Nevada

April 03, 2012 06:34PM

Does anyone know if there is mystery shopping in Nevada? I seem to remember that it was illegal in that state. I have to move there for a few months due to a family tragedy, but still need to work.
Thanks!

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April 03, 2012 08:13PM

They do, but it is considerably different than most other places.
Nevada has much stricter regulations that require potential shoppers to undergo a background check, get a sheriff’s card, and register with the Private Investigators Licensing Board as either a private investigator or an employee of a licensed firm, all of which are at the applicant’s expense. The permit costs around $90-100 and you will have to be fingerprinted as well.

You are an employee of the companies you are doing the work for, as opposed to an Independent Contractor.

April 03, 2012 11:10PM

If you are there for a few months, it's worth signing up. As a newbie, you may have your pick of jobs that the regulars are out of rotation on. Start the process with the PILB sooner, rather than later, so you are ready to go when you get there.

If I recall, ACL was offering a deal to help shoppers get registered in NV. If you shop for them already, that would be a good place to start and keep the costs down.

I paid just under $200 for everything and earned that money back quickly, since some shops pay better in NV.

While you are technically an employee, it works just about the same as MSing anywhere else. You are not forced to take jobs, and there are fewer schedulers, so if you do good work they will keep you busy.

April 04, 2012 01:32AM

I shop there as well, you got great information from the two above posts.
I just returned from working there, and they do have many jobs.

Live consciously....

April 04, 2012 02:44AM

I must be signed up with every company, but do you have any suggestgions as to what companies I shold be contactin?. Got 4 years under my belt now but mostly in N. California. Reno is only 40 minutes away. Thanks you guys!

April 04, 2012 01:36PM

I thinK that ACL has a Nevada PI operation to link its shoppers to. I would start there. As I recall, most of the Nevada firms require that you make a minimum number of trips to do Nevada shops per year to keep you on their books. If I could do that, I'd be signed up for Nevada in an instant, sigh.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2012 03:38PM by walesmaven.

April 04, 2012 03:01PM

Contact QSI as they handle most MSC's. They will actually hire you (as Steve said). Sign with them and go from there. A Closer Look, although they will help for themself's only, have fewer jobs. Sign with both, QSI schedules jobs for most CA MSC's.

Live consciously....

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2012 03:16PM by Irene_L.A..

April 05, 2012 07:04AM

walesmaven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As I recall, most of the Nevada firms require that you
> make a minimum number of trips to do Nevada shops
> per year to keep you on their books. If I could do
> that, I'd be signed up for Nevada in an instant,
> sigh.

There are exceptions to every rule, walsemaven. If you are an experienced hotel shopper, many PI firms will keep you around because that's hard to come by in Nevada. We outsiders make more 'natural' hotel guests.

April 05, 2012 11:58AM

Hmmmm,
Thanks Steve. That could make a difference (and some $$$$) for me.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

April 05, 2012 03:23PM

I'm curious as to where you got this information (minimum # of trips)?
walesmaven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I thing that ACL has a Nevada PI operation to link
> its shoppers to. I would start there. As I
> recall, most of the Nevada firms require that you
> make a minimum number of trips to do Nevada shops
> per year to keep you on their books. If I could do
> that, I'd be signed up for Nevada in an instant,
> sigh.

Live consciously....

April 05, 2012 03:42PM

Howard (AKA Service Sleuths) initially asked me for a minimum number of shops annually. It really wasn't that many, though.

It's easier for me, in LA, to get out there 4 times a year, but many of the hotel shops have enough travel attached to make it possible to get there from anywhere. I saw 3 Vegas hotels posted this morning with a $300 travel allowance....

April 05, 2012 03:43PM

At both of the first two IMSC conferences in Las Vegas there were lengthy presentations by two top Nevada firms that do the PI part of the MSing there. Both reps stated that it was not generally worthwhile for their companies to maintain affiliations with shoppers who made fewer than about four to five visits per year to the state to perform shops. One, and I do not recall which, positively stated that they would drop any shopper who did not pick up some minimum number of shops per year, since they didn't want the cost of maintaining state-required paperwork for relatively unproductive shoppers.

I do know that QSI has helped a lot of IMSC shoppers get Nevada cards by getting them started at the Las Vegas meetings.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

April 05, 2012 08:10PM

That makes sense, I haven't found it to be true, and our license is good for
five years, so there is no additional paperwork I've been informed of....
maybe some MSC's require that. My standing now is I get rooms at a top hotel
in the center of the strip for $38.00 per night, (my ex is the appraisar for them and another top one), so, for me, I take a restaurant and a couple retail, not hotels...less work, more play!! Paying for your own air would not make it feasible, while living in L.A. is a 4 hour drive or an hour plane ride.

Live consciously....

April 05, 2012 08:30PM

The work permits are now issued by the Nevada Private Investigators Licensing Board and it can all be done on-line. The permit also is good for shopping throughout the State. You no longer are required to get separate work permits for separate Counties. All the instructions are on the PILB website which is [Nevadapilb.glsuite.us].

You DO still have to become affiliated with a Nevada firm that holds a PI license.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

April 06, 2012 01:45AM

What a great help you guys are....thanks so much!

June 04, 2012 11:27PM

SteveSoCal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you are there for a few months, it's worth
> signing up. As a newbie, you may have your pick
> of jobs that the regulars are out of rotation on.
> Start the process with the PILB sooner, rather
> than later, so you are ready to go when you get
> there.
>
> If I recall, ACL was offering a deal to help
> shoppers get registered in NV. If you shop for
> them already, that would be a good place to start
> and keep the costs down.
>
> I paid just under $200 for everything and earned
> that money back quickly, since some shops pay
> better in NV.
>
> While you are technically an employee, it works
> just about the same as MSing anywhere else. You
> are not forced to take jobs, and there are fewer
> schedulers, so if you do good work they will keep
> you busy.

Give me a clue....What does ACL stand for? Thanks!

June 04, 2012 11:30PM

A Closer Look

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

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