Is this a growing trend?

Saw it! I tried to figure out who the MSC was. No clue. The shopper was nuts ..... said he was due about $1200 but had no records to support it. He said he had performed about 20 assignments at XXXX bank and the MSC said that bank was not a client of theirs. The judge asked about that and he said "Maybe I got the bank name wrong." He had no documentation (no business cards?) of the bank visits. Then he wanted to claim toll road fees of $45, etc., and he showed $80 gas used in order to perform a $60 job. The judge asked for documentation of payment of the toll fees and he said he "left them at home."

I wouldn't mind seeing a legitimate complaint of nonpayment by a shopper against an MSC (there are a couple of companies that come to mind) but this sure wasn't it.

Shopper did not have the dates or any amounts and very poor record keeping. I thought it was going to be a valid case with proof.

I thought it was funny when the MSC stated that you just had to breathe to be a Mystery Shopper.

Yeah, kind of insulting, right? The MSC rep was asked what qualifications you had to have to be a mystery shopper and her answer was none was required, all you had to do was be breathing. I guess most of us are overqualified. It kind of explains why we are held in such low esteem by some, huh?

when you go on those court shows, if either side wins the case, the shows production company pays the 'judgement.'

Why would you come without documentation is beyond me. It's guranteed money since they pay the claim, no waiting or chasing after the other person for it

I just saw the show, I wanted them to name the MSC! I didn't like what the MSC rep said at the end either. It takes much more than just the ability to breath to be able to do what we do.

techman: Do they pay the judgement on all these shows? Many of the judgements are 5 grand, which is ususally max in small claims.

AustinMom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah, kind of insulting, right? The MSC rep was
> asked what qualifications you had to have to be a
> mystery shopper and her answer was none was
> required, all you had to do was be breathing. I
> guess most of us are overqualified. It kind of
> explains why we are held in such low esteem by
> some, huh?


That is *incredibly* insulting. We all know it requires far more than that to actually be successful. Now I'd *really* like to know which MSC that was. What an ass. Although in this case the shopper sounds like an ass, too.

I worked for a company whose requirements for the clerical staff was the ability to "walk, read, and write." (These were the days before ADA). The point was there were no special skills required, you would learn them on the job.

But since all MSC's demand proficiency in English, grammar, spelling, and punctuation, "breathe" doesn't quite describe it. So he wasn't just insulting, he was lying. But he was doing it for the purpose of insulting and demeaning the plaintiff, who seems to have richly deserved the insult, coming to court THAT ill-prepared.

Judge Judy would have had him for lunch for that.

When was this aired? Guess I'll have to wait for it on YouTube.

BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When was this aired? Guess I'll have to wait for
> it on YouTube.


It aired today.

Thanks, Pammie.

cynb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> techman: Do they pay the judgement on all these
> shows? Many of the judgements are 5 grand, which
> is ususally max in small claims.


Yes. Think of it as the cost of paying the "cast" members.

AustinMom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Saw it! I tried to figure out who the MSC was.
> No clue. The shopper was nuts ..... said he was
> due about $1200 but had no records to support it.
> He said he had performed about 20 assignments at
> XXXX bank and the MSC said that bank was not a
> client of theirs. The judge asked about that and
> he said "Maybe I got the bank name wrong." He had
> no documentation (no business cards?) of the bank
> visits. Then he wanted to claim toll road fees of
> $45, etc., and he showed $80 gas used in order to
> perform a $60 job. The judge asked for
> documentation of payment of the toll fees and he
> said he "left them at home."
>
> I wouldn't mind seeing a legitimate complaint of
> nonpayment by a shopper against an MSC (there are
> a couple of companies that come to mind) but this
> sure wasn't it.

when he handed up his receipt I recognized the logo from the grocery store immediately (while my main qualification is breathing, I also have eagle eyes - and pause on my DVR). I could tell RITE there it was someone who we all know and has a few different portals. I don't believe that the chain is shopped by anyone else and the guy was from Jersey, where this chain has tons of locations.

Also - how was a client of the MSC going to prosecute this guy? This made no sense at all.

I Googled the Defendant and she is a lawyer. Perhaps the lawyer for the MSC?

I googled her too but came up with nothing; I didn't remember how she spelled her name though. Probably in house counsel. I was waiting at first for that Melissa Benson character from Direct Scheduling to come on to be the defendant and I would have been glued to the set to see that woman get hers finally after screwing so many of us.

I saw this show as well. Although the shopper/plaintiff was ill-prepared, the representative of the MSC agreed with the host's commentary about the lack of skills needed to perform evaluations. This insult ultimately reflects the "dime a dozen" treatment of which her employer is notorious. See the results of my Google search "Julia Guynn mystery" below:

[www.bbb.org]

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2013 05:31AM by happymommyof2.

Julia Kristin Guynn
Market Force Information, Inc.
P.O. Box 270355
Louisville , Colorado 80027
(303)749-9308 (phone)
jguynn@marketforce.com
County: Boulder

Attorney registration number: 34643
Original bar admit date: 5/19/2003
Colorado bar admit date: 5/19/2003

[www.cobar.org]

Is a clip of this show available online anywhere?

And the identifying information is really conflicting to me. Recently I have been doing a lot of decent to excellent paying jobs for this MSC which I enjoy. A good percentage of my monthly income has been coming from this company. Yet I am loathe to work for a company whose representative publicly states such an insulting opinion of shoppers.

*sigh*

I've worked for turds before, in real life. That is, in an 'actual job' where I went to an office building. Some real Grade-A turds. While these turds frequently aggravated the living $h!t out of me, the job paid the bills. And I usually liked the *actual job* I was doing, minus the turd person. I guess I'll have to adopt that outlook from now on when I work for this company.

Although, in fairness, based on things I've read here reported from other shoppers, (who I believe, I'm not saying *that*)... I have been pleasantly shocked and amazed at some of the kind and complimentary communications I've received from this MSC.

Apart from the stupid "breathe" comment, this is the MSC who probably does more shops than any other, therefore was most likely to be the one in the lawsuit, simply based on statistical odds.

I'm in battle with them right now over the nightmare of a tax return shop I did.


The last turd I worked for is the reason I became self-employed. I decided life was too short to work for a jerk.

Well, guess there's no reason to get uptight about my schedule full of assignments today. I'll just go to each visit and breathe and expect a paycheck.

Good idea, Shopgal. I picked up two at $110 for the pair toward the end of the month and I appreciated getting the calls. I regret someone representing the company downgraded what we do, but they have treated me well since 2009. I didn't see the show, but I've read everyone's posts and perhaps we should admit the shopper in the case was not our best representative. I think I'll be po'd this morning and get over it this afernoon. Yes, that's my plan.

StormCloud Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is a clip of this show available online anywhere?
>
> And the identifying information is really
> conflicting to me. Recently I have been doing a
> lot of decent to excellent paying jobs for this
> MSC which I enjoy. A good percentage of my
> monthly income has been coming from this company.
> Yet I am loathe to work for a company whose
> representative publicly states such an insulting
> opinion of shoppers.
>
> *sigh*
>
> I've worked for turds before, in real life. That
> is, in an 'actual job' where I went to an office
> building. Some real Grade-A turds. While these
> turds frequently aggravated the living $h!t out of
> me, the job paid the bills. And I usually liked
> the *actual job* I was doing, minus the turd
> person. I guess I'll have to adopt that outlook
> from now on when I work for this company.
>
> Although, in fairness, based on things I've read
> here reported from other shoppers, (who I believe,
> I'm not saying *that*)... I have been pleasantly
> shocked and amazed at some of the kind and
> complimentary communications I've received from
> this MSC.

I like the word "Turd." I will have to use it when I am referring to my local and all other Government Politicans:-)

Ha! Thanks Dana, it's one of my favorites. Another good word for bosses & politicians is "boob".

And Mary, I like your plan of how to handle things. : )

Now, I've gotta go out and do some breathing.

There are some mystery shopping companies that do hire people who do not know how to do anything except breathe. These are the same mystery shopping companies that then wonder why they have so many flakes.

Oh, so that is what I have been doing wrong since August 2011. I have not been breathing! I guess it is a good thing that I plan on attending the MS conference in Atlanta. I will have to attend the workshop on "Breathe Your Way To A Bigger Paycheck."

One thing I have learned by carrying a recorder pen in my pocket is that I don't only breathe, I hum and groan a lot for no apparent reason.

No, ItsASecret, humming and groaning are not attributes described by the MSC as pertaining to a successful shopper. Only breathing. LOL!

@StormCloud and Shop2Live: you two crack me up!

Well, guys and gals, I'm done breathing for a living for today, and am off to happiness hour. Later!

Which company was it? Anybody know if Customerfeedback went out of business or merged with somebody? I enjoyed working for them. I wish sometimes I could take a breath when rushing to finish multiple shops.