This little bit of info as reported to me by the station's employee after I returned inside to inform her that I was done, and she could turn off the outside lights:
"There's somebody out there taking pictures!" - A customer at the gas station reported excitedly to the attendant in the C-store.
I've heard that same story many times over the past few years. Is it because we have all been cautioned to report anything unusual? Maybe.
But, this week was rather funny (to me anyway).
It was a small 6 pumper station that I was working at. I put my allotted amount of gas in, locked the truck and went inside the C-store. Did the mystery portion, revealed myself, etc, etc. I came back outside, moved the truck, donned the safety vest and began taking photos. I was still bundled up, wearing a black headband for my ears, sunglasses and a mask (and the safety vest).
A US postal truck pulled up to a pump, the guy got out watched me and then put gas in his truck.
Then, he left - I mean HE left, leaving the truck still in front of the pump. I silently cursed. I thought I could finish this site quickly.
I waited, and waited and waited. Where did he go, I wondered.
To pass the time while I waited for him (he had parked his truck so closely to the pump that even a side shot was out of the question), I filled out my worksheet, downloaded and named my photos and then reviewed them twice. Still no postman! Oh well, I thought, patience is a virtue.
I stood outside my truck for awhile, then got back in and started it up. I was getting cold!
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the carrier coming up the street to the gas station, delivering mail to the homes and businesses. He stopped for a moment when he saw my truck and me inside. Then, he went into the gas station and obviously delivered their mail.
He came out, staring at me as he walked toward his truck, got inside it and started it up.
Finally! I sighed.
I got out of my truck and walked over, my shiny camera in hand, positioning myself for the photo. Suddenly, he shuts off the truck, gets out and walks over to me (like a cock of the walk).
"What the HE!!'s goin' on!" he asks gruffly, almost badgering me.
I held my ground and calmly told him while pointing to the logo name, "I'm contracted with them to take photos of their pumps and I'm waiting for you to move your truck so I can take the shot.
He looked down at the ground, "Oh," he said stupidly.
He turned around got in his truck, started it and left very quickly.
Sheesh!

I was taking photos at a gas station once and a customer asked the employee if she knew I was taking photos. She said "yes, my picture is going to be in the newspaper."

I've been reported a few times to the employees. There was one time, when a man was watching me, very intently, taking pictures. He then went inside the C store, I assume to let them know what was going on. He came back outside and let me know that he had just reported me. I told him what I was doing and he informed me he didn't like it and asked to see my credentials. I calmly informed him the station had what they needed and as a customer, he was not involved. I mean he was getting really snippy! He said he was going to report me to the station brand as he didn't believe me and I told him I would be sending in the audio recording of our conversation with my report. He stopped talking at that point. I hadn't gotten a pic of the pump he was using and he knew I needed it because he had been watching. When he was done pumping his gas, he walked away and I knew he wasn't going to move his car. I had another station in the area. So, after letting the manager know what was going on, I went and did that one, then came back. He was gone by then.

Yes, I did start recording the conversation once I knew where it was going, but did not send it in. I let the scheduler know what happened and told her I did have it, if it was needed. If that guy followed through in what he said, I was not informed. And yes, I live in a state where recording is legal.

I was doing a mystery shop of a gas station for Stericycle several years back. A true mystery shop which required pictures of the sign and building. There was no letter to give to the employees if discovered.

A customer told an employee and the owner came out and trespassed me from the property. He was absolutely livid.

I drove about 2 miles to the next station. Apparently it was owned by the same guy. The employee told me to stop taking pictures.

I was unable to complete either shop.

With a clipboard and reflective vest, one can be invisible almost anywhere.

i got questioned by a customer in the drive-thru ahead of me about taking pictures. They thought I was taking pictures of them and their car. I showed them a crapton of pictures from shops and they calmed down. Could have been interesting though.

@Rousseau wrote:

With a clipboard and reflective vest, one can be invisible almost anywhere.

Spending $18 for one of those boxy aluminum contractor clipboard was the best business expense ever. Literally nobody harasses me about taking photos, and everyone is super nice about moving their cars from the pumps. I’ve got it all fitted out with receipt pockets and LOAs in plastic sheet protectors, too. The clipboard + my cellphone = my office.

I would have reminded him politely how rude it was to leave his truck in front of a pump while delivering mail. Inconvenience to incoming customers and complete disregard for the business the station can't get off that pump. That's crazy ! I have had customers ask "did something happen?", "why are you taking my picture?", and the likes. Funny how some people think you are taking their picture when in reality under my breath I am saying "oh man, you just walked into my picture", "look away please so I can take my picture" or "please get in your car so I can snap my picture."

@Zek wrote:

I have had customers ask "did something happen?", "why are you taking my picture?", and the likes. Funny how some people think you are taking their picture when in reality under my breath I am saying "oh man, you just walked into my picture", "look away please so I can take my picture" or "please get in your car so I can snap my picture."

I have a little album called “People Being Annoyed With My Photography” that goes back twelve years. It’s all the people who are in the far background of my photos looking suspiciously at me. I usually don’t even see them until I’m cropping and rotating the files to upload. It’s a great collection.

I was taking my pictures at a Jack in the Box. When I pulled up to the menu board a homeless guy was there yelling into that speaker telling them I was taking pictures. He wouldnt leave so I was unable to finish the shop.

@pegleg2000....you should have offered him the fries to STFU. "hey, i'll give you my fries if you STFU" Or you could have offered him $1 dollar as well. I'm not a coffee drinker, but coffee is required in the morning, so i don't have a problem giving that away. One time I asked a homeless guy if he wanted it and I told the worker to leave it on the ledge and the homeless guy would take it.

@Rousseau wrote:

With a clipboard and reflective vest, one can be invisible almost anywhere.

A lanyard with a badge helps too!

Oh my, I don't know whether to think all these people reporting are being honest and reporting an incident they see or to think there are too many just busybodies out there with nothing better to do.
As a consumer I once pulled into a gas station conveniently across from an airport rental car place. Business was booming with car renters filling up instead of paying the rental company $8.00 a gallon( 2022 prices are probably $12 a gallon). A possibly homeless looking guy wearing a vest the color of the employees vests that had the station brand written on it in magic marker rushed over and pulled my pump nozzle over to fill the tank for me and clean my windows. I did not report him but asked at the cashier desk if he was an employee. This guy was getting a steady stream of tips. A great entrepreneur.

@hbbigdaddy wrote:

@pegleg2000....you should have offered him the fries to STFU. "hey, i'll give you my fries if you STFU" Or you could have offered him $1 dollar as well. I'm not a coffee drinker, but coffee is required in the morning, so i don't have a problem giving that away. One time I asked a homeless guy if he wanted it and I told the worker to leave it on the ledge and the homeless guy would take it.

He was very mean. Yelling into the speaker and yelling at me. I couldn't give him the food before taking pictures of it.

I find the most trouble I get from other customers is in the suburbs--wealthy folks think they're entitled to know what I'm up to. I've even had someone start videotaping me as I got into my car and was getting ready to go to my next gas station! Never found out where the footage ended up...

I agree a vest and clipboard can make you invisible. When I worked at a major hotel a guy with a clipboard and a vest was working in the hotel parking lot collecting $6.00 for parking and handing out parking passes. A guest came to the front desk and asked if I could bill his parking charge to his room as he didn't have cash. We had free parking. The "fake" parking attendant was gone when someone went out to check but we suspected he collected a good sum of money as Rotary was having a luncheon at the hotel that day.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2022 04:12AM by 724PM.

I had someone yell at me inside a KFC once. That's about it.

I'm frequently asked why I'm taking photos when I do a gas station shop at a location where people sell knock-off items out of their trunk. These are also the locations where younger folks in hoodies quickly disappear when I take photos. Folks inside the c-stores "taking orders" usually pull their hoodies closer to their faces and ignore me..

@joanna81 wrote:

@Rousseau wrote:

With a clipboard and reflective vest, one can be invisible almost anywhere.

A lanyard with a badge helps too!

I don’t think that faking credentials with “a lanyard and a badge” is a good idea. Station owners can (and do) review CCTV footage of shops and send clips to dispute shop results. The MSP would absolutely nail you for putting together your own “badge.”

The credentials don't have to be faked. As independent business people, we can make a badge stating our title as "Inspections" or "Independant Auditor" or "Contractor" or somesuch.

@mystery2me wrote:

The credentials don't have to be faked. As independent business people, we can make a badge stating our title as "Inspections" or "Independant Auditor" or "Contractor" or somesuch.

Yeah… no. Credentials are given by a third party, not made up by people who want to appear legitimate.

I have lanyards and laminated ID from 3 different companies.

Gosh darn, I can't keep those fotos facing front no matter how much I try!

LOL

I am legitimate. I am legally authorized to be there by the company representative. As a business owner, I am credentialing myself, just as Amazon or Walmart might credential their own employees

@mystery2me wrote:

I am legitimate. I am legally authorized to be there by the company representative. As a business owner, I am credentialing myself, just as Amazon or Walmart might credential their own employees

But… isn’t that what your Letter of Authorization (LOA) is for?

I think that mystery shoppers making up their own lanyards and badges is quite strange. It’s not ever mentioned in any shop instructions I’ve read.

Edit to add:
This thread reminded me: at the very first IMSC conference I attended, a male mystery shopper showed me a fake policeman’s shield that he claimed “came in handy” on his assignments. He had printed business cards with a “shield” on them, too. So completely weird.

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/02/2022 03:33AM by ColoKate63.

Heavens. Yes, I have been instructed to make my own ID, usually by laminating the company ID for which I submitted a photo of myself. My IDs have my photo and the company names clearly on them.

Once upon a time in the way back machine, MaritzCX Used to require that we wear a badge at some of the gas stations. They told us to make our own or buy one at an office supply store, you know those stick on labels that you write your name on. So I used some card stock, I put my name, the gas station brand in one corner, and MaritzCX in the in the other corner. I printed them to fit in fit in one of those plastic ID holders that clips to my traffic vest.

It was certainly more professional than using those stick on name tags. Cost me less money too.

"But… isn’t that what your Letter of Authorization (LOA) is for?"

Is IC supposed to hold the LOA while taking photos? What if LOA was printed at 50% size, laminated, and worn on a lanyard thus freeing up IC hands?

ColoKate63, I understand where you are coming from, Making a badge or lanyard showing the name of the brand or the MSC could be considered illegitimate, unless that was specifically authorized by the MSC. I am thinking more of a badge that simply tells people I am a contractor or field inspector. It can look as professional as I want. I can also make business cards and letterhead if the fancy strikes me. For the record, I don't do any of those things. I do fine without a badge. But I understand how someone else might feel more confident wearing one.

@Rho* wrote:

"But… isn’t that what your Letter of Authorization (LOA) is for?"

Is IC supposed to hold the LOA while taking photos? What if LOA was printed at 50% size, laminated, and worn on a lanyard thus freeing up IC hands?

When I’m on-site, I have a printed LOA in my contractor clipboard - for the station manager or cashier. As far as suspicious customers, I keep it moving and get my work done. The most I’ve ever said is “I’m doing a safety inspection.”

As a solo female, I simply am not willing to interact with curious people. For personal safety reasons, I would never let anyone close enough to me to read anything on a badge or lanyard. I keep a good distance away from people hanging around gas stations. I owe them nothing.

In the nearly 14 years that I have been mystery shopping as my sole source of income, I can count on one hand the number of times I've needed to show my badge during a mystery shop or revealed audit.