Certain Apartment management companies

Hi All,

I've been shopping with a ms company doing apartment shops for them. Some of their shops are for particular apartment communities (I've been mystery shopping for almost 10 years now). Anyhooo, I did a shop this past Monday for this community in Napa, CA. The shop went fine. I received a follow-up email from them this morning. It was addressed to my husband, not me, using my email address. When I shop apartments, I NEVER mention anyone else's name. Never. This bothers me for a couple reasons: this could compromise my identity and they're using information that they've gotten from somewhere that I did not give them. Earlier this year, I performed the phone call portion of another shop involving this community. Towards the end of the conversation, the leasing agent mentioned my husband's name. Again, using information that I had not given them. The phone number that I give them as a contact number is not in my husband's name. It's solely in mine. So they're using information that they're getting from somewhere else. And I want to know where. I contacted the mystery shopping company and am waiting for their response.

Has anyone else experienced this and what did you do about it? thanks!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2013 05:43PM by matyglenn.

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Do a search for your name and I'll bet it will pull you up and show the members of your household.

malty,Please remove the name of the client company from both your text and the subject line. Naming both the MSC and the client
in the same thread is not only a violation of your ICA, but also a violation of the rules of this forum.

Thanks.

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.

Thanks walesmaven for the advice. Didn't realize. Don't want to violate!

Plmccut, the company isn't getting the information that way. This company is the only company that has done this that I've worked with.

Out of curiosity, if you don't know how the company is pulling your information, how can you be sure plmccut isn't right? There are a number of websites that will provide a background check for a charge. As a tease, they provide some basic information for free. The information includes names of other people who may be members of your household.

Using an alias on a phone call from a blocked number would make it highly unlikely. After you have visited they may have taken your "real" information from the DL. I use different last names with the good old divorce story. That doesn't guarantee they won't write down the last name on my ID as well.

It is good to notify the mystery shopping company and the response will be interesting.

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.

Yeah, it's easy to find members of your household with a simple Google search for free. I've noticed when trying to find old friends and associates, and use that info to confirm I've found the right person.

Practitioner of the Nerdly Arts.

I always give a google number and a fake address. If you need to wait for correspondance coming back, can you get a PO box at the post office and get mail without comprimising your identity?

Wait.. .just remembered in doing these in the past, many times they took my driver's license info. In that case I suppose it would be hard to do fake address. I would say if the info getting out bothers you, look into different types of shops. I have done many new home shops and I don't recall anyone taking my license for that.

It wouldn't be hard to give them an address different than your DL. I am often "going through a divorce" and the agent will ask if I even have a mailing address that can be used. They seem to be cautious about possibly sending information to my soon to be ex.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
I am often "going through
> a divorce" and the agent will ask if I even have a
> mailing address that can be used. They seem to be
> cautious about possibly sending information to my
> soon to be ex.

You too? It seems we have the same bad luck with marriages.

When I moved, I wrote my new address on the back of my DL. It rubbed off within days, even though it was written with "permanent" marker. Since then, I've given a different address and sometimes remarked that it was on the back, but rubbed off. The faded Sharpie markings "prove" my point.

The "going through a break-up" scenario also works for other assignments when they want your phone number.

_____________________________________________________________________________
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl

It works for real-life situations where someone wants your phone number, too.

Glad to know it's not just me. At last count, I have about 50 plus ex-husbands. If they would only cough up some alimony, I could give up mystery shopping.

LOL!

Another good thing about the divorce story is it lessens the small talk. The last thing the agents want to do is get you talking about something upsetting.

Well, I found out how they associated me with my husband. Even though our home phone number is in my name, it is somehow associated with my husband's name. The MS company got back to me to let me know.

This is still confusing. You did not mention your husband's name but you received an email from the management company addressed to him. Now, you are being told that the phone number is associated with your husband.

One plus one isn't equalling two right about now.

Seems like the client approached the leasing agent to find out the discrepancy and the agent tried to find a way to NOT admit that they were googling your name.

I usually say my ex was abusive and I am trying to get away. They will ignore your name, address and any old information that have on you

If the ex gives out that phone number as his number (which it is, if it's the household number, no matter whose name is on the bill) it will be in databases with his name, which get aggregated on the look-up databases.

But I'm surprised they would actually address the email to HIM instead of YOU.

Not sure I'm going to ever want to do apartment shops . . . too many issues with them!

:
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I pray it does not occur that the last thing I did before I died was vacuum the house or eat broccoli.

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