Students: Beware of University Painters
This website is an information resource acting to warn college students of the dangers of University Painters.
University Painters is a firm that is promoted as a college internship to students with an entrepreneurial edge. University Painters is based in Alexandria, VA and is owned and operated by Josh Jablon. This firm has been known to recruit heavily at colleges and universities on the east coast, including Washington, DC, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Ohio, Vermont, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Maine. However, this firm may be trying to recruit in new areas at any given time. If you are a student and attend college/university, please beware of this company.
Currently, this organization is being sued (case 06-CV-003245) by the Ohio State Attorney General's office for approximately $300,000 for violation of 14 state laws.
In 2003, University Painters dismissed almost every single Ohio college student that they recruited. Due to the contract that University Painters makes students sign, students have been known to face almost $10,000 in fines.
- This is the scam -
University Painters "fires" students who aren't selling enough painting jobs and then collect hefty fines from them as a result. University Painters collects a 25% royalty on every painting job a student sells. So think about this - If a student is selling painting jobs, then University Painters makes money. If a student isn't selling painting jobs, then University Painters "fires" the student, hits them with "breach of contract" penalties, and they STILL make money. University Painters makes money whether they paint or not! University Painters makes money no matter what - if that isn't a scam, we don't know what is!
University Painters claims that they do not benefit from the fines, but how? They barely invest any money in the students they recruit! Students pay for everything, including all their training. Students get interviewed in hotel lobbies and students get trained in Alexandria, VA. Students pay for travel, lodging, and food while at the training sessions. Students foot all the expenses across the board. What money does University Painters invest on a per-student basis? Their costs of interviewing and training are relatively fixed. Yet they claim that they do not benefit from the fines. Do you really believe that? We invite University Painters to open their books and prove it... you have to admit, it's quite a claim!
If you're being recruited by this company, please review the information on this site. You don't want to get burned.
Company Aliases:
First Financial Management Group Inc.
JZA
Development Corporation
Maxco Development
Joshua Jablon Inc
Jablon Marketing
Chevy Chase Painting
UnivPaint
Josh Jablon
Thomas E. Torres
Tom Torres
Locations:
Alexandria,
Virginia
King
of Prussia, Pennsylvania
Chevy
Chase, Maryland
Recent Updates
VIDEO: FOX NEWS video exposing University Painters CEO Josh Jablon
New Shell Corporation Suspect - "First Financial Management Group Inc."
Cusik Marketing threatening a $4224.99 bill against college students
Petro Sues University Painters For Scamming College Student Workers
Seeing Red: students at Johnson & Wales regret ever becoming involved with University Painters
According to the Progressive Blog Alliance, the career services office of Duquesne University sent an e-mail to its students and recent graduates warning them of and providing a list of questionable companies, of which University Painters is one.
Research
Scammer 101: PMG (College Pro Painters)
VIDEO: FOX NEWS video exposing Josh Jablon
Ohio Attorney General sues University Painters
Ohio Attorney General sues painting company for fleecing college students
Ashley Wisecup of Miami University files suit against University Painters
Bowling Green State University Students Darrell Kendall, Adam Hickey
University Painters, JZA Development, Jablon/Torres FCC Citation for Telemarketing