Don't use deceptive email come-ons!

"[Name of MSC} is currently looking for shoppers with FICO scores between 670-850 to complete an online application for specific lenders to obtain terms and rates for personal unsecured and student refinance loans. In most cases, checking your prequalified terms and rates will not affect your credit score."

Successful completion of a project pays between $60 - $180. You will be assigned a project based on your FICO score."

Sent in screenshot of my 816 FICO. Response: "Sorry, I do not have any projects available in your FICO range at this time. I will keep you in mind if something opens up."

Math was never my best subject in school but I'm pretty sure 816 is in between 670 and 850.

Maybe just maybe update your email title to represent factually which FICO range you're looking for?

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It could be that the shops for folks with your FICO score had already been assigned - or were given to another shopper who responded about the same time you did.

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.

Fair enough, though that's some fast turnaround -- I responded pretty quickly, within an hour or two. You might be right though.

Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2020 12:09PM by KokoBWare.

You might not have been in the first group to get that email - schedulers sometimes send emails like that out to multiple distribution groups, so it’s very possible you didn’t get the email until after quite a few other folks did. Also, those emails go out to thousands of people. If the shop is enticing, there could be a dozen responses within five minutes of it being sent.

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.

I often respond within 5-10 minutes. In fact, I got one of those assigned to me Monday.

Koko,

The following hook is an example of deceptive:

Fun, easy and quick shops--$50. When, though, you open the letter, you learn it is a group of shops at $10 each. and all must be completed for pay.

I understand the frustration. I replied to that email as well with about a 750 score. They are really nice shops that just require my jammies, a cup of tea and a cat in my lap. It's probably why they get snagged up so easily!

also deceptive, let us pay for your meal. Free meal on us! Or the ones that list the pay as the pay and max reimbursement combined. No, a fee is the pay in my mind. The reimbursement does not count as pay. It may be less than the specified amount and often is based on inflated prices or items you do not want or need.

My least favorite: Have a drink on us! Then, I see it is a smoothie. Delete.

"Only 10 easy questions!!"
When you open the survey, you find they are all narratives requiring several paragraphs each.

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.

Well from what I have gathered these are predatory lenders and they steer clear of high FICO scores think that you may have resources to get a lawyer involved in any disputes.

No. They are not predatory lenders. I did one of those assignments and the rates were very reasonable. I of course did not take out any loans and the inquiries were soft pulls. It really was "quick and easy" as I made $150 in about an hour.

@shopperbob wrote:

Koko,

The following hook is an example of deceptive:

Fun, easy and quick shops--$50. When, though, you open the letter, you learn it is a group of shops at $10 each. and all must be completed for pay.

Even if it was just one shop at $50.00, such language is deceptive. There is no such thing as a fun shop. Shopping is work; it is never fun. The reason that online merchants are beating out brick-and-mortar shops is that the former means that one never has to enter the unpleasant environment of a store, deal with other shoppers, or engage with any sales clerks. Of course, the online experience has been corrupted with many of the negatives of the in-person experience: cross-selling and up-selling.

Don't put "Reminder" in the email subject when you are looking for shoppers.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

And on the subject of subject lines that Honny brought up...please put the relevant info in it so we can discard if the email is useless to us without having to open it. Deceptive mostly is the phrase "near you" or "big bonus"when the location is then hundreds if not thousands of miles away and the bonus amt is not even mentioned in the body or turns out to be $2,

Idaho? You're pleading with me to do a $15 " fast and easy" retail shop at a store in Idaho? Three emails in an hour you're sending me?

(No offense to any readers on the forum that live or do shops in Idaho. I'm sure it's lovely. It's just that it's HUNDREDS of miles from me and HUNDREDS of miles from any shop I've ever done for the MSC in question)

I also don't like when they are airport shops, post security, and they don't tell you in the subject. I'll get 50 "great retail shops available," of which maybe 3 aren't in an airport and you have to go through each one. It's not so hard to say airport in the subject.

Shopping the South Jersey Shore

Or on a military base....

@Jenny Cassada wrote:

I also don't like when they are airport shops, post security, and they don't tell you in the subject. I'll get 50 "great retail shops available," of which maybe 3 aren't in an airport and you have to go through each one. It's not so hard to say airport in the subject.

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.

Make a gas shop route...but you only have 24 hours from the time you accept it to the time that you report it! Sure, my life turns on a dime to allow me to get up at 6AM, select the route (assuming that all locations in that route are actually available), and then run out to complete it...says no one, ever.

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