Flying out to an interview but not attending

Question

Recently a company contacted me for recruiting purposes. However, I have previously worked at this company and been fired under very questionable circumstances, and yet they are trying to recruit me despite having previously fired me. Sounds weird, I know, it is. They have contacted me many times since I was terminated, and up until recently I've basically just told them to go to hell (the circumstances under which I was fired can be generously called "unfair"). However, they are beginning to become more aggressive with their recruiting, and while previously I might get 1 message in 6 months, now I am getting 1 or 2 per week, and its seriously getting annoying.

Now, I truly hate this company and would like nothing better than for them to die in a fire (figuratively of course, I wish no harm to the individual employees, only to the company as a whole, and maybe some general physical discomfort to my former line manager). Since they won't stop harassing me no matter how many times I tell them to screw off, I was thinking of accepting their interview. Since the company is in a different locale from my own, they would have to fly me out to any onsite stage I was to attend. I was thinking of taking this opportunity as a personal trip to go to the company's locale, go sightseeing, visit friends, and overall have a great time on the company's dime, with no intention of actually attending the interview (or perhaps attending the first in a day long interview loop and then leaving immediately).

While I know this is morally questionable (to put it lightly), due to my history with this company I have no qualms about doing morally questionable things to them, as they have done such and more to me in the past while I was employed there. What I am wondering is, what might I be liable for in terms of e.g. them trying to collect recompense from me for the price of the plane ticket/hotel/etc if I was to try to pull this scheme?

Answer 1

1. Companies often have you pay and then reimburse you to minimize this behavior.

2. Interview practice is always good. Just go, use the interview as free practice, and then enjoy your time in the city complication free. If they offer you the job, just decline. This strategy would almost assuredly avoid legal problems.

Answer 2

There might be nuances using which you can figure out something to avoid the legalities for avoiding the interview and use that company-provided fund to have a personal tour, but being very straightforward, I'd suggest : Don't do this.

Since you already mentioned:

Since they won't stop harassing me no matter how many times I tell them to screw off

Agreeing to have one interview (regardless of the outcome) may even add to this behavior. Given that your past experience has not been so good while dealing with them, there are chances (albeit small) that they'll repeat the same which may cause some unwanted troubles for you - unusual timing for flight, below-standard accommodation, delay in reimbursement etc. etc. [not actually unheard of]. You need to think: is it really worth the time and effort dealing with these cases?

Just mention: "I'm not interested" and then blacklist the number / mail ID and ignore all communication.

Answer 3

You seem too emotionally involved.

Frankly, I think that continuing to lingering in this hate and vendetta fantasies for the company is not healthy for you; I perfectly get that unfair treatment and being fired is terrible, but you have to move on, emotionally and professionally.

Yes, you could play some tricks on them, but you have a commitment as a professional that goes beyond this particular company, and you would anyway involve people of the company who did nothing wrong to you, making them just lose their time.

Plus, I tend to "play fair" always in the industry because who knows you can meet or talk about you and what you do. It's just the wisest choice.

So, I don't think you will have any problems if you reject their offer, it's just not worth doing.