# Any Primerica Stories?



## shoe (Apr 6, 2005)

EDIT: Thread Closed due to an inordinate amount of necroposting spam.

The mention of this horible life sucking company popped up in another post so i thought id ask about it here.

I was approached by this co in the winter.

My friends wife got into it and called me up sounding all profesional and asked to have a meeting with me to discuse her new company she was running she didnt tell me what it was about nor wanted to but used a preasure sales technique on me wich was very much not like her as she is hmm how would i put it nicely: Shy and poorly educated.

Anyway I agreed to do this meeting not that she really gave me much of a choice but the slip came when her "mentor" called me up and asked me to go to a seminar instead he left a # and thats when I started doing my research.

I found out the company name threw a revearse search on 411.ca with the guys # and then looked up primerica on the web not 3 searches down it was listed on a web site titled scam busters.

So i looked up primerica and scam and tons of hits came back on google the most intresting was the W5 web site it had 14 + pages of primerica rants and raves in its forums. Reading threw this I found that the way I was approached is all part of the plan.

I talked to a few other people and they all had horror stories to share with me. eg the $50 disapearing sign up fee.

I promptly called up my friends wife and cancelled the meeting and she said ok the preasure wasnt there I guess because she didnt have her script or mentor around.

About an hour later her mentor called me and used so much preasure trying to make me come to the seminar, I had to tell him more than 5 times FIRMLY i wasnt intrested.

That is my Primerica story and I share this with you because I dont belive what this company does is right. However saying that I have heard some people work for this company and make good money and enjoy what they do my guess is they are the guys at the top of the pyramid?

The last I heard was that my friends wife was still in training about 2 months after the initial call. Havent asked since im sorta afraid to know.

shoe


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## Robert-oh (May 2, 2003)

Hee...hee...hee...

This sounds so familiar. I "had" a friend that left a very good job to join Primerica. He tried to talk me into joining as well. I talked to my financial advisor who gave me the lowdown on the company. 

I went to the seminar to talk my buddy out of it. Of course, after the meeting, his "mentor" tried to talk me into joining. I told him what I had learned of the company and my feelings about it. He quickly left me alone. 

My friend went on with them, tried selling everybody life insurance and mutual funds and failed miserably. Nobody in our group has really spoken to him in about 7 years...he turned us all off with his pressure tactics. 

It's really sad that more people don't look into these "get rich" schemes.


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## Vinnie Cappuccino (Aug 20, 2003)

Someone from CBC PM'd me from reading the last thread. She said that she wanted to talk to me about the company... I just PM'd her back with my contact info and left it at that, I think she might have been a primerica agent!  Go Citibank!


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## autopilot (Dec 2, 2004)

yeah, here's vinnie's other thread:

http://www.ehmac.ca/showthread.php?t=25840&highlight=primerica


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## ehMax (Feb 17, 2000)

Sorry to resurrect this thread... but apparently somebody is not a happy camper :lmao: Being that this person seemed to be addressing *all* the "loosers", I thought I'd post here for your reading pleasure. 



> Subject: ehMac.ca Contact Us Form - Clear as water
> Sender: [email protected]
> Recipient: [email protected]
> Date: Today 04:55
> ...


:lmao:


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## TroutMaskReplica (Feb 28, 2003)

i want to get my damn brain washed off so i can make $500 in 20 minutes.

what an ass. why did you blank out the hotmail address?


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## The Doug (Jun 14, 2003)

> ...haps they just want to be employees FOREVER.Ha ha, you guys waste your f*****g time talking about a company that has people who make a lot of money and the only thing that you guys saw was just a bit of it. Get f*****g licensed then make $500 in 20 minutes and then you can talk about it. DEAR EMPLOYEES, this company puts a lot of their energy on f*****g BASTARDS like you guys so your damn brain gets washed off for good and your negativity is gone. AGAIN, make money after you get licensed so then you talk about it. By the way , y...


See? See what happens when you flunk out of the Velvet Jones School of Technology?


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## mannypwife (Feb 15, 2005)

"...damn brain gets washed off for good and your negativity is gone"

Guess my brain needs washing cause I have no idea what this guy was talking about.


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## MannyP Design (Jun 8, 2000)

We're weak and mindless BECAUSE we don't work for Kramerica--er, Primerica? Ow... that really hurts.

Boo frickin' hoo.

A "friendly friend" indeed. :lmao:


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## a7mc (Dec 30, 2002)

> PRIMERICA
> ...................
> ..........................
> ...............................
> ...


Was the email actually sent like that? The guy actually drew a kindof pyramid?! How ironic is that!

Plain and simple, Primerica is a cult. I have a friend who left his good paying job to do it. After one year of doing it (and still not making money) his girlfriend left him. It's been 19 months, and he's still not making a decent salary. Yet he refuses to give up. They get sucked in a cycle of "if you quit now, all your hard work will be for nothing", so they keep going.

A7


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## Cameo (Aug 3, 2004)

Well none of my friends talk to me like that.


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## grafico (Mar 25, 2005)

Hmmm...it's funny that this subject is brought up again. I think my father signed up for something with a Primerica agent a while back, maybe insurance or something? I remember the agent speaking to him, but I didn't pay much attention to it. Later, my mom ( who had also sat down with my father and the agent) was upset over the fact that he had signed up for something she had a "funny" feeling about. I am going to ask my father today what exactly he signed up for. If it's insurance, or any type of financial service he signed up for, I am going to see if there is a possibility of him backing out.


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## K_OS (Dec 13, 2002)

I was invited into one of there brainwashing sessions and at the end I told the guy that I was better off doing what I was doing. Nothing like wasting there time and dissapointing them too. 

Laterz


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## ehMax (Feb 17, 2000)

Too funny...

Some creepy looking guy came into the showroom where I work, started asking a sales associate some vague questions about products. 

Then he starts asking the salesperson if he is happy with his job. Says he is starting a new business, and is looking for some great people. 

Buddy whips out his card and he's from....... 

Yeah, that's great Primerica. Start sending your cult minions into other people's businesses to solicit employees.


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## gwillikers (Jun 19, 2003)

ehMax said:


> Yeah, that's great Primerica. Start sending your cult minions into other people's businesses to solicit employees.


That's the whole problem, after they use up their entire family tree, their friends, the friends of friends, neighbors, and highschool classmates from years gone by... they start cold calling on anybody and anyone.

It would be sad if it wasn't so pathetic.


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## stormelectra (Sep 23, 2006)

*Primerica. What a joke*

I had a run in with one of the primerica employees trying to hire me into the company. I met her in a Starbuck's for the interview. And by the way she was dressed in t shirt and jeans(gee how professional). I was asked what my goals were. I told her I am planning to attend nursing school next fall. She proceeded to put down the fact I was going to do that. The lady also told me that Primerica would be a more stable job. Then in the same breath said that their employees can set up an emergency fund. If its such a stable job why do you need an emergency fund?? She kept talking to me but by this time I was pretty much tuning her out. I then told her this was something I needed to run by my husband. She said that she would prefer to explain it because I wouldn't be able to explain it the same way. I told her all I needed to do was say pyramid scheme (which she got a little uptight when I said that). She said no she just didn't feel that I was smart enough. Then my husband came over and sat down. She starting talking to him. He said to her that he has made $400,000.00 a year doing construction. This comment shut the lady up pretty quickly. He asked her how much she made and she couldn't even answer. At this point I told her the interview was over. A couple of days later she called me and left a message I never called her back..My only thing to say to all this is you shouldn't have to pay to get a job. So beware of this company....


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## Sue1212 (May 28, 2008)

*What Primerica is all about!!*

The funny thing with the people that are bashing Primerica are those that are uneducated and that can't understand what this business is really about!! This guy shoe can't even write proper english and he wan't to give advice about Primerica..come on give me a break!!:clap: 
Primerica's mother company is Citibank which is the world's largest bank (for those that don't believe me how about you make your own research on Forbes.ca) I acquired my Master Degree not to long ago just around the time I decided to join Primerica to see what this company was all about since most of my friends were doing it and we're pretty successfull! I discovered that this company wasn't a scam, the only reason some individuals categorize as such was because they expected to make big bugs upon enrollment which isn't the case! Like every other job, one must work in order to achieve goal...and that's what Primerica is all about! if you put your mind to it you can do it within a month others take a year, it's really how fast you want it...in order to be able to be part of Primerica you must get your Provincial License to be able to sell insurance, RRSP or to remorgage your home..the same ProvincialLicense one has to acquire prior to be able to sell anything is the same one your insurance agent or your banker had to get when they got their job! Most bankers can tell you Primerica is a scam, the reason why is because they want you to buy all these services through their financial institution! In order to judge something you need to understand it yourself and not listen to others!


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

How nice.



Sue1212 said:


> The funny thing with the people that are bashing Primerica are those that are uneducated and that can't understand what this business is really about!! This guy shoe *can't even write proper english* and he wan't to give advice about Primerica..come on give me a break!!:clap:
> Primerica's mother company is Citibank which is the world's largest bank (for those that don't believe me how about you make your own research on Forbes.ca) I acquired my Master Degree not to long ago just around the time I decided to join Primerica to see what this company was all about since most of my friends were doing it and we're pretty successfull! I discovered that this company wasn't a scam, the only reason some individuals categorize as such was because they expected to make big bugs upon enrollment which isn't the case! Like every other job, one must work in order to achieve goal...and that's what Primerica is all about! if you put your mind to it you can do it within a month others take a year, it's really how fast you want it...in order to be able to be part of Primerica you must get your Provincial License to be able to sell insurance, RRSP or to remorgage your home..the same ProvincialLicense one has to acquire prior to be able to sell anything is the same one your insurance agent or your banker had to get when they got their job! Most bankers can tell you *Primerica is a scam*, the reason why is because they want you to buy all these services through their financial institution! In order to judge something you need to understand it yourself and not listen to others!


I'm listening, alright... I hope nobody "remorgages" their home with these proper English writers/speakers.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

Give me the "big bugs" any day.


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## cap10subtext (Oct 13, 2005)

Macfury said:


> Give me the "big bugs" any day.


I love that movie!! 

Another classic is "They crawled out of the woodwork!" You can guess who the antagonists are in that one. :heybaby:


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## Snapple Quaffer (Sep 2, 2003)

This is all so much fun. I wonder what Sue1212 got his/her 'Master' Degree in? Illiteracy? How to construct and display poor grammar so effectively?

Words like snake, oil, scumbag, tar, feathers spring to mind.


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## scootsandludes (Nov 28, 2003)

Sue1212 said:


> The funny thing with the people that are bashing Primerica are those that are uneducated and that can't understand what this business is really about!! This guy shoe can't even write proper english and he wan't to give advice about Primerica..come on give me a break!!:clap:
> Primerica's mother company is Citibank which is the world's largest bank (for those that don't believe me how about you make your own research on Forbes.ca) I acquired my Master Degree not to long ago just around the time I decided to join Primerica to see what this company was all about since most of my friends were doing it and we're pretty successfull! I discovered that this company wasn't a scam, the only reason some individuals categorize as such was because they expected to make big bugs upon enrollment which isn't the case! Like every other job, one must work in order to achieve goal...and that's what Primerica is all about! if you put your mind to it you can do it within a month others take a year, it's really how fast you want it...in order to be able to be part of Primerica you must get your Provincial License to be able to sell insurance, RRSP or to remorgage your home..the same ProvincialLicense one has to acquire prior to be able to sell anything is the same one your insurance agent or your banker had to get when they got their job! Most bankers can tell you Primerica is a scam, the reason why is because they want you to buy all these services through their financial institution! In order to judge something you need to understand it yourself and not listen to others!


I must be a chump for working for a living. I should have just taken career advice from some recent grad who took the first job offered to them.


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## K_OS (Dec 13, 2002)

after all the bashing that I did in the beginning of this thread a few years ago a good friend of mine took a job at Primerica and is doing very well for himself. I'm still glad that I didn't take the job and from what he's told me of his adventures with Primerica's investment it's not a job that I would be interested in anyways, on the other hand he talked me into investing money with Primerica and the return hasn't been that bad. My friend also helped my wife and I get mortgage insurance trough Primerica when my wife's hyper tension became too much of an issue for our current lender.

Laterz


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## cap10subtext (Oct 13, 2005)

K_OS said:


> after all the bashing that I did in the beginning of this thread a few years ago a good friend of mine took a job at Primerica and is doing very well for himself. I'm still glad that I didn't take the job and from what he's told me of his adventures with Primerica's investment it's not a job that I would be interested in anyways, on the other hand he talked me into investing money with Primerica and the return hasn't been that bad. My friend also helped my wife and I get mortgage insurance trough Primerica when my wife's hyper tension became too much of an issue for our current lender.
> 
> Laterz


It's not the users you gotta watch out for, it's the pushers.


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## titans88 (Oct 3, 2007)

I can't wait to make the BIG BUGS. Sign me up for Primerica ASAP!

I have a Primerica story. Myself and a really good friend of mine were approached at work one day. This gentleman said he really liked our "customer service abilities" and thought we could be "integral integrations" to his team. This happened 3 years ago and I still remember how the dude tried sooo hard to sound smart but you could tell he had not yet graduated high school, even though he was at least 45 years of age. Anyway, this guy gave us his card, explained vaguely what he did, the copious amounts of money he makes, and how we could be just like him. I couldn't wait!

While I laughed the whole situation off, my friend secretly took it seriously. He quit his job, in which he was making great money and really enjoying his life, in order to pursue a career with Primerica. Three years later, my good friend lost his car, home....and even his cell phone. A couple months back I tried to text him to let him know a few of our old work friend were getting together for beers. He never responded. Eventually I emailed him the details, and questions why he never responded to my text (which he always did in the past). He said "payment complications." The night we all got together we learned of his struggles and everything he gave up. It really is a sad story, because the guy is genuinely one of the nicest people I know. He deserves better.

He tried to recruit me that night too. Seems he hasn't given up yet.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

I pray for the day when we will all work for Primerica, building real weath by selling insurance to each other.


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## gwillikers (Jun 19, 2003)

I've heard people refer to Primerica as a cult. That might be a bit harsh, but just a bit.
A veteran Smith Barney employee once referred to Primerica as the scourge of the industry.
One of my best friends got sucked into the Primerica quagmire, and the change in him was startling to say the least. I haven't spoken to him since, nor have any of his old friends. We didn't sign up, and he took that as personal. The last time I saw him he seemed like a stranger. (I realize that not every Primerica employee is like my friend) But still, I've seen and heard enough to draw a pretty strong opinion.
Go to one of their rallies, and prepare to be freaked out. You'll be scanning the room for the exit doors. That is, unless you SNAP, and decide that you're gonna get RICH! :heybaby:


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## titans88 (Oct 3, 2007)

Macfury said:


> I pray for the day when we will all work for Primerica, building real weath by selling insurance to each other.


That's a world one day I would like to live in.


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## cap10subtext (Oct 13, 2005)

What's so funny about this is most people think they are skeptical about pyramid schemes until they fall for "the line". Often the more skeptical they think they are the harder they fall.

I have been conditioned by high pressure sales my whole adult life and even I find myself falling for the baloney once in a while. I've seen the effect they can have on peoples lives, and how they can turn rational, smarter than average people into bipolar fanatics. I think somehow people assume that people who fall for this stuff and fail are dumb or ignorant, but I think it's the opposite. Highly intelligent but very sensitive types are the biggest victims because they often have trouble completely selling themselves out and therefore they aren't terribly successful. They also tend to take the rejection as personal defeat.

My advice, get out while you still can!!


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## Amiga2000HD (Jan 23, 2007)

My only experience with Primerica apart from seeing one of their billboards by the side of the road was to have the experience of meeting one of their 'recruiters' at school while I was walking to a lab with a friend. The guy was offering part time jobs, was very coy about the details including the job description.

I thought between the customer service he mentioned and the overall vagueness was because I thought it might be a call centre job and they may have been trying to avoid indicating that up front. I didn't join. My friend looked into it a bit further and decided not to join. I never realized it was a pyramid scam type organization.

Unfortunately, one of my friends in Hamilton gave up the idea of pursuing the education necessary to enter the real estate business to take up working for a telecommunications company that's structured similar to Primerica. He's started trying to look at everybody's phone bills and sell telecommunications to his friends now. The thing about these pyramid get-rich-quick companies is that if they're too good to be true, they probably are.


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## Adrian. (Nov 28, 2007)

Citi Group is not the biggest bank in the world!

Classic American egotism. 

The biggest bank in the world is the (Mizhuno Financial) Bank of Japan. Lets just say one of their meager holdings is the Hitachi Corporation. Second, is HSBC and third is Citi Group. 

Trust me, the Japanese have the last two by a long shot.

I am not even mentioning Lloyds TSB of the UK. Put it this way: they insure banks and insurance companies and many countries.

There are much larger financial institutions than citi group.


My uncle got suckered into this scam. Unfortunately, he is not the sharpest tool in the drawer and got taken for 1500 dollars from Premerica.

You sell nothing and you have no product. You sell a service of fraud and fraud training. You tread a very thin line of legality and until you can provide sufficient evidence of wealth gain across a broad spectrum of agents only idiots will join your group.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

I know someone who got heavily into multi-level-marketing before buckling down to a real job. Lots of holier-than-thou spiels about how HIS financial success was assured, but if others wanted to toddle along at their own pace...that was their business. 

At one point he was offered the exclusive right to sell a particular brand of software in Canada by one of the scammers who was going to take a commission for every item sold. Lucky for him he put out a press release about taking over the Canadian territory, because the U.S. owners of the software contacted him immediately to explain that they already had chosen their distributors--and it wasn't him.


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

Adrian. said:


> You sell nothing and you have no product. You sell a service of fraud and fraud training. You tread a very thin line of legality and until you can provide sufficient evidence of wealth gain across a broad spectrum of agents only idiots will join your group.


This is where you are wrong. They actually do sell financial products and did have a big impact on the financial (insurance) industry. May of the people that get sucked in are honestly trying to make a difference in the lives of others and aren't really interested in the whole pyramid thing. Unfortunately, the only way you get anywhere in the organization is on the pyramid crap. 

I am not a Primerica rep but I do have term life insurance through Primerica. We were starting a family and researched our options and decided that term insurance made more sense. Many in the industry feel the same now and term policies are common. We also made several investments (not through Primerica) with the funds saved when compared to "traditional" policies and don't really need insurance anymore. 

I understand what everyone here is saying but try not paint each individual with the same "scammer" brush.


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## Adrian. (Nov 28, 2007)

They sell a right to resell. That is the entire conception of the pyramid scheme is it not? They may sell your insurance. But for the person who is getting sucked in to be an agent is buying the license to resell the license. The money is not in selling the insurance. The money is in selling the right to sell the insurance and license others.

I stand firm on my statement.


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## Sue1212 (May 28, 2008)

I do apologize to those that are highly sensitive to typos! Big whoop :-( I typed a couple words incorrectly (ie. bucks, mortgage)! In regards to the comments made by Snapple Quaffer about my Graduate studies; for your information, I studied criminology at University of Toronto not illiteracy as you were suggesting. In addition, I’ve been employed for many years and have acquired skills and experiences from several reputable employers; this is not the first job that I have landed since my graduation. I’m currently working on a study for Statistics Canada regarding Crime Rates, for those that were interested. 
The comments that I have made about Primerica are personal thoughts that I wanted to share with individuals that may be interested in Primerica but are unsure what to think of this company.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

Sue1212 said:


> I do apologize to those that are highly sensitive to typos! Big whoop :-( I typed a couple words incorrectly (ie. bucks, mortgage)! In regards to the comments made by Snapple Quaffer about my Graduate studies; for your information, I studied criminology at University of Toronto not illiteracy as you were suggesting. In addition, I’ve been employed for many years and have acquired skills and experiences from several reputable employers; this is not the first job that I have landed since my graduation. I’m currently working on a study for Statistics Canada regarding Crime Rates, for those that were interested.
> The comments that I have made about Primerica are personal thoughts that I wanted to share with individuals that may be interested in Primerica but are unsure what to think of this company.


Thanks for confirming that:

1. Primerica will *never* generate an income for you, since you need to be employed elsewhere;

2. You completely misunderstand what you read, and what you write, and are therefore one of Primerica's prime 'marks': you criticized the "uneducated" posting here for not understanding Primerica and for their poor grammar, and write with a poor understanding and atrocious grammar yourself; and,

3. you think so little of "this company" that you are unable to post actual details of how it has helped you.

Good luck, then.


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## Macfury (Feb 3, 2006)

Ahh, a noted criminologist then?

But if this is just a thread to let people know the real story behind employment with companies we're not really involved with, please feel free to contact me for my opinions on any company. I will "set the record straight" for you.


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## Snapple Quaffer (Sep 2, 2003)

I ... zzzzzzzzzzz


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## Lawrence (Mar 11, 2003)

I've read this disclosure before somewhere...hmmmm...



> snip/Actual gross cash flow is, among other factors, dependent upon the size and scale of a representative’s organization, the number of sales and the override spread on each sale, and the ability and efforts of you and your downlines. Having said this, Primerica provides a tremendous opportunity for individuals who work hard and who desire to develop a business with strong income potential./end snip


Quoted from Primerica disclosures


Dave


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## nicepaddy44 (Jun 24, 2008)

*What Isn't A Pyramid Environment In The Workplace ??*

Is it possible that Citibank would lend their name to a company that is suppposedly so "awful" ??
Any job has the pyramid effect in place.. workers, supervisors, managers,CEOs., Presidents etc...Primerica is no different..No I am not up there in the higher echelons of this organisation..In fact just a lowly new member....But I like what they sell and simple minded as I am, I actually understand the process behind it, especially compared to what the banks are offering....Now you cant tell me that Banks don't try to "hoodwink" you with various insurance policies etc...
Perhaps people should look at the product first of all, before they rant about the company...I have never been pressurised by any member of the company to join.. I have a very close friend who is in there and she is one of the most ethical people you could ever meet.. She has a doctorate degree, so definitely not stupid....The lady give up teaching to do it..
Of course it can be hard to go out and contact people you know, but arent you supposed to help your friends....If you knew of something better to ofer than what your friends were already getting, wouldnt you tell them about it....
So find out about what Primerica is selling and go from there....


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

nicepaddy44 said:


> Is it possible that Citibank would lend their name to a company that is suppposedly so "awful" ??
> Any job has the pyramid effect in place.. workers, supervisors, managers,CEOs., Presidents etc...Primerica is no different..No I am not up there in the higher echelons of this organisation..In fact just a lowly new member....But I like what they sell and simple minded as I am, I actually understand the process behind it, especially compared to what the banks are offering....Now you cant tell me that Banks don't try to "hoodwink" you with various insurance policies etc...
> Perhaps people should look at the product first of all, before they rant about the company...I have never been pressurised by any member of the company to join.. I have a very close friend who is in there and she is one of the most ethical people you could ever meet.. She has a doctorate degree, so definitely not stupid....The lady give up teaching to do it..
> Of course it can be hard to go out and contact people you know, but arent you supposed to help your friends....If you knew of something better to ofer than what your friends were already getting, wouldnt you tell them about it....
> So find out about what Primerica is selling and go from there....


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