I did a shop for them, got my report in as required. Almost a week later I have an email from Carey saying I was not getting paid for the shop because I did not ask the rep how long she had been with the company. I didn't have to ask when she told me she had been with them 14 years during our conversation which I included in my report. That isn't the best part. In the email Carey states that there had been "several" attempts to reach me but I was unresponsive. I did an email search, came up with nothing. As much as they text me for help, I never receive one about that. So I asked her about it, I still have not received any response.

To make up a lie just so you don't pay is more than I will deal with.

I did two shops for them about 3 years ago and didn't get paid for either. So, needless to say, I don't do anymore shops for them. Do you have a phone number for the editor? Sometimes it's easier to speak with them in person.

I haven't ever had any problems with them. I have done a few shops for them this year and gotten paid.

I had a shop last year with them that peeved me! the photos didn't load through the site so I emailed them. Then I get a email saying it was rejected because they didn't get the photos and they had been trying to reach me. I resent the email and everything showing when the email was sent and nothing...It was a heavily bonused shop too! I gave them a few more chances and they have been great since then.

This was my first time being rejected with them but not being able to make changes if there was an error and claiming you trying to contact me when you haven't has changed how I feel about them completely.

I surely will call next time.

I have done a lot of shops with them and have always been paid, but I'm done with them.
Their pharmacy shops were great until they changed the guidelines--quietly, I might add--
and stopped reimbursing for the prescription. The shop only paid $3, but with the reimbursement
and simple reports it was worth it. It took a while for the pharmacists to look up the discount prices
so when they didn't reimburse me, it was just a waste of time. I wrote to them and expressed my
dissatisfaction but didn't hear back, which was very disappointing as I had done many of the shops
for them. I think they've changed the program now, but I'm so discouraged with them now.

Sue them. Or threaten to.

I did one shop with them a few years ago and had similar issues. The scheduler functionally wanted me to recomplete the shop because the quotes that their client scanned me were fuzzy. Not my scans, to be clear, the actual collateral I was provided by the client! I didn't ever do another shop for them and I likely won't.

I wonder sometimes about these shop rejections for small issues. I often wonder if they are still selling this work to the client and just not paying us because they can find a loophole to reject under. We would have no way to prove it one way or another. Granted, I've had maybe 3* shops ever rejected out of thousands I've done through the years, so I don't let it keep me up at night.

*The other two were pizza surgery shops - fool me twice, shame on me!

elynbeth Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I wonder sometimes about these shop rejections for
> small issues. I often wonder if they are still
> selling this work to the client and just not
> paying us because they can find a loophole to
> reject under. We would have no way to prove it one
> way or another.

I absolutely believe this happens!

Sandi
If an msc sells the report to the msc they have a contractual obligation to pay you.
The question is- how to prove they sold it to msc.

I know for a fact there is one very large msc under investigation by 5 states for routinely rejecting reports as unacceptable.
But in fact were selling reports to the clients.
So far the investigation has shown hundred of thosands of dollars in denied payments to shoppers over last 5 years.

The problem shoppers may not ever collect those fees and they will go as a settlement with the states for fraudulent behavior and be told they have to be more honest.

...been mystery shopping for over three years and at this point I only work with companies that pay after thirty days or less.
...so tired of dead beat companies.

jackaroe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know for a fact there is one very large msc
> under investigation by 5 states for routinely
> rejecting reports as unacceptable.
> But in fact were selling reports to the clients.
> So far the investigation has shown hundred of
> thosands of dollars in denied payments to shoppers
> over last 5 years.

Jackaroe, this is very interesting and quite concerning! Could you please share the resource from which you gleaned this information?

TIA

(heart)

elynbeth Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
>
> *The other two were pizza surgery shops - fool me
> twice, shame on me!


pizza surgery shops, I love it!

Still earning
In response to your post...

About 4 1/2 years ago I was doing route shops for a large MSC for about a year. It was monthly shops for several locations and over that one year period 6 of the 120 shops on the project were rejected due to "not meeting the clients standards".
I asked for clarification and received a standard response " all quidelines must be followed" with out an explanation. After the 6th time I asked for further clarification and proof that the client did not accept the reports and I was promptly deactivated from the MSC due to my request.

A few months after I was at a family function with a brother in law who works as an investigator at a state attorney generals office.
I mentioned what happened and got a standard response that mystery shopping is a scam and I should be careful of email solicitations and checks I receive in the mail.

I explained what I was doing and showed him some of my shop logs.

He told me to email him what happened and copies of my reports and shop instructions.
For 8 months I did not hear back and when I did initially all he said there was an investigation underway and that after contacting department of consumer affairs and state AG in several states there were over 1000 complaints in several states from shoppers complaining of denied payments for shops about several MSC.
For the next two years I heard nothing until about two months ago.

And I was told that MSC that I had complained about over a 5 year period had more than $400,000 in denied payments to shoppers while that MSC HAD IN FACT been paid by clients for the shops submitted.


In addition to that MSC there are two others under investigation for following the same practice standards.

My brother in law sated in general in these circumstances there is NOT likely going go to reimbursement to shoppers that were screwed and when the settlement is publicly announced the company will agree to pay a fine and agree to change their business practices and pay shoppers when the shops are in fact accepted by the client.

The law is clear. If the MSC ( contractor) is paid, the shopper (sub contractor) MUST BE PAID!

Interesting post jackaroe.

So, when will you reveal the name of the original MSC?

That is indeed interesting. Since you deactivated yourself from this company 4 and a half years ago and no longer work with them, if there a reason for not providing the name of the company you reported to the AG for not paying you?

I would be interested in hearing the name of any company under investigation for nonpayment of shoppers. Reports of nonpayment and shady business practices are a major vakue of our forum. Because of reports on this forum about Freeman and Franchise Compliance, many shoppers (me included) avoided working for them and not getting paid.

Wow... Thank you for sharing that information. I too would like to know the company just to see if they are MSPA referred. If so, why??? Since clearly they are not a reputable MSC.

I'd like to know the name as well.

Also just because they settle with the states, does not mean that shoppers can not do a class action against them. (Civil suit)

So who's the MSC?

Bumping for an answer....

I had an issue with AF recently as well. I don't like the way the follow up went. The feedback was pretty delayed, with four days later a notification of rejection. The required purchase reimbursement did not even cover the purchase.

Sometimes I don't get the companies, why not use a more diplomatic/can-do approach in scheduling and editing to ensure you get the best reports possible all the while building a good shopper base for future projects?

I'm done with the company for now.

While I am extremely curious to know the name of the MSC, it looks like this is an ongoing investigation. Jackaroe made a point of not spilling the name, and contract or not, it could cause issues with the investigation. It could also cause problems for the relationship with the brother in law. While we would like to know, perhaps we should be happy to know there is an investigation, and will have the facts when the time is right.
On the original topic, I have not had the issues with About Face. They take a bit of time to pay, but have paid as expected. I have completed a few very nicely bonused shops, and they have not balked at accepting the reports. I was contacted for report clarification/correction, and they did give me the opportunity to address the issue. I have not done any of the RX shops, because I have been blessed to not need any drugs yet (HMMM, maybe that IS my problem-I need drugs ) I am surprised to see the issues that some of you are posting.

I have NO doubt this goes on all the time and have felt that way from the beginning of my mystery shopping days... you might as well stop asking for the name, it's obvious he/she doesn't want to divulge....and most of us that have been shopping for quite a while can probably figure out which ones are sneaky/snarkey

I tried to post this earlier, but got a weird pop up. Jackaroe probably cannot divulge the info until investigation is complete. As for the company, I have had good results with them, and have been contacted for additional information successfully. I hope this is not an indication of future issues, because I have gotten some nice assignments (and payments) from them. I have not done the RX ones, so I cannot comment on those, but the other assignments have been handled and paid as promised.

Anyone is free to contact the department of fraud, which is a division of the state attorney's office, and file a complaint for your respective state. I haven't had to go that route for any MSC but I have used them for other businesses. I was chasing a business down for a year for a payment and it was received as soon as the department of fraud informed them that I'd filed a complaint.

So what is the name of this MSC that is under investigation? Because if you know, then the attorneys at Dewie, Cheatam and Howe know too and would have geared up a class action law suit.

I was contacted about the same shop 2x...once in July and again few days ago. I replied back and received a reply that my address qualifies. The scheduler asked if I would like to be scheduled for the shop. I immediately replied yes. Did not hear back for couple of hours so I emailed her. She replied back wanting to know my zip code so she can check if I qualified. I immediately emailed back that she already checked the zip code and suppose to assign the job to me. She writes back saying sorry...she already assigned to someone else.

This happened exactly the same both times. Our emails included previous emails but apparently, she had no idea she already contacted me.

After reading the above posts, I guess I should be glad I did not get the assignment