I've done a few apartment shops in my area. Some of them require you to use an alias rather than your real name. Yet, at the same time, the leasing agent requires you to leave your driver's license or ID which will clearly have your name on it. There are only so many nicknames belonging to my first name and none for my last name.

How do experienced shoppers handle this situation?

Thanks

This is easier if you are a female. I just say that I took back my family name in my recent divorce but have not changed my passport because I knew that I would be moving and wanted to only change the address once. So, if my ID says "Smith", I tell them that my legal name is now "Brown." The guest card will then say "Brown." Also, many, if not most, leasing agents, barely take a glimpse of the picture and ignore the name on my passport or DL.

walesmaven Wrote:
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> This is easier if you are a female. I just say
> that I took back my family name in my recent
> divorce but have not changed my passport because I
> knew that I would be moving and wanted to only
> change the address once. So, if my ID says
> "Smith", I tell them that my legal name is now
> "Brown." The guest card will then say "Brown."
> Also, many, if not most, leasing agents, barely
> take a glimpse of the picture and ignore the name
> on my passport or DL.

I used my ex married name in a shop with my nickname first, and said I didnt have a license with me.....so the scheduler wouldnt accept the shop, after I did it and saw an apartment etc etc.

Another gal who does the apartment shops told me they are checking your credit rating, and the scheduler had told her that it was just a soft check (dont know what a soft check is) but it turned out to be full checks...and everytime they do
that your credit rating goes down. This girl and her husband are planning on buying a house and are not thrilled to discover that their credit rating has been going down because of mystery shopping.

Same thing with the car shops. I didnt give them a license or social sec number and they ran a check...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2012 10:52PM by shoppinalong.

They cannot run a hard check without an SSN.

Hi Shoppingalong, I am wondering how in the world they can check your credit without your information? Maybe they could check google, or a facebook page - and that is if you supply them with your real information.

Where are you suggesting they are getting your information from? Just curious. Can't be done without a social security number....

Chix Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi Shoppingalong, I am wondering how in the world
> they can check your credit without your
> information? Maybe they could check google, or a
> facebook page - and that is if you supply them
> with your real information.
>
> Where are you suggesting they are getting your
> information from? Just curious. Can't be done
> without a social security number....

I gave them a nickname for my first name and my former married name. Did not show license or any ID at the car shop. Financial person came back and asked me did I ever finance a Toyota (the shop was for a Lexus). I did not ever finance a Toyota, however I asked her first name of person who financed and laughably, she said "that's private information and I could get in trouble" - well if its privfate info and they could get in trouble why did they run a credit check anyway. Unfortunately, anyone with my former married name-unusual- in the entire country is related to the family - so they did run a check without SSN or more info other than I had mentioned the town I lived in. I do have an ex sister-in-law who lives in the same state - but I think they ran a US check - and it is a large family - but it had to be a woman who financed the toyota because they were asking me.

So dont ask me how, but they did run a check.

And they are on the apartment shops also.

I'm not doing any more car buy shops or apartment shops. period. The MSC's really should not tell shoppers that no credit checks will be run.

I don't know where any of you are getting the idea that they're doing a credit check on you. They may be able to look up a name through Nexis but to be able to get to YOUR information, they would need to have your SSN. Otherwise, who knows who's information they're looking at. There may be several people with your name in the area. I know that there are several people with my name in the country. I found out that my idiot brother who I have not talked to in a couple of years was giving out my cell phone number through a shop. When the dealership inputted my phone number, my a-hole brother's name popped up. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper.

As for the alias apartment shops, the only time I needed to do that was when the apartment management company had a central database that all of the complexes had access to so if you gave the same name they would know you had been to one of their other properties which may have outed you as a shopper.

avitoots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't know where any of you are getting the idea
> that they're doing a credit check on you. They
> may be able to look up a name through Nexis but to
> be able to get to YOUR information, they would
> need to have your SSN. Otherwise, who knows who's
> information they're looking at. There may be
> several people with your name in the area. I know
> that there are several people with my name in the
> country. I found out that my idiot brother who I
> have not talked to in a couple of years was giving
> out my cell phone number through a shop. When the
> dealership inputted my phone number, my a-hole
> brother's name popped up. Needless to say, I was
> not a happy camper.
>
> As for the alias apartment shops, the only time I
> needed to do that was when the apartment
> management company had a central database that all
> of the complexes had access to so if you gave the
> same name they would know you had been to one of
> their other properties which may have outed you as
> a shopper.


In apartment shops that wont work because this MSC demands that you give them your
license, So cant change names. I said I didnt have my license with me, because I dont want 30 or 50 credit checks run...so when I told the MSC she canceled the shop. Okay with me. I'm not doing any more apt shops or buy car shops either.

Actually you're wrong. I did two shops in Illinois using a different last name than what was on my license and didn't have a problem. And, since my SSN isn't on my license, didn't have to worry about them doing a credit check because, as was stated above by me and someone else, they can't do a credit check on you without you social. They can check your name if they want, but they won't get your credit report.

This misinformation has certainly taken on a life of it's own. And the reason MSCs "require" you give them your license is that it is company policy for most apartment management companies. It was not fair to that leasing agent to claim you didn't have the license. She was then put in the position of violating company policy or turning away a potential tenant when she has quotas to fill.

Thanks, Lisa. And the reason for the policy on site is the safety of the Leasing Associate. This is a real issue, since there is a whole class of criminals who prey on real estate personnel, including leasing agents.

There is precious little to protect people in those professions and if the ID helps in any way, I'm all for it. My only concern is where they put the ID when we are out of the office and won't hesitate to say something if one starts to just leave it laying on an exposed desk.

Thanks, Lisa. I thought I was the only one--and identifying myself as a shopper--by requiring them to lock it up. It seems awfully hypocritical not to.

I had a longer response to the criminal aspect but the computer just ate it and I need to leave the house. Maybe I can respond tonight.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This misinformation has certainly taken on a life
> of it's own. And the reason MSCs "require" you
> give them your license is that it is company
> policy for most apartment management companies. It
> was not fair to that leasing agent to claim you
> didn't have the license. She was then put in the
> position of violating company policy or turning
> away a potential tenant when she has quotas to
> fill.

Sorry , I dont agree Lisa.

When you characterize it as "misinformation" you are calling me a liar and I greatly resent it. Angrily.

And dont you think it's laughable to mention a potential tenant when in fact no mystery shopper is a potential tenant , and we take up their time?

Second, even knowing I didnt have my license the agent at the apt shop was professional and spent considerable time with me going over what they did and didnt have and the costs.

Then we went out and looked through the windows at an empty apartment.

On top of that, I had emailed the scheduler aT 3:30 in the afternoon about not wanting to give my license, and that I had found a way to get around it so as not to suffer yet another credit check lowering my score.

The scheduler answered me by email at 11:37 PM at night, AFTER I had completed the shop and told me to cancel it, I had a complete report which I did not submit.
Their loss and I will never work with that scheduler again.

Sometimes you really ought to stop thinking as a scheduler/editor and put yourself in the position of a person who has found out THEY DO DO CREDIT CHECKS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO. And I will repeat again, I am not the only shopper who has discovered this and had their credit score affected.

You are not listening/reading or you just refuse to believe it, which is very annoying.

I will stick by the use of the term misinformation. I did not call it a lie which would mean I do not believe it happened at all. Those of use who have performed hundreds of these shops can attest, it is not a normal every day occurrence. You are making it sound like this happens on either all shops or on the majority of shops.

And, no it is not "laughable" that I referred to a shopper as a potential tenant. That is what the Leasing Agent thinks we are and will influence her decision. If she knew you were a mystery shopper she would not have risked getting dinged for not getting the DL. Since I am neither a scheduler or an editor I don't think like them. I was also not thinking like an MSC for that matter. I was thinking like that Leasing Agent since I know what she will be evaluated on and what can make her look bad. It is the reason I would never ask a shop target to do anything that is against the policy of his/her company unless it is part of the job guidelines. It also sounds like you think we are wasting their time. If you don't find the value in what we are doing for the company and the Leasing Agent then why are you mystery shopping?

If you don't want to do the job as directed because you think every place is going to run a credit check then you should not do them. It is not worth it to have that much stress over any job.

shopinalong -- Again, you are wrong. I will reiterate, that they cannot run a credit check WITHOUT your social security number; secondly, it is ILLEGAL to do so without your permission. I strongly doubt the companies are going to put their businesses on the line by illegally running credit checks. You are not that important to their business that they would risk their company by running your credit report.

You did not follow the guidelines and created a situation wherein the employee you were shopping was not able to do her job. Therefore, you were not in a position to evaluate what she did. Thus, you should not be paid.

And, how do you know that shopper is not a prospective tenant? There is no way you could know. Some shoppers do auto dealership shops because they are looking for a car and they figure they may as well get paid to look.

If you do not want to follow the guidelines, then don't do the job. Don't whine about people telling you that your information is incorrect. No one has called you a liar, we are telling you that you are spreading information that is not correct and we feel compelled and have a right to correct your incorrect information.

I have done 3 apartment shops and have never had to leave my ID or even show it.

And if the Leasing Agent does not request it you are not obligated to hand it over. I don't recall if one has ever failed to ask, but most companies would require them to check it.

SunnyDays -- That may be, however, on the apartment shops I have done that is a standard question on the questionnaire. If the agent didn't ask for it they may have violated a company policy.

avitoots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SunnyDays -- That may be, however, on the
> apartment shops I have done that is a standard
> question on the questionnaire. If the agent
> didn't ask for it they may have violated a company
> policy.

I realize some of the questionaires ask: "Did they ask you for ID?" but the last 3 communities have not..

If they do ask me that question, of course, I tell them NO they did not

I was not questioning what your answer was just making an observation about the fact that they did not ask and what that may mean.

avitoots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> shopinalong -- Again, you are wrong. I will
> reiterate, that they cannot run a credit check
> WITHOUT your social security number; secondly, it
> is ILLEGAL to do so without your permission. I
> strongly doubt the companies are going to put
> their businesses on the line by illegally running
> credit checks. You are not that important to
> their business that they would risk their company
> by running your credit report.
>
> You did not follow the guidelines and created a
> situation wherein the employee you were shopping
> was not able to do her job. Therefore, you were
> not in a position to evaluate what she did. Thus,
> you should not be paid.
>
> And, how do you know that shopper is not a
> prospective tenant? There is no way you could
> know. Some shoppers do auto dealership shops
> because they are looking for a car and they figure
> they may as well get paid to look.
>
> If you do not want to follow the guidelines, then
> don't do the job. Don't whine about people
> telling you that your information is incorrect.
> No one has called you a liar, we are telling you
> that you are spreading information that is not
> correct and we feel compelled and have a right to
> correct your incorrect information.

NO, I am not wrong.
and I am not whining fyi. I said I will not do any car or apt shops because of this.

If you're so smart that they dont run credit checks, how did they get the name of a woman with my former last name who financed a Toyota and asked if it was me ?

To find out that someone with my last name financed a car required a credit check of some sort - without my permission or prior knowledge.

I'm saying it again because some people here appear to have limited comprehension.

It is obvious they ran an illegal credit check thinking it was mine, because the woman admitted she could get in trouble giving out private information.

DUH!

You know what, you are whining. It is quite possible that the woman had been in the dealership before you did the shop and when they inputted your name, her information popped up. Just like when they put in my phone number when I did a shop, my brother's name popped up because he had been in the dealership and had used my phone number without my permission. Then, when they asked and you said you weren't that person, you got upset when they kept the other person's information confidential as they should have. You made an assumption without knowing all the facts and are now spreading incorrect and false information. And, quite frankly, you are whining about it. Don't do the shops. No one cares if you shop or not. There are plenty of others to do the shops who know that they are not going to put their businesses on the line to illegally run credit checks. A sale to one person is not critical enough to put their business on the line. And, to reiterate, THEY CANNOT RUN A CREDIT CHECK WITHOUT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. I know that for a fact because I used to run credit reports on people when I worked for a law firm that tried to find people's assets. So, you can do what you want, believe what you want, but keep your incorrect information to yourself.

Some people can never admit they are mistaken.

You, Avitoots, apparently are one of them and can always be counted on to take
the MSC side against the shopper's. I wonder why that is. many

I too have many many many years of legal experience, and I guarantee you I can find out all I want to know about you just by having your last name. Something you obviously don't know.

Jacob has done a wonderful job on this site. The only thing missing is an
"ignore function".

shopinalong -- Ya know what, I didn't attack you personally and, I am not mistaken. They CANNOT do a credit check on me without my social security number and, if you do, I can file a lawsuit against you for invading my privacy. There are several people with my name so you have NO GUARANTEE the information you are illegally obtaining is my information. Just as an example, there is someone with my name who has several lawsuits against them in a state I have never been to. However, if you insist on being paranoid, that's your option. However, don't make assumptions about people you don't know anything about. It just showcases your ignorance.

Shopping along,
When you denied having a photo ID you probably violated the shop instructions. So why are you surprised that you did not get paid?

You are probably right not to do any more shops requiring an ID. I have done hundreds of them and have a credit score north of 700. So try to tell me that my credit has been compromised. You can get a FREE look at your credit report once a year (per federal law). Have you even bothered to look to see who may have asked about your credit? Probably not any of the places you have shopped. Please come back when you have checked and let us know.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/14/2012 01:47PM by walesmaven.

hzemel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've done a few apartment shops in my area. Some
> of them require you to use an alias rather than
> your real name. Yet, at the same time, the
> leasing agent requires you to leave your driver's
> license or ID which will clearly have your name on
> it. There are only so many nicknames belonging to
> my first name and none for my last name.
>
> How do experienced shoppers handle this
> situation?
>
> Thanks

Since each company is different this should be directed to the individual companycompanies policies and practices. Get it in writting.

Don / Vegas