay and receive not what you paid for. Called their Billing–individual was sincere and professional. Money was returned via check (no credit on account desired here). Will never conduct business with them.

  • UCC'er says:

    Definitely a scam! I work at a church and my first year here the new pastor told me to order posters from these guys. (He got the mail that day and noticed the ‘official’ letter) TWO DAYS LATER we received the posters from our insurance company – for free! I look up PC and showed him what I found. Now we refuse all their letters so they started sending them in my name (I’m the secretary). They called here last week asking for the pastor and when I asked if it was a sales call they said not really this is about your government required compliance. I said take us off your call list and the reply was, well I’m calling about… I simply said I know why you’re calling because I’ve been dealing with this company for three years now. TAKE US OFF YOUR CALL LIST. What a waste of time and breath.

  • Fiercereader says:

    I just started working for Personnel Concepts. I had no clue about these marketing practices until someone in training asked a manager about it. The manager seemed touchy about the subject & I could tell it’s something not to be discussed. I need a job. I’ve been unemployed almost two years. I dont like this company’s tactics, but my baby has to eat. Businesses can print posters off the Internet but they are responsible for keeping them up to date of face penalties IF caught. By buying a poster, Personnel Concepts will continually contact clients to update them about compliance changes. For a out $70 to avoid up to $17,000 in fines is nor highway Robert.

  • fed up says:

    I work for a small non profit in MA and Personnel Concepts badgers us on a weekly basis.  They have been extremely rude and condescending on the phone and are selling posters that WE DO NOT NEED TO POST.  All you have to do is go to the government’s website and look for what is required to post. 70 dollars?? We were sold a package of posters for $250.00!! And the majority of them we didn’t even need!  70 dollars IS a lot when the “threat” of a fine is bogus because you do not need to post them OR can get them for FREE off the government website.  It is just not right and I do not agree at all with Personnel Concepts tactics and as someone personally on the other end of the weekly sales calls/scare tactics I am fed up completely with them.

  • Mr. Budget says:

    I wanted to send you all this link to let you know that the NLRB has issues a new posting requirement for employers.  Sometimes you get ads from companies wanting to charge you for the new posters, but they are all available free from the government.  Here is the link for the new poster. http://www.nlrb.gov/poster It goes into effect January 31, 2012. 

  • Deb says:

    This is my 2nd notice from these opportunistic weasels. The
    mailing appears official but I work for a non-profit and we’re scrupulous about
    labor laws and have a lawyer to insure we do not misstep. I don’t know how they
    found me—I’m a children’s librarian and have nothing to do with compliance but
    this scary-sounding crap really, really ticks me off.

  • CD says:

    Thank you Mr. Budget.  You guys saved me a lot of time and hassle.

  • sha_g says:

    they are sleazy scumbags who should be put out of business, if this is not fraud i dont know what is…

  • sha_g says:

    Personell Concepts should be ashmed of themselves for sending scary looking out of compliance letters to business owners, I have no idea how you people are still in business despite your deceptive business practice, I say you should bring yourselves into compliance before asking people to dish out money for some posters, by sending people official looking letters from the Dept of Compliance. I wish I could see someone from PC face to face so I could really let them know how I feel, with a knuckle sandwich. Shame on your company, shame on the people who work for you and especially shame on the owners.

  • sha_g says:

    yeah right, maybe you are the manager, stop trying to justify theivery. we are not against someone sending a marketing letter, just be honest about it, the letter I got scared my wife and I knew it was a con, and studied it for a minute and figured it out. Thats what put bad taste in my mouth, had they been more honest and not feined a givernment notice, and been upfront i might have considered buying a poster or two, not same day maybe but at least down the road, this really pissed me off as we are struggling to survive in this economy and dont need any more needless mentallly depressing notices.

  • dmelomo says:

    I agree! I’m manage a small business and struggle to keep our heads abouve the water. I’ve been getting these for a few years, not really understanding why we’re getting these notices. I’m so glad I took the time to finally read what has been going on. Thank you, reviewers! I still don’t understand how they are getting away with this. Seems to me the powers that be are not doing their job. 

  • guest1 says:

    I don’t even own a company or have my own business and I still received a letter from Personnel Concepts. Just a regular hard working citizen. PCI = POS.

  • Exasperated says:

    Not only do these people use very questionable marketing practices, it is IMPOSSIBLE to get them to remove you from their mailing lists!

  • Patrick says:

    I need more paper for my wood burner. That’s where all the junk mail goes.

  • k6alvarez says:

    thank you all for the useful information, I manage a small business in michigan and recieved a call from PC about 10 mins ago. The person I was speaking with was very eager to speak to my boss about these damn posters, I could sense something was odd so I did a google search on the company landed here. Thank you all again and shame on PC, I mean 75 dollars for a poster cmon now get real!

  • Thai_Erawan says:

    Wow!  I’m glad I found this.  I was about to fill out the Form, and mail it out, but then as soon as I looked at the Recipient (Personnel Concepts), I became skeptical.  Why am I not sending this to a Government Agency?  So I did a Google search.  At the top was a link to what appeared to be a favorable topic regarding the business.  Then I looked further down, and saw the first line of this blog.  I’m glad I opened this link first!

  • Methrunner says:

    F*ck them.  Bullshit marketing scam to screw small businesses.
    F Off.

  • Affg6y says:

    Bullshit marketing scam to screw small businesses.
    They call everyday! And those caller not friendy at all.

  • We have received the same notice at The Town of Wallkill Boys & Girls Clubs. Scary how smart the scammers are!

  • Caviteno21 says:

    I just received one and my wife just started freaking out… well I got a little nervous too then I noticed Personnel Concepts and addressedin California… I went online and dig in some info…I found this… Thanks…

  • Dfascia says:

    Got the call this afternoon I must update my OSHA poster.   I have one employee.  It is me.   I have to spend $65.00 to update this poster.    When I told her I could not afford to spend that money they were willing to send me one for $45.00 unlaminated.   When I told her that was still too much she said she could send me one for $30.00.   It was at this point that I realized this was a marketing shame that needs to be exposed.   I was happy to see others had also realized it is nothing but a scare tactic.  What people won’t do to make money.   $65.00 for a poster.   Forget it.  

  • anonymous says:

    This company NEVER stops calling our business.  I have asked them dozens of times to stop calling us and yet they call every single day swearing to me my posters are out of date and were in violation.  I literally have to say “Im going to have to stop you again and hang up now” and they STILL keep groveling.  Thank goodness for caller ID – skip over 909-472-4605.

  • Bill says:

    We have wall full of there posters… When we couldn’t fit anymore we thought something had to be wrong.. This couldn’t be right, how could we need so many posters.. In short, we didn’t need all these posters. We stopped purchasing from them, but they still call twice a week despite the fact that we asked them to stop calling. Now we just hang up on them.

  • elmtr says:

    They just called me and when I said we were all set she hung up on me. They do not conduct themselves professionally and I believe they are running a scam.

  • guest says:

    Completely fake and definitely out of compliance.  I received a notice from Personnel Concepts similar to the letter above for a business I don’t even operate, my apartment complex. They said I am the Human Resources coordinator and could be fined for having out of date labor law posters.  I live in the complex. I don’t not work for the owners.  I read the letter and got worried I was going to be fined for something I’m not even responsible for.  Thank you so much for posting this blog.  Now I know that Personnel Concepts was trying to trick me.  They are the ones who should be fined for illegal practices!

  • Josh says:

    Good article. I was tricked by these people a few years ago as well. I ordered the one poster, $24.95 or something seemed like a decent deal for 1 poster. When they got my order they called to tell me I needed many more and order turned into $108.00. Feeling fishy I got the posters put them up and recieved a call a few days later telling me a law went into effect and I needed to update my posters for a mere $89.95. I refused.

    A couple days later I got a call from a reputable poster selling local company and she asked where I ordered from and let me know they I way overpaid and let me know that most info is available for free and her company could send us one poster with everything on it for $19.99 that needs to be replaced yearly. I got a letter in the mail today and wanted to see if they were still chugging and found this article. Be aware small businesses! If someone is calling saying YOU NEED something look into it first. Chances are if you don’t think you need it, you don’t.

  • TB1019 says:

    Especially when you can get the posters and forms free online. Jerks. They should refund people their money if they got tricked into buying them.

  • Jake says:

    I think they have added even more shady tactics since this post was written. Now if you fall for their government counterfeited mailing, they automatically say scribe you to receive new poster packs whenever there is a slight change. We ordered a $20 poster and paid for it. A month later we got a tube with a bunch of posters in them. I didn’t think much of it and three it in the corner. 5 Weeks later I got a call from them saying I owes over $200 for posters I never ordered. They told me I couldn’t send them back because I had not sent them within a 30 day window. Sorry, but sending unsolicited materials and changing for them ought to be illegal. It is a form of thievery. Personnel concepts has since sent me to collections. But I will not be stolen from. Some lawyer needs to go after these guys. There has got to be enough here for a major class actions lawsuit. So many people bullied and ripped off!

  • Compliance My Ass! says:

    Until today, I worked there. I started questioning the amount of commission they were paying me & the $ amount they claimed was “Returns” & being deducted from me. I was able to prove three separate errors on their part that they did not pay me, when they should have. I requested an earnings statement to show me exactly what is being paid to me. I was told “No”, & I was suddenly fired! They are shady as hell & I will testify for anyone as to that fact! I know ALL of the inside dirt and have some proof! Possible class action!

  • They are still sending these to us. Just got another one last week. Unbelievable.

  • Larry says:

    I just received one of these. The envelope and all forms included were made to look like they came from the NY State Tax department. This company is a fraud and I cant believe they are still in business.

  • Lan Nguyen says:

    i just received on april 29,2014
    how can we stop them?

  • Love & Art says:

    Personal concepts marketing is Definantely out of compliance. Knowledge is wisdom using fear to marketing a product shows how worthless a product is. Educate the buys appropriately and let them chose what posters they need. Don’t threaten people into buying what you want to sell. NO ONE FORCED THEM TO PRODUCE THESE POSTERS. They are do desperate I had to threaten them with a law suit to get them to stop calling my office every hour.

  • FloridaSchool says:

    They call my business 3 or 4 times a day claiming to be calling from the “Department of Labor” and telling my employees that we are going to be breaking Federal law if we don’t purchase the posters. I have asked to be removed from their contact list. So far, they do not comply.

  • Sign guy says:

    Thank you for putting this out there. We too have been getting worrisome calls and notices. They are getting more aggressive. So helpful! Thank you!!!

  • Happy to help. They continue to send these to our office. Amazing.

  • paul sanford says:

    ordered one poster from them and payed in full by check
    they then called my store and told the manager that i had ordered some posters and they just needed auth.
    and then a big box of posters i dont need got delivered. and then a bill for 424 dollars
    i told them a need a RMA and they will get there stuff back, this so called company is a deceptive sh** hole dont do any thing with them.

  • Receptionist says:

    This companies calls every day. Every. Day. We are in compliance, we have always been in compliance, and will continue to be in compliance. Third parties calling and claiming you have to buy what they are selling or be fined be the government should be shut down. Unethical and out right dirty business practices. They have been warned about harassing us, and a formal complaint will be filed with BBB.

  • Marc says:

    received one on december.
    full of sh*t

  • Jan says:

    Bought an All-On-One Labor Law Poster (unlaminated) from them at the beginning of 2015, it cost about $10. After that, I immediately started receiving mail saying I needed to buy another $108 worth of posters to make me compliant. I didn’t respond, so after that I’ve been getting other letters but the rate has been going down. The one I got today said to “guarantee your ongoing complaince through April 2016 without having to purchase a new Space Saver-1 or update panels, we are offering an annual update service subscription at a special reduced price of $1900 (regularly $69.94). There are only 2 employees including myself here. I started to think about purchasing it, now it was a more reasonable price, but then decided I would check to see if there are any reviews, and thankfully found this site. I get phone calls everyday from them. Thank God for Caller I.D, because I see their name and don’t answer the phone! I will continue to ignore their calls, and their mail will be filed in the shredder!!

  • Cindy in Houston says:

    Yes, this company is a scam. I purchased an all inclusive poster for 14.99. Not bad, I thought. Now I get threatening calls everyday about updating the poster. The caller is incredibly rude and demanding. I knew it must be a scam. Thank you for this site. It validates what I thought.

  • Heidi says:

    They are calling us everyday, some times twice a day. They are VERY rude and threatening. We are a church and only have a few actual paid staff. I know we are in total compliance with what we have. How do I get them to STOP the daily phone calls and the 2-3 letters a week that we receive?

  • JLand says:

    I had my fill with them as of last year. We used them because I was baited into their schemes. After awhile, I started questioning what they were doing and I eventually left them and I bought my posters online at a fraction of what they were charging AND that sight is keeping me apprised via emails on updates. Ont eh ones that are not finalized, they just let me know that changes are in the works and they will let me know when I actually DO need the new poster.

  • Sumitra says:

    Just got a call from one of Personnel Concepts’ “representatives” stating that I needed to purchase the updated law poster in order to stay in compliance & avoid being fined. I politely listened to this guy’s fast-talking sales tactic & quickly realized that it seemed like a bit of a scam. At the completion of his spill, the guy offered me the poster for the low low cost of $324.95!!! Yeah right! Being that I am an office/finance manager of a law firm, I am conditioned to always ask for everything to be sent via email so that I can run it across my boss. The representative pretty much refused to do that without first processing my payment over the phone. I quickly dismissed him & let him know that I would check around. This company should be ashamed!!!

  • $324.95? Nice margin for a poster, eh. Holy smokes!!

  • Jon – Would love to know which company you are using. Might be a nice options for other readers of this post. 🙂

  • Joe says:

    Had ordered from them years ago. Didn’t order again until about a month ago for what was a good price. Never received poster but kept noticing calls from them while I was away from my office. Finally was in the office today and they called and said poster wasn’t shipped due to changes in laws and then started asking questions about number of employees, health insurance, etc. I was then quoted a price of $198 for everything, far above the special price of $20 or so dollars on the card I returned and how I wanted to pay for it. I asked why I was being asked to pay so much above the original price and she said it was for additional posters. When I said I could download these she tried to tell me that not all were available and that the government didn’t make them available so they could inspect you and fine you. I then told her that I didn’t like the bait and switch tactic and that I wanted to speak with someone in authority to complain about that tactic. She either couldn’t or wouldn’t transfer the call. I asked her to send me the information for the people I could contact and then told her to cancel any order we had with them. I then told her this call was finished and thank you and hung up.

  • joe says:

    Having a small business in New York city i am fully aware of all these bullshit scams. I personally think that this business pci should try another approach with their bullshit letters they send out to scare people. These are individuals who can’t get a real job so they prey on the weak. Go f*** yourself pci your very weak.

  • Angie says:

    I have had the worst luck with personal concepts. They are very rude and continue to call. They even call personal phone numbers and harass you. Throw their mail away and do not answer their call at any cost. They will not stop!!

  • Dee Dee says:

    I just hung up with one of their marketers. I spent over 30 minutes with her and received a lot of information on what I needed to check on regarding revised laws. While on the phone I simply went to the department of labor, and looked up what she was referring to and if I needed it I printed it out laminated it and posted it on the wall. My first thought was to hang up but when you really don’t know what is required by law to have hanging on your wall it’s a great way to do the research and find out exactly what you need.

  • Charley Dahlonega says:

    In my humble opinion, because so many scams are never appropriately addressed in this country, we have to pay better attention to what we receive in the mail, email, telephone, etc. Enough ignorant people will send this company money every year to keep them in business, regardless of the authenticity of the subject matter. Just saying . . .

  • Heather says:

    They have been calling us EVERYDAY like 5 time’s a day. We’ve all had to hang up on them because they harass us and are completely rude. HOW can I get them to stop calling us? Our posters are provided to us by our Payroll Company, and we’ve told them that but it’s not good enough for them. Enough is Enough

  • Heather – I can relate. I’ve been hit on my cell phone from a company trying to sell small business loans. They provide an opt-out, but have continued calling anyway. So frustrating!

    Here’s what the FCC has to say about unwanted telephone marketing calls: https://www.fcc.gov/guides/unwanted-telephone-marketing-calls

    Also, here’s a decent article from Scambusters:
    http://www.scambusters.org/telemarketingharassment.html

    I hope you find that helpful.

  • Galaxy says:

    They did me the same way and i’m glad to see that blogs and forums are being put up online about this. they did not get any money from me. I was wise enough to check online first. however i did post a complaint on ripoffreport.com soon these people will change their name to something else and continue trying to rip businesses off. I think that if they can start a mailing campaign to send every business this letter. i can get my business partners to start a mailing campaign warning businesses across the United States so that they will aready be prepared to reject these mailings ahead of time.

  • Lori says:

    December 29th, 2015.
    We received the same letter. Looks real. I usually check online when something doesn’t feel right.

  • Jacqueline L DeLasso says:

    I have a Red hat Society Chapter..they sent me a nasty gram saying I needed to blah blah and register ect…like it is a business and I have employees!

  • I was just going online to order the new 2016 posters. I actually have the order form from Personnel Concepts laying right in front of me!! I’m so glad I stumbled onto this page/site – I now am going to inform my boss of the reviews and as to how far in date they go back! We will do something entirely different!!! Thank you all so much for posting!!!! I hope each and everyone of you have a great 2016!!

  • Jennifer Whitaker says:

    I have had this company harassing me for months. They refused to ship my already paid for order for over a month, while they harassed me with calls stating the poster was now out of compliance & we needed to not only order the new poster, but we needed to protect our company with all the legal requirements for a little over $400.00. They’ve sent the red box packages to me & I’ve sent them back repeatedly. I just received a letter saying “Suspension of Coverage” Revised Federal Notices. They throw OSHA out there, EEOC final rule increasing fines for posting violations, etc. trying to scare you. The salespeople are the rudest I’ve ever had to deal with. It’s like dealing with a bullying collection agency, and I know, I used to work for one. Most miserable business experiences I’ve encountered in a long time. Virtually all you need is on the gov’t. websites, printable for free. I’ve finally had to have us removed from the call & mailing lists. After reading all the bad reviews & settlements on the BBB website, I really think they should be shut down. Sleazy, slimy company.

  • Teresa says:

    We too have received many of these same solicitations in the mail. Quite a few of you have said you can get these posters for free online. Could someone let me know what site I should go to as i cannot seem to find a government website that offers these for free.

    Teresa

  • G.Rood says:

    I think we should all write return to sender and bombard them with the mail….maybe they will get the message….

  • Tina says:

    I received 1 of their mailings today and I knew when I immediately looked at it that it was a SCAM. They try to get you to be fearful and get you to buy their posters. I received a mailing and My business is no longer even open anymore. How do they get a persons information and how can they send out those fraudulent mailings designed to scare a person into buying posters that they already have and are up to date. Unbelievable. I am glad I found these posts on here. Thank you for all of the information and hopefully they will be out of business and SHUT DOWN.

  • Lashonn says:

    I received the same letter from this company

  • Em says:

    I received a letter from this company today, complete with my current job title and everything. Mind you, I am not a business owner, and my job title is one that is never that of a business owner, so I am not sure how they got this information or why they’re sending me their scam mail. Nonetheless, I’ll be keeping an eye out for more of this in the future.

  • yan hazan says:

    Hi everyone

    its seems they scameed all of us .

    what should i do if they send it to collections ?
    they sent me 254$ bill and im not going to pay it ( along with box full of crap ) any ideas – can they do that ??

  • josh says:

    very small business. first time owners/operators of a SMALL convenience store. they tricked my sister into buying posters a few months ago. then i just happened to answer their call one day and soon as i spoke to them i knew what was up. we had already paid them $239.95 and they were trying for more. i get a call about every 2 weeks from them still. cant get them to stop. its disgusting. there has to be a way to get them to stop. they can keep the $240 i just want them to stop calling my business

  • Brittany says:

    Thank you so much for posting about this. I just received a letter telling me I need to update as well and we’ve already received, and hung up, all the posters hey told us we’re manditory. And paid over $200!! They told us we also have to file the posters for up to 2 years. I will not be dealing with them again. Thanks so much for the info

  • Kayvi says:

    Omg! Absolutely agree!! And when you tell them we don’t want to order anymore, they won’t let you hang up the phone no matter what! They call you every other month to make sure you buy all the posters you don’t need for hundreds and hundreds of dollars ! absolutely rediculus !!

  • Mira Hudson says:

    I just got a letter from them addressed to me for a company that i do not own or manage. The company name they used is a company i used to work for in another state 20 years ago. Personnelconcepts.com appears to have some unethical or unreliable research methods.

  • Aline Carras says:

    I am so glad about this site. I own a small business in CO, which has been open for about 18 months. I received a letter from PC and the language they use is very threatening. I paid for the first poster, around $80dls, not even a month later a received a phone call asking for more than 300 dls to be in compliance. I got very upset and I told the representative that was an abuse and that I did not have that money. She said since I needed a bilingual poster (Spanish/English) that was the cost. However, as I was upset, She was ” nice” and put me on hold to speak to her supervisor, a few minutes later she told me the poster will just cost me $280.00. Her supervisor was giving me a good deal by giving me the bilingual poster Spanish on one side ,English on the other, instead of two separate posters. She was asking for a credit card number to pay right away, but I asked her to mail me the letter. I just received the letter but refused to pay it, my gut was telling something was not right!! The law is the law and there is no negociables! And she did! She negociated the bilingual posters price. I will call bbb soon to find out about more about this company. Thank you for posting!!

  • Laura Holley says:

    Personnel Concepts is truly a scam. I got their original poster marketing invoice. I sent it back with a check for the payroll poster. I’ve gotten daily calls since then. They try to sell you ADDITIONAL posters and try to scare you that you could be fined a lot of money. Of course the additional posters are much more expensive than the ones you purchased. Each time they called I stated I did not want additional posters, just send me what I ordered (this has been going on for three weeks). Each time they argue with me. Asking for the owner, telling me the contract is between them and the owner. They’ve gotten quite rude. They keep calling trying to get the owner, no one gets to the owner unless going through me. I’ve told them to just send me my money back. I told them today that they are a scam and that if I received one more phone call from them I was stopping payment on the check I sent. Today they tried to tell me that they were going to send off a list of posters, I asked if that was what I paid for and she laughed and said no. I told her I did not want anything but what I had paid for. She asked me what I was going to do to be in compliance, I told her I would take care of it, just send me the poster I paid for. Is is great marketing? No, I think it is abusive marketing and should not be allowed.

  • Mandy says:

    DO NOT USE PERSONNEL CONCEPTS!!! BAIT AND SWITCH TACTICS IN ADDITION TO OTHER DECEPTIVE HIGH PRESSURE TACTICS! We responded to this notice, agreeing to pay the $10.95 (we did not opt for the lamination charge that was a rip off in and of itself). Then they called us, keeping me on the phone for 30 minutes going through their whole script (saying they legally had to read all of this to me), then at the end they tried to slip in ‘and that will be $270.95. We will send this out and bill you for the remainder, okay?’. WOW. It distresses me to think how many people they rip off. After repeatedly protesting to any extra charge above the $10.95 check for the poster I finally had to hang up on her. Today they called back giving the same speel to my boss. I got on the phone and told them that I already spoke to them yesterday, but she just kept reading her script over and over. I am sure that I have not heard the last of them. Do not pay their $270 for posters.

  • Jay says:

    yes. they’re monster at the frist time when I received the mail from them that I just thought this is from government of course I need to order that but after couple week they send me another mail it siad I need to pay 233.19 this is the labor law about in MS …..well that I send it agian and after this that I just received the phone call this afternoon and told me agian …what…what about the amount of 233.19 is this a final bill I said. they told me yes! but I need to updating every years! I knew I has been foolish already but thanks every one post here!

  • Nathy says:

    Yep, I just got a similar letter but with even less information on it. I don’t even own a business.

  • Susan boil says:

    OK welll to be honest they do call alot however business owners seem to be oblivious to how too address the other federal agencies not Just the state and poster with the minimum wage and ocha its the law! You still have to address FLSA, EEOC,HIPPA,OSHA AS WELL! If you don’t and you get audited Trust me I know:( you can be fined up $35,00 or $12450 per violation.. My business was fined $150,000!! All because I didn’t want to hear personnel concepts I offered health insurance, had over 50 employees and I didn’t address the new law for OSHA slip and fall that was just passed Jan 2017:( my business is closed now! But I learned if you don’t post it you must hire a labor law attorney very expensive! You would have to conduct meeting for each update have each employee sign that they heard and understood all the regulations. And do this every month, week, every other day, or quarterly! More time and money I’d rather just fucking post it and move on!!

  • Susan – Your situation sounds awful. Not sure I understand what happened though. You didn’t address a law for OSHA slip and fall in January and by the second week in March you are out of business?

  • Sean Wilton says:

    Susan,

    You are a lying. You work for Personnel Concepts and are trying to confuse people reading this blog. The fact is, all the posters are free on the Department of Labor’s website. If you don’t want to go through the trouble of downloading, printing and laminating each poster(I didn’t want to), then you can buy an all-in-one poster for $15 to $20 shipped that will cover all of those abbreviations you named(FLSA, EEOC, OSHA are all included on the all-in-one btw, HIPPA is not required). They even sell them on Amazon. You are trying to scare people by talking about stuff that is already included in the original posters.

    DON’T BE A SUCKER! Personnel Concepts is a SCAM and you are basically donating your money into the pockets of aggressive telemarketers.

  • Kim says:

    I just got scammed today for $20.90. Called my bank and they were not able to refund my check since personnel concept cash it already. My bank said I can take them for small claim court. Get a lawyer for this? Seriously. Who want to do this with me. I m so pissed off . How many people does this company scam and how much money did they receive.

  • Chris says:

    I currently work for PC and I am proud of the help with compliance that I have personally given to clients. The mailer that everyone is speaking of says clearly that your under no obligation to pay. The intent is to create urgency when you receive them because they are required by law, they do change 3-5 per year and you could be at risk of massive fines for gaps in compliance if not updated properly. We follow a rigorous recap process before orders are released. There is a series of questions customers must answer “yes” to to clearly establish authority to purchase for the company, understanding of products being purchased, cost and delivery expectations. All of our calls are recorded for quality assurance and no order is released without authorization. Many of these complaints are generated because a “office manager” of a sort answered demographic questions and authorized related notifications without the consent of the business owner and the blame some how falls on us. If we ask you if you are a authorized purchaser of compliance products for your business and you say yes and approve the order and order amount how are we scamming you? PC has been in business since 1989 and is a leading company in the compliance industry.

  • Chris – Thank you for your message. I imagine you might get a little pushback from some of the folks on this thread. Quick question: if you represent Personnel Concepts, why do you have a Gmail address instead of one from Personnel Concepts?

  • Chris says:

    My comment is a personal opinion from a PC employee, not a official response from the company that is why my I used my personal email and not my PC email address

  • Chris says:

    *excuse the “my” typo

  • Brittney says:

    Ugh Chris sounds exactly like the seemingly millions of representatives who are constantly HARRASSING me at my work. I’m the general Manager and when I first took over I made the mistake of giving into the bullying of Personnel Concepts, because of their scare tactics of the thousands of dollars in fines that I was going to receive if I didn’t purchase from them immediately. That was over a year ago. I now receive two letters in the mail a week and multiple calls a week. My employees have been instructed not to speak with them and only I have any contact with them. I can hear the beeping of the calls being recorded so every time I speak with them I say ‘no’ as many times as possible. I use the word ‘scam’ and ‘harass’. My next step is to use the term ‘legal action’. They won’t leave me alone no matter what I say or do. I even had the owner of my place of employment talk to them. I’ve asked countless times for them to remove me from their list, we don’t want their product etc etc. all to no avail. They ask why and I explain to them, and they are always quick to come back with some kind of response as to why our business can’t possibly survive without them sticking us for money all the time. I’m about to lose my patience and get rude. I NEED them to stop and I want to know how to make that happen.

  • Kris Herring says:

    So a fun and vindictive solution to these letters…..but only the ones via postal carrier and that have a no postage necessary envelope encoder with the letter:

    Use the envelope and fill it as full as you can with anything heavy so long as it’s something(‘s) that are ok to mail, then drop it in the mailbox to go back to the sender…..they pay for envelopes which are a predetermined weight and if it weighs more than that weight they have to pay the difference and maybe a penalty or extra fee not 100% on the fee thing though. Best part they dont have an area to add your return address so no one knows who is jacking up the postal bill for them. Instead of sending them money cost them money instead.

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