Field Agent "photo of house from street" audits

Has anyone done these? Are they dangerous? One of them popped up today just a few miles from my house, I decided to "pre-scout" the neighborhood this afternoon, thinking that if the area looked suitably quiet I might go around the corner, accept the job and come back for it.

When I got to the house, the 2-car driveway had ... 2 cars in it and visible signs of life inside the house. I had visions of someone coming out of the house with a shotgun lol, or (more likely) me getting pulled over down the road by the cops after a description of me and my car was phoned in. I opted not to take the job.

Anyone have experience (positive/negative) with these?

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I have done these for We Go Look (better pay). The one on Field Agent looks similar. You take pictures of the house from the street. You aren't allowed to trespass. It's kind of difficult to get pictures of the sides of the house from the street.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

I do them from my car, window down, being careful not to catch the side view mirror or door frame. About 2 minutes, tops.

Occasionally FA gets a huge group of condos or an entire apartment complex assignment. I’ve picked up 40-50 of these in a single day, making $250+ just walking around, snapping pics with my iPhone.

Great work if you can get them! The client is usually an insurance company or underwriter, and you’re providing confirmation of building location/condition.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/2020 12:46PM by ColoKate63.

I did this once when I first started mystery shopping. I almost had the cops called. It was not pleasant. Never again.

I was accosted by an out of control angry homeowner while taking photos from the street. It became necessary to call 911 for my own protection. If you can get photos while remaining inside your vehicle, great. WGL and their door looks require you to go onto the property. That's way way too much risk !

Actually, these are quite simple. Although, some neighborhoods are sketchy most are not. Some locations you want to go during the day while people are at work. I try to do the street views first. Then I can do the house last and skedaddle. I've had to tell a few that I'm taking a picture for the bank. The worst is landlords who do not feel the need to tell their tenants.

My wife did some of these a few years ago. I didn't like it for her..... Most were homes that were being repossessed.... Periodically, she'd encounter the residents who were sometimes the owners who had not kept up with their mortgage payments (and therefore not happy to see her) and sometimes they were renters who were totally unaware their their landlords were about to lose the house..... Eventually, she decided that it wasn't worth it.

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.

If you can take the photos without leaving the safety of your vehicle, I say go for it. WGL required photos of vehicle and VIN verification, at least in my region. Color that too risky.

The FA house photos that I've done have been for "Insurance purposes" according to what was listed. They are easy, peasy. I've never been approached and have never been required to go on property. In fact, they stress to not go on property. I check the locations out on Google before I select them. Two photos of front, right and left view is all. It takes about 5 minutes, max.

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The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

WGL requires a pic of the VIN when it is an accident situation and the owner is there. If it's a confidential document delivery, you just take a picture of the car in the driveway from the street.

@SS4U wrote:

If you can take the photos without leaving the safety of your vehicle, I say go for it. WGL required photos of vehicle and VIN verification, at least in my region. Color that too risky.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

Reading about these shops brings back memories of neighbors on the nextdoor site telling tails of harassing strangers, calling police, posting photos of people and cars performing similar tasks. I try to mention to them there are many reasons the person could be taking the photos, but it is of no use. They seem to be sure the person is an "Other" casing the neighborhood and is even worse if they are not caucasian over 30 driving a newer car dressed nicely. Which is fairly strange because many of their doorbell cameras of the people stealing packages around us sure seem to fit that demographic better than others.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/2020 07:06AM by wwin.

I saw a similar post on Nextdoor. Our local neighbor was convinced someone was out there trying to hurt kids. I tried to explain. She did not believe me. She posted pictures and called the cops.

I saw that on NextDoor also. Dude said the letter was taped to the wrong house. Everyone called scam on it. I discretely posted what WGL does and that it could have been valid.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

@wwin wrote:

They seem to be sure the person is an "Other" casing the neighborhood and is even worse if they are not caucasian over 30 driving a newer car dressed nicely.

Thanks. On the one hand, I'm caucasian over 30. On the other, I don't drive a newer car and I dress like Bill Belichick.

Think I'll stick to the in-store audits with FA.

Perhaps its a regional thing. I was required, as part of the document delivery, to verify the VIN and take photos of the licence plate of the vehicle referenced in the letter. This would require me to trespass onto their property ( driveway ) to verify VIN. visible only thru windshield. That's risky business.

That is very risky. They are asking shoppers to go too far.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

NO way I will accept this. I have only pictured you as a 60something black man with a macaw on his shoulder. =D

@KokoBWare wrote:

@wwin wrote:

They seem to be sure the person is an "Other" casing the neighborhood and is even worse if they are not caucasian over 30 driving a newer car dressed nicely.
Thanks. On the one hand, I'm caucasian over 30. On the other, I don't drive a newer car and I dress like Bill Belichick.

Think I'll stick to the in-store audits with FA.

Shopping the South Jersey Shore

@Jenny Cassada wrote:

NO way I will accept this. I have only pictured you as a 60something black man with a macaw on his shoulder. =D

@KokoBWare wrote:

@wwin wrote:

They seem to be sure the person is an "Other" casing the neighborhood and is even worse if they are not caucasian over 30 driving a newer car dressed nicely.
Thanks. On the one hand, I'm caucasian over 30. On the other, I don't drive a newer car and I dress like Bill Belichick.

Think I'll stick to the in-store audits with FA.

ha ha. Frankie says hello.

@SS4U wrote:

Perhaps its a regional thing. I was required, as part of the document delivery, to verify the VIN and take photos of the licence plate of the vehicle referenced in the letter. This would require me to trespass onto their property ( driveway ) to verify VIN. visible only thru windshield. That's risky business.

wow. The FA assignments I referenced only require house photos, which can be taken from the street -- and even that makes me nervous. Asking people to go on private property is flat out unacceptable IMO.

Is it against the rules to mention company names that do this? I happened to see someone taking photos in my neighborhood today and it honestly freaked me out because we have had an influx of crime recently. Then I remembered seeing this post! I would be interested to know if they are visiting my area. Are there a lot of companies that do this?

@christinavinsant wrote:

Is it against the rules to mention company names that do this? I happened to see someone taking photos in my neighborhood today and it honestly freaked me out because we have had an influx of crime recently. Then I remembered seeing this post! I would be interested to know if they are visiting my area. Are there a lot of companies that do this?

One company has been named in the subject line. So there's that. And i see the initials for another in a post too.

Either the company OR the client can be named in a thread but not both. I see the name or abbreviation for two companies at least and lots of general notes about the type of shop, but none that mention the specific client. So so far so good.

Adding any specific client names would be a no-no in the thread now, since there's already a company named. I think it is fine to discuss additional companies too as long as a client isn't named. But maybe someone more familiar with that scenario can weigh in. Or maybe it's come up before and someone remembers.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/2020 07:44AM by JustForFun.

Thanks I did see the initials and ?I skimmed through the post too quickly I guess. Not looking to ask anyone to break ICAs. Just hoping that’s all that was going on in my neighborhood. Probably too many companies out there to determine that. Could have even been a bank following up on something. Either way I did find it an interesting way to earn extra money...thanks for your reply.

apps apps apps
it is on there

@christinavinsant wrote:

Is it against the rules to mention company names that do this? I happened to see someone taking photos in my neighborhood today and it honestly freaked me out because we have had an influx of crime recently. Then I remembered seeing this post! I would be interested to know if they are visiting my area. Are there a lot of companies that do this?

I have not had any non store jobs pop up for me in FA. I did sign up for WGL, but I have ZERO interest in going to some rando's house to take pictures of their car or property. I'm licensed to carry and I do every day no matter where I go weather I'm doing a shop or just running errands. Even before taking up MS, I've always done my best to not put myself in sketchy situations.

In FA, there will be a separate section for Real Estate audits. The was one in my areas that was a new development. The address had no numbers. I asked for clarification, and FA sent me a GPS location, which I didn't know what to do with.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

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Field Agent "photo of house from street" audits

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