Access Research Inc. Who are they really?
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Sounds like a scam, although the small dollar amount is interesting. Why don't you call the bank the cheque is drawn on and see if it's legit or if the account has been hacked? Once you know that, then you can decide what to do if the cheque is good, and if it's bad, the decision has already been made for you.
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Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)
"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)
"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor
"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei
$51 is pretty low for this to be a scam, but tread cautiously. I suggest that you call the bank that the check / cheque is drawn on and see what they know.
There are relatively few banks in Canada, so maybe you could visit a branch and just try to cash the cheque. They will check the balance before they give you any money. Much better than depositing it in your own account and having it bounce.
There are relatively few banks in Canada, so maybe you could visit a branch and just try to cash the cheque. They will check the balance before they give you any money. Much better than depositing it in your own account and having it bounce.
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
Thank you for your excellent suggestion. I think visiting the bank the cheque was draw on is an excellent idea. I so seldom receive cheques anymore - it's all direct deposit or Paypal.
Your instincts are good, and scams are out there, but there's a possibility that it's something legitimate that you don't recognize.
Twice now, I've been really startled by PayPal deposits from companies that I "knew" I hadn't done anything for. (Why is White Clay sending me money? Well, the company that I worked for decided that it wanted a better name. Why is HS Research sending me money? Well, that's an alternative name for the company, and I'd forgotten it.) So, if those had been checks, I'd have wanted to cash them.
This will only be good for the future, but make sure that you keep a list of all your shops: company, client, amount, date, and all the rest. Check the items off as your're paid for them. Then, if you get something mysterious, you should be able to figure out if there's anything it could be. (Google the name of any possible MSCs, along with "Access Research", to see if there's any connection.)
Twice now, I've been really startled by PayPal deposits from companies that I "knew" I hadn't done anything for. (Why is White Clay sending me money? Well, the company that I worked for decided that it wanted a better name. Why is HS Research sending me money? Well, that's an alternative name for the company, and I'd forgotten it.) So, if those had been checks, I'd have wanted to cash them.
This will only be good for the future, but make sure that you keep a list of all your shops: company, client, amount, date, and all the rest. Check the items off as your're paid for them. Then, if you get something mysterious, you should be able to figure out if there's anything it could be. (Google the name of any possible MSCs, along with "Access Research", to see if there's any connection.)
Have you shopped for Service Metrics? I believe that may be from them. I received a cheque recently that was for the amount I was expecting from SM, and they are in Toronto as well.
Jaymo Wrote:
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> Have you shopped for Service Metrics? I believe
> that may be from them. I received a cheque
> recently that was for the amount I was expecting
> from SM, and they are in Toronto as well.
Good work! I googled the two names together, and it looks as though there is a connection. The original poster might try phoning Service Metrics to confirm it.
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> Have you shopped for Service Metrics? I believe
> that may be from them. I received a cheque
> recently that was for the amount I was expecting
> from SM, and they are in Toronto as well.
Good work! I googled the two names together, and it looks as though there is a connection. The original poster might try phoning Service Metrics to confirm it.
Thanks for pointing me in the direction of Service Metrics. I've delved deep into their site pages and found their address matches the address on the cheque I received. Good sleuthing. Now to take it to that bank and find out if it is cashable without a signature as the cheque wasn't signed. I reallyl appreciate everyone's time for helping solve this mystery.
The big question are: Have you ever done any work for Service Metrics? Did you attempt to log onto their website?
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I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
The Sig on my cheque was faint and looked like a stamp. Guessing they ran out of ink on yours. I wouldn't risk cashing it.
Yes, I have done work with Service Metrics. They called me to do a bonused phone shop in October. I do not do a lot for them. Hence, I totally forgot that they pay by cheque. But still - the cheque is not signed and it is not in the amount we agreed on. They transposed numbers in my favour. I've tried to call them - message said voice mail was full so I've emailed and heard nothing back as yet. And so I wait. I will go to the bank the cheque was written on (not my own bank) and see if they will cash it. Perhaps its something new - as in no signature needed. The whole thing just doesn't make sense to me.
I received a Cheque from Access Research yesterday and the amount was equal to what I was expecting from Service Metrics for Sep/Oct shops, so I'm pretty sure it's legit. I did receive several cheques from different MSCs with pre-printed signature on them in the past and never had any issues depositing them.
Access Research and Service Metrics are sub companies of Forum Research. I do not handle payment issues but if you have any questions as a Service Metrics shopper, do call the Help Desk and ask if you feel so inclined 
P.S. If you have payment issues, email is the best way to get your issue looked into. You may not hear back immediately as any issues must be looked at out of house. Refer to my interview with Mystery Shopping Magazine for clarification on that topic.
You can take the cheque into TD Bank and also get answers there if you feel uneasy. The bank can verify that funds are available. I found out that is perfectly normal to receive a cheque from either Access Research Inc or Service Metrics Inc. Like mentioned above, take it to a TD Bank and they will verify that funds are available.
Hope this helps!!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2014 05:16PM by dixiewhiskey.
P.S. If you have payment issues, email is the best way to get your issue looked into. You may not hear back immediately as any issues must be looked at out of house. Refer to my interview with Mystery Shopping Magazine for clarification on that topic.
You can take the cheque into TD Bank and also get answers there if you feel uneasy. The bank can verify that funds are available. I found out that is perfectly normal to receive a cheque from either Access Research Inc or Service Metrics Inc. Like mentioned above, take it to a TD Bank and they will verify that funds are available.
Hope this helps!!
Silver Certified ~ Shopping all of Toronto and beyond
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/04/2014 05:16PM by dixiewhiskey.
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