A Midtown firm that billed itself as a security-guard training company was actually a sham that bilked more than 15,000 customers out of $500 fees for jobs that didn’t exist, a new, Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit charges.
State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman slapped 1st Security Preparation and Placement and its owner, Allen Haft, with the lawsuit Tuesday. People responding to the ads were falsely promised that they’d been selected for a position but must first fork over up to $670 for training, court documents claim.
The trainees were then given “referrals” to firms that “had no knowledge of 1st Security and [were] not expecting the consumer for an interview,” the suit claims.
The AG’s office conducted an undercover sting after 200 customers complained.
“Posting phony job listings during an economic crisis is a particularly cynical effort to prey on the hopes of struggling workers and families,” Schneiderman said.
The company faces $5,000 fines for each alleged victim. Company officials didn’t return calls for comment.