Ultimate Scam?

The head of a “VIP concert access business” who received media scrutiny earlier this year for his reported plans to hire 2,800 people for a call center in Shelby, N.C., is back in the news.

Napoleon Brewer, who heads up Ultimate Concerts Inc., previously announced he was opening the call center to handle orders for his company’s Super Concert Access Card, which allows consumers to attend concerts around the country in exchange for a monthly fee.

Ultimate Concerts held two job fairs in January and February and pulled the plug on the project each time. Local media uncovered a history of Better Business Bureau complaints and the state Attorney General’s Office began an investigation.

But Brewer’s back, and recently told the local WCNC News 36 that he plans to operate under a “revised business model” and begin hiring staff next month.

Under the new plan, Ultimate Concerts employees would reportedly learn the ins and outs of concert promoting during a two-week paid training program, after which they would be sent to satellite offices around the U.S. to begin promoting shows.

Brewer has arranged to move into a corporate administrative office and inquired about space for a call center, but has yet to sign a lease, WCNC reported.

The company’s Web site, which was active in February, is currently inoperative.

Still, Brewer’s got big plans, telling WCNC that Ultimate Concerts could generate $900 million in sales, promote 8,000 concerts and compete with Live Nation.

The Attorney General’s Office continues to monitor the company because of its history in the state, AG spokeswoman Noelle Talley told the news.

“In general, we recommend that job hunters check out a company thoroughly before applying for a job with them, avoid applying for jobs where you are asked to pay an application fee, and steer clear of employers that require you to pay for a training course or start-up kit before the job starts,” Talley said.