Dallas, TX -- (SBWire) -- 09/09/2013 --Private Equity Headhunters, a PE and VC executive recruiting firm, has just announced that it is launching a new initiative that will help educate senior executives about online scams.

As Jaree Zafar, CTO of Private Equity Headhunters and a law enforcement officer explained, there have been a growing number of online scams targeting senior executives, especially those who are currently looking for work. Because this group of people typically has money to spend, they are especially easy to target, and it is becoming more common for them to become victims.

Shady outplacement and marketing agencies will often charge their candidates thousands of dollars in return for claiming to help them find a job, Mr. Zafar said. Unfortunately, more often than not, the executive will end up spending thousands of dollars for very little in return—in some cases, the help and services they receive from these less-than-reputable firms amount to a few template emails and maybe a contact list of recruiters and companies. As Mr. Zafar explained, honest and hard working candidates often end up spending a huge amount of money for things that are actually available to them for free, which leaves them feeling ripped off and discouraged.

“We have had many senior executives tell us about their experiences with these companies and it’s shocking to hear that they have wasted in some cases up to $20,000 and were simply told to go email these people in the hopes that they will have some opportunities available,” Jaree Zafar said, adding that understandably, many of these executives are now trying to get their money back after being so unhappy with the results.

“As a law enforcement officer, and with my background and relationships, I feel I can help many of these executives get their money back, or if nothing else, educate them so they don’t fall prey to these unlicensed so-called recruiters. While many of these companies are not technically breaking any laws, they are using the desperation of these executives to make a quick buck.”

After hearing these stories on daily basis for past three months, Mr. Zafar said he feels it’s high time for him to use his skills and resources to help save these executives from becoming a victim of useless and ridiculously overpriced services.

“We will use the resources of both our IT team and Marketing team to educate senior executives against common pitfalls in the current job market using various mediums including websites, blogs, press releases and social media,” said Allen Till, Chief Legal Officer for Private Equity Headhunters.

“Mr. Zafar will also use his relationships with various law enforcement and government agencies to help push for a change and development of strict guidelines and enforcement of the current laws that are in place.”

To help stop these scams as effectively as possible, Mr. Zafar said that Private Equity Headhunters has also partnered with Private Investigations California, which is one of the largest private investigation companies in the country with multiple offices and hundreds of qualified attorneys and highly experienced private investigators on staff.

Kevin Faler, a senior partner with Private Investigations California, who is also a veteran police officer with years of investigative experience, and an attorney in the state of California said he is happy to join forces with Private Equity Headhunters and Mr. Zafar.

“We are looking forward to helping to protect the interests of senior executives and offer them professional services to help them recover from any loss that results from these scams, as well as offer free help to government authorities to help them combat this growing problem.”

C. Nicholas, CEO of Private Equity Headhunters, said his company is committed to serving the needs of senior executives.

“We will continue to do everything in our power to protect our clients’ interests,” he said.

About Private Equity Headhunters
Founded in 1998, Private Equity Headhunters specializes in locating jobs for executives and matches investment seekers with private equity and strategic buyers. The company utilizes its network of 2,400 recruiters and relationships with more than 1,600 PE/VC firms to achieve a job placement rate of 86 percent for national and international executives, even in a weak economy. With a 100 percent interview rate and impressive placement rate, Private Equity Headhunters has consistently ranked first in PE/VC space as a senior executive recruiting firm. For more information, visit http://www.PrivateEquityHeadhunters.com