BEFORE ANYONE TRIES TO WORK FOR [] BE WARNED! THEY ARE OUT TO RIP YOU OFF! I AM OUT A COUPLE GRAND.
I heard about mystery shopping from a couple of people. I heard that you got paid to stay in fancy hotels, dine the finest restaurants, ect. I signed up for [] thinking I was going to do that. I was wrong.
After I was accepted to [] I began to search for my first job. I'd never been to New York, so I figured I'd start there. I searched New York, NY and it came up with hundreds of hits. I found a Mc Donalds assignment and I applied for it. I passed the screening test with 100% accuracy.
After I was trained I purchased my round trip ticket (only took Jet Blue, didn't want to get too carried away), and booked a Holiday Inn for three nights (again, I didn't want to get too carried away). I left on a Friday (airport was hetic), journaled my whole experience through the airport.
My five hour Jet Blue flight encompassed me reviewing my training manual (I read that thing good) and reading a good chunk of a Dan Brown mystery.
Anyway, I stayed the night at the Holiday Inn prepared to do my McDonalds shop the next day. I woke up bright and early, did my shop, and returned to the hotel by 2.
Once I was back at the hotel, I bought a ticket to see Wicked (might as well get all of my freebies) and I made a reservation for a famous french restaurant (forgot the name, keep in mind this is all going on my Visa). I enjoyed the food, and the show. Sunday I didn't do much. Ordered some room service and movies on the hotel TV (journaled it all in detail).
Monday I returned back home and logged onto my e-mail. I had a rather nasty e-mail from [] demanding my report saying it was past due (I JUST GOT HOME!). I logged on and submitted it ASAP. When I went to submit my receipts I noticed that there was only room for three. I submitted my airline tickets ($252 all together), my hotel bill, and the show ticket (only because I lost the French restaurant one).
About an hour passes by and I receive another shrude/short e-mail demanding my Mc Donalds receipt (THEY DIDNT HAVE ROOM FOR IT!), so I e-mailed her my Mc Donalds receipt along with all my other receipts (gift shops from the airport, ect).
I got an e-mail back saying that they'd accept the shop even though it was submitted late, and she reminded me that reports were due 8 hours after shops (IT WAS JUST A COUPLE MINUTES AFTER I HAD GOTTEN HOME!). Alright, everything's fine and dandy right? They accepted the shop and I would be seeing my money soon, right? WRONG! Within a week and a half my Visa bills comes. About $1,800 is business related expenses. Where's my reimbursement?
I e-mailed the lady from [] and she said it was on the way and that they send them out once a month. I replied telling her that I had over a thousand dollar bill to pay. Then get this, she replies telling me that they only have me down for $14.58 in REIMBURSEMENTS! WTF?
As it turns out, [] is refusing to pick up my airline tickets, hotel room, and just about every other expense. I'm GOING to get my money, but in the meantime I'm out close to two grand.
So be warned folks. All I gotta say.
References to specific mystery shopping companies removed--Admin