For two days now, Eyewitness News has been to 6th Avenue and 22nd Street, where crowds of job seekers have gathered outside the Chelsea offices of United Care Services.
They all share the same ugly story. They say they were promised $18-an-hour jobs in housekeeping or security.
"They promised me $18 an hour," job seeker Krystal Key said. "401k benefits. Night pay."
They say United Care Services, claiming to be a placement firm, demanded an upfront fee, anywhere between $100 and $400. That's cash most of them didn't have.
Evelyn Grotes pawned her last gold necklace.
"And now I can even get it back," Grotes said. "That was my last $100. They just snatched it away from me."
The fees were supposedly for background checks or uniforms.
Then, the eager souls were sent off to hotels or training classes around the city, except they claim the sites were bogus.
Lamonte Williams just finished serving his country in the Army, then came home to this.
"I was supposed to do housekeeping for a hotel," Williams said.
Eyewitness News tried reaching out to Untied Care Services. There was no response at the buzzer, and various numbers listed were either not answered or disconnected.
Police told the victims to file a complaint and then follow up with a class-action suit.
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