so i get an URGENT call to do a shop. Close out is today and someone flaked. They need me to go at noon. Can't cause I already have another MS to do at that time. She then asks when I could go. I said I could be there no later than one. Great! I am asked to call in the report since it is soooo urgent. So I rush from one end to the other to do this shop. I'm in the parking lot and call it in. The gal is taking some of the info and then tells me to just submit it all on line. I mention it has a deadline and I was told I had to call it in. She said, no worries, they hit their required quota so I could just submit it. She also said a manager would call me later. I informed her I was headed to do 2 more shops but it would be in tonight. No problem she says.

I get home and try bringing up the shop...gone! I go to call the company...Yea, I know they'd be closed but .... and I see a voice mail. The man says since my report wasn't submitted by 1pm they found a new shopper and it was removed from my board. WHAT!!!! I said to the scheduler I couldn't get there 'til 1pm so how could I submit it by 1pm??? I also called it in and was told to submit it myself online.

I now recall why I hate doing MS for this company. They chirp like a bird...Cheap, CHeap, CHEAP!!! and then make their own rules when it's convenient for them. I did the drive, spent my time, had to make a purchase and now NO PAY!!

Next time they call I will ask them to SWALLOW MY NUMBER!!!!


posted this on Nov. 6th...in case you didn't see it
expert setter 3y November 06, 2017 11:50PM
Update: called and talked to the supervisor who removed me from the shop. He explained why....and then I said to bring up the call log. You'll see I did call in and my shop was being taken until she claimed it was no longer needed so I could just submit it myself.

He went back and verified I was telling the truth so
I AM BEING PAID!!!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/2017 04:19AM by expert setter.

That's beyond foul!

If it were me i'd write a brief note with exactly what happened and send to the scheduler and company higher ups. You deserved to get paid fully.

@HonnyBrown wrote:

That's beyond foul!

Or, in this case, fowl.

I didn't know that I couldn't do grocery store audits with a gift card. They don't want you to use EBT, gift card or anything like that. WHY do they do that and why does it matter?

You can use a gift card but you can't BUY one to fulfill the requirements. EBT cause that is already FREE money and now you want reimbursement on it???

@Roya wrote:

I didn't know that I couldn't do grocery store audits with a gift card. They don't want you to use EBT, gift card or anything like that. WHY do they do that and why does it matter?

Says on instructions not to use any type of card...didn't you read instuctions, plain and clear.

@expert setter wrote:

You can use a gift card but you can't BUY one to fulfill the requirements. EBT cause that is already FREE money and now you want reimbursement on it???

Well, "free" to the person using it, anyway. I get your point, though. They're already taking from other people and then they want to be paid for doing so?

Mine has never said I can't use a credit card or debit card. I have done many over the years.

well an EBT is a Bridge card or some states may call it a WIC card or funds from the state to pay for food. you can't use it to MS and then receive payment (cash) for the value when the state gave you the money.

I'm horrified by this! Truly. They can't do that, absolutely not. Call tomorrow and ask to speak to the project manager! That is foul. If they did that to me I wouldn't work for them any more. That's why I don't answer the phone except for when one of the schedulers call. The others are whiners! Please, do me this favor, I don't have the budget, why do you need so much $, the one who flaked on me didn't ask for that much. Please! I'm a professional. If you want it done, guaranteed, call me and pay me a decent value.

@expert setter wrote:

Mine has never said I can't use a credit card or debit card. I have done many over the years.

Talking about a gift card...of course you can use a credit/debt card....

@expert setter wrote:

You can use a gift card but you can't BUY one to fulfill the requirements. EBT cause that is already FREE money and now you want reimbursement on it???

It's not actually free money. It is a benefit that you qualify for which normally has time limits and income restrictions or you have to do community service to cover the costs, at least in Michigan. I've never had one say that you couldn't use food benefits to pay and get reimbursed. I just go back and spend the money I get back there, anyways. My mom is on a tight budget with SS and I use her card to get her free groceries.(I am her legal home health aid so it is my job.) But I would never say it is free money. She has to jump through hoops to get her little $100 a month to eat! It is valuable to alot of people.

just saying...by law you can't use an EBT card and then get reimbursed. I'd hate for your benefits to be taken away cause they figured out you were doing this. using the refund amount back in the store has nothing to do with it. there is no way to trace that ....just saying

If they say jump and you have to ask how high.....why would you want to take the job?

I've had them call me asking the same thing. I couldn't go at noon but could shortly after like you. I called mine in and all was good but it was REALLY, REALLY annoying when they're calling while your trying to do the shop and constantly texting until I said I was at the store performing the shop. I told myself I wouldn't do another one that they needed it done yesterday and with your information I defiantly won't. They are very cheap and never want to give out PAD until the last minute, doesn't matter how far you have to travel. They are in this for money and we need to be too. I know it's hard to turn down shops, I struggle too but stay strong and do shops that are worth your time. I would reach out to someone higher up in the company to see if you can get paid. Thanks for the info.

I think problem is new schedulers that are learning...I got the same email 5 times a day which never happened before.....they have always paid me and worked with me when needed....the BV jobs need to pay more, they are so much more than normal mystery shopping jobs.

@LeslieKay111 wrote:

I am her legal home health aid so it is my job.

Does that mean you get taxpayer money for taking care of your own mother??

You have to be a registered caregiver with a company to get paid.

Yes, it is a benefit her Mother earned and she can spend it however she wants to, it belongs to her.

Update: called and talked to the supervisor who removed me from the shop. He explained why....and then I said to bring up the call log. You'll see I did call in and my shop was being taken until she claimed it was no longer needed so I could just submit it myself.

He went back and verified I was telling the truth so
I AM BEING PAID!!!

So what if she does. Not all of the elderly have enough money to get by on their own. Doing away with Medicare and SSN will sure get rid of all those non-productive old people. Besides, nowhere in her post did she say that anyway so it is really none of your business. I had a friend who was her parent's paid home health care worker through her father's insurance. It was no cakewalk for her when she could have made three times the money at the 8-5 she had to quit to take care of them 24/7.

@iShop123 wrote:

@LeslieKay111 wrote:

I am her legal home health aid so it is my job.

Does that mean you get taxpayer money for taking care of your own mother??

Having a child that wants to and does care for her elderly parent is commendable...I find in today's world, kids are into their own life's to care for a parent. My Grandmother raised and lived with us, we took care of both her and my Mother...today we're sent to the home.....the stress of caring for an aging parent is no day at the beach, but I don't think your paid for it.

I had a BV job, made the appointment and the staff put job on hold (no problem of mine). I was unable to print out instructions + letter of authorization as job was locked.......new scheduler I'm sure (not a clue). They now want me to re-assign, but I'm busy next week, had to decline. The money for these are just too low, time spent
getting appt., pictures and all it involves. Should be 30.00+ job, but, it never will be, and since there usually a mile from me in our Industrial area, I do them, always kicking myself afterward. They take20 minutes inhouse, and another 40 minutes for report and uploads, which is 17.00 for the hour,...I guess that's o.k., have another one to do tomorrow. One of those can't win situations.

@iShop123 wrote:

@LeslieKay111 wrote:

I am her legal home health aid so it is my job.

Does that mean you get taxpayer money for taking care of your own mother??

Probably. I think that they had this in CA too, but we have so much fraud, I believe that they stopped it.
I took care of my mother for free while she died over the course of two years. It put a financial strain on my family. They started the program not too long after she died (so sometime around 2004 I think?).

Oh in CA, EBT does not require you to do community service, nor does WIC.

ETA: Trendsource is ridiculously cheap. I laugh at the email and then delete. Someday. I will work for them on something. They had the grocery stores after a long break come back at $50 each for a couple of weeks until they got a willing pool of suckers to do them for $15 or $17 or whatever fee that they have now.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2017 03:58AM by SoCalMama.

Me, a sucker? Highly doubtful they had these at $50! And you know how it goes, that once they get wind of who says what, well, ya never know.............

@SoCalMama wrote:

@iShop123 wrote:

@LeslieKay111 wrote:

I am her legal home health aid so it is my job.

Does that mean you get taxpayer money for taking care of your own mother??

Probably. I think that they had this in CA too, but we have so much fraud, I believe that they stopped it.
I took care of my mother for free while she died over the course of two years. It put a financial strain on my family. They started the program not too long after she died (so sometime around 2004 I think?).

Oh in CA, EBT does not require you to do community service, nor does WIC.

ETA: Trendsource is ridiculously cheap. I laugh at the email and then delete. Someday. I will work for them on something. They had the grocery stores after a long break come back at $50 each for a couple of weeks until they got a willing pool of suckers to do them for $15 or $17 or whatever fee that they have now.

Every state has its own rules on whether you have to do community service or not for EBT. I determine eligibility for food assistance and Medicaid in Ohio, it is my full time day job. In Ohio you have to do community service unless you are disabled, aged (anyone over 60 is what they consider aged) or have minor children.

My Defense post....I just did a Business Verification in my town 2 miles from me, took 6 minutes, everything was perfect, owner very intelligent and knew her business....took my pictures, home in 5 minutes, report clear, took another 10 minutes, so, $17.00 for under 30 minutes doesn't seem too shabby....doing another, will take them all to you haters......sometimes things work and I felt like I was actually doing a job, not the mindless, did cashier smile... We have an Industrial center within 2 miles with many BV jobs, and I want them all, the good and the bad.

Go get'rm Irene

@spicy1 wrote:

Me, a sucker? Highly doubtful they had these at $50! And you know how it goes, that once they get wind of who says what, well, ya never know.............

Yes, they had the account for years, after STN lost it to them. Then, they had a break for at least a year. They needed to start quickly and offered $50 a location. That lasted less than a month. Probably around 2013 or 2014.