NSS...Out of business, Owner died/ For recapped short version see pinned thread on page 1 by LisaSTL

@plmccut wrote:

Has anyone gotten their certified mail receipt yet?
I thought I had sent my documentation with a request for signature but, alas, in reviewing my receipts I see I did not.

It will be interesting to see if your letter is returned to you.

Joan Gingras
Senior Project Director~BarStoolie Mystery Shopping

Barstoolie@insideevaluators.com

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According to the CA Sec of State website Business Index Group is a domestic stock corporation, making it a completely separate entity from Matt Wozniak. The most recent filing was on 2/5/15 and was a certification of no change.

Think of it like this:

You do some work for AT&T and they owe you $100. I am the owner of 100 shares of AT&T stock, and die. You are not able to attach your $100 debt to my estate, which is exactly what everyone is trying to do. In this instance, it's like every single stockholder of AT&T, which includes it's directors and CEO all died at once. Their individual estates are not liable. Only AT&T, which is completely separate, is liable. The only thing decided in the estates is who gets my 100 shares of stock. Or in the case of NSS who gets all of the stock.

There are some pluses here. If anyone transferred money out of Business Index Group's accounts to personal or other business accounts after Matt's death, they have possibly committed embezzlement. So, if the company actually did have money, or has had money paid to them, they should have some money. But honestly I'm guessing there is no money, and here's why.

2 Weeks before Matt's death they bounced a boatload of checks. If you recall, the person who came on here to represent the company INSINUATED that they bounced those checks because of a fraud alert and even though I flat out stated she only insinuated it and directly asked if that was the case several times I got no answer. I also know that Auburn, CA has a population of 13,000 and had a wine bar. I live in a town twice that size and while demographics might be quite a bit different I can't imagine a wine bar here would have more than 2 customers a day. It certainly wouldn't be a viable business. I also know that few wineries make a profit. Most lose money. It's kind of like race horses. People who own them are already rich and do it because they like it. If a winery breaks even it's doing better than most and many are downright money pits. I may not be the smartest person in the world but I'm smart enough to know that sometimes you can put 2 and 2 together and get 5.

I am not owed any money by NSS, but here's what I would do if it were me. I would call the attorney and ask if they are also the attorney of record for NSS. If they are, I would ask if any money has been transferred out of NSS accounts and if so by whom. They won't answer that btw but I would still ask. If they are not the attorney for NSS, which they may not be as no attorney was listed on any of the forms and the only name that appeared anywhere was Matt's and It appears he filed the papers himself, I would ask if they know who the attorney for NSS is. They may not know, they may not answer, there may not be one. I would then file a claim in my local small claims court which you would win by default judgment because there is no one to show up. I would then go take a look at one of my old NSS checks to find out what bank they use, and I would take or send that judgment to the Sherriff of the location of the branch the account was attached to and demand they seize the account, which they have to do, up to the amount of the judgment. If there is money, YAY, if there is not, then you are most likely SOL. At that point I would ask the Sheriff to subpoena the bank records to see if money was taken out of the account after Matt's death. If you could get that to happen, which might take a lawyer, and someone did, then I would sue the everliving crap out of that person and file an embezzlement complaint.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2017 06:03PM by bgriffin.
This is the attorney of record for the petition filings for the estate.
My probate attorney's legal assistant looked it up for me.
Once the petition for administration has been approved on Wednesday, that petition may become public record and be posted as a pdf link in conjunction with the case #S-PR-0008681. If that happens, the name of the attorney of record will be on that petition.

They obviously will not answer any questions until an administrator has been approved by the probate court.

Spencer T. Malysiak
Spencer T. Malysiak Law Corporation
3500 Douglas Blvd., Suite 200
Roseville, CA 95661

Office:916.788.1020

PS-I looked through a lot of the docs in my ex's probate records to see if my contact info or address was included anywhere. Didn't find anything. Was hoping at some point to find contact info for Daniel Wozniak.

Joan Gingras
Senior Project Director~BarStoolie Mystery Shopping

Barstoolie@insideevaluators.com


Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/27/2017 01:04AM by Inside Evaluators.
If there is money in the estate the only way NSS will get any of it is if the whoever ends up with ownership of the stock injects money into it, which at this point would be dumb.

But feel free to beat on that dead horse all you want.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2017 06:48PM by bgriffin.
No need to be snarky...just trying to give all the info I've gleaned and/or been involved with over the past 2 years of dealing with a probate. Shoppers have to hit every base they can. Even if they reach multiple dead ends. There are statutes of limitations for filing creditor claims against both businesses and estates and every speck of info they can document and send out to every address they can find "may" result in a positive outcome.

Joan Gingras
Senior Project Director~BarStoolie Mystery Shopping

Barstoolie@insideevaluators.com
Not being snarky. Just attempting to turn the conversation in a direction more likely to be successful. Although honestly I don't think any path will be successful.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
I also have payment due for March shops. I did 3 shops in March and the payment of 98.63 was not received. In the account history it does shops that the check was made but there is no check received. Not sure what is going to happen and also not sure if sending the certified letter would help. The letters will cost additional money too.
$3.35 versus $98.63.

My understanding is reimbursement and mileage will be deductible on your business taxes if you don't get paid. It stands to reason the cost of the certified letter would be as well because it is you attempting to collect a debt from a client.

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.
I have worked for 2 of the 3 companies you listed. I have never had any issues with them. They were 15 on a 10 point scale. The third company I have not heard of.
@Spring4it wrote:

I have worked for 2 of the 3 companies you listed. I have never had any issues with them. They were 15 on a 10 point scale. The third company I have not heard of.

What post are you replying to?
@maggiemay028 wrote:

Or out $98 and $101....

Kinda my thinking...... Am I just sending good money to chase after
a lost cause.........
@cammikun wrote:

@maggiemay028 wrote:

Or out $98 and $101....

Kinda my thinking...... Am I just sending good money to chase after
a lost cause.........

This is all just barely starting. It's going to be a long process...possibly a couple of years because of all the various complications.

It's hardly a lost cause at this point. As Lisa pointed out, the worst case scenario is that the mailing costs, the payments you never received, and the reimbursements for out of pocket expenses you never received can probably be written off on your taxes. Please consult your accountant.

Joan Gingras
Senior Project Director~BarStoolie Mystery Shopping

Barstoolie@insideevaluators.com
I was out over $1000 when G3 folded (on purpose to screw everyone, not this type of situation).
I am not going to pursue this for $30 something. If it was $1000 again, I'd consider it. I wrote off G3 on my taxes, since I actually file taxes on my work. I know that a lot of shoppers don't file for earnings under $600 when they don't get a 1099-MISC. Basically, I am out $20 and a pizza.

I did an off the board shop for them last year where they sent me a piece of jewelry worth about $5000, and I had it repaired (cost of about $250). I'm glad this did not go down in the middle of that job.
UPDATE:
S-PR-0008681
Wozniak, Matthew S

Petitioner requests this matter be continued to July 19, 2017, 8:30 a.m., in
Department 33.

(Petitioner is Daniel Wozniak)

Joan Gingras
Senior Project Director~BarStoolie Mystery Shopping

Barstoolie@insideevaluators.com


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2017 03:45PM by Inside Evaluators.
I also am saddened over the closing of NSS. They had some great schedulers even if some of their e-mails were a bit of an annoyance. Like a lot of one account wonders, when that account goes away so does the company.

I have news for the bottom feeders who picked up the pizza account. I DO NOT WORK FOR FREE! No way am I going to drive to locations, take photos, fill out reports, just so I can fill up on the wonderful taste of two topping pizzas! Near the end of a period NSS was known to "bonus" a retail location $20 and on rare occasions as much as $30.

Guys we have to stick together on this or everyone is going to stop paying for mystery shop and we can all just look forward to driving around the countryside on our own dime getting a cholesterol high doing mystery shops for free.

Ed Henderson
Great Smoky & Blue Ridge Mountains

Big Ed
Mystery shopping in the Great Smokey & Blue Ridge Mountain ranges of Southern Appalachia (GA, NC, SC, & TN)
BigEdBSA@gmail.com
Big Ed - I'm with you on this but I don't think the people on this forum are the ones taking the shops for reimbursement only - unfortunately.
As JASFLMT suggested, let the new MSC know that NSS paid bonuses. The range you mentioned is the same that I was getting here regularly. Hated the pizza, liked the bonus.
The primary new one is not going to give bonuses like NSS did. Believe me! They want to pay $17 for car shops.
I just laugh and move on. I loved my pizza shops, but I definitely didn't do them for free. I couldn't even be bothered to do them for the $3-$5 bonuses in the beginning of the periods just because of the extra work involved with the printing and multiple pics, etc. I don't think these guys will last offering reimbursement only.
I won't be doing the new MSC, I'm only owed $60.64 for Aprils Payments, but I still want it.
I hope this works out for us all owed money, looks like we won't know ish til July now tho...

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2017 09:58PM by NekroG.
I have not received payment on my March shops? Has anyone gotten their payments? I tried to call their number but it was always busy and the other line was disconnected.

Gold Certified
Shopping in San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles
The owner died.

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.
Anyone who is chiming in and posting without reading the thread, I get that it might take some catching up to do. But, NSS is done. If you're owed money, take the time to read previous posts.
I'm saying it again. We really need a thread with a more appropriate title based on what we know now. It should be a sticky including all the suggestions for certified letters, the addresses and any other relevant information as it becomes available.

I wanted to add this. Luckily, the thread was started by sandyf. She contributes frequently enough and could edit the title of the thread. It would still not be concise, but would immediately alert newcomers.

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.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2017 03:44AM by LisaSTL.
Personally, if I saw the title of this thread, I would take the time to skim through some of the posts before I started asking questions.
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