For the past year, I've been receiving email from a scheduler from Curinos about financial shops, requesting that interested shoppers submit snapshots from a credit agency with their credit scores, along with other information. There were several that interested me, and I responded with my credit score screenshots and other requested information, which never resulted in me actually being selected even though I did match the requirements. This is information that I would not normally just send out to anyone. I never even received a notification that I was not selected for any of these projects. I reached out to this scheduler a few times, and she just keept telling me that not everyone is selected. I've actually never been able to sign up for anything after the one and only shop I did for this company about a year ago. Other companies do notify you when the shop you applied for is given to someone else. It seems that if I take the time to provide them with sensitive information about myself, that I would get that same courtesy. The scheduler assures me that my shopper rating is fine and keeps trying to tell me that not everyone is chosen. This is not like any other mystery shopping company I've ever applied for a shop with - I always receive an auto response if another shopper is assigned. Also, this scheduler is not using the company email - her email address is msscheduler@atlanticbb.net. If I hadn't actually done a shop for them, I'd be thinking that this is some kind of scam. Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone has done shops for Curinos and/or dealt with this Judy Inboden scheduler? I'm about to start sending those messages straight to spam so I don't even have to see them.

Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2023 02:42PM by digikiss.

You have nothing to worry about with Judy Inboden or Curinos! Curinos used to be Informa. Both this MSC and Judy Inboden have been around a long time and are very reputable.

Unfortunately, Judy and Curinos are NOT following through after sending, literally, hundreds of emails to me. Regardless of their previous reputation, they are acting like scammers, now.

@salisburync wrote:

Unfortunately, Judy and Curinos are NOT following through after sending, literally, hundreds of emails to me. Regardless of their previous reputation, they are acting like scammers, now.

What do you mean by "following through" - scheduling you for a shop?

I'm not worried, so much as tired of wasting my time. None of the information I sent can be used to scam me, but it's still personal - I wouldn't necessarily give my FICO score to any random person. The emails always say 'Curinos is looking for shoppers', but Judy has just informed me that they're usually looking for one person out of the slew of responses. I wouldn't even bother responding if I had known this was the case. Those messages are deceiving and make it look like the company is looking for multiple shoppers for the projects. I've never had this experience with any other company. I've spent more time trying to apply than I would have spent actually doing a shop, so it's just a waste of time at this point and I told her to remove me from the mailing list.

Well, for one thing...yes. Also, I have sent responses to hundreds of her emails, and I am fully qualified for the projects/shops she describes, and have also sent her required credit reports, and other information. Crickets, no response, or...."We will keep you on file."

Exactly what I am thinking. I'm always amazed when someone tries to convince me of their trustworthiness by mentioning how long they've been in business. All those emails Judy Inboden keeps sending say that Curinos is looking for shopers', and today she informed me that they only select one shopper from all the responses. That's misleading, and a waste of time. The fact that there is no follow-up is disrespectful. I told her to remove me from her list- otherwise, I'll just send her stuff to Spam from now on. I'm fed up with her and her responses.

So it's not just me - I was thinking that my shopper rating was too low, even though I had only done one shop for them and was paid in full. It wasn't like any of these shops she emails about. Today, I sent her another email asking why I've never been assigned one of these financial shops. She responded with one of her usual explanations, adding that they only choose one person out of all the qualified responses. But the email always says that 'Curinos is looking for shoppers', meaning multiple shoppers for a project. I wouldn't have even wasted time applying under those circumstances. And after reading yours and other similar responses, I've just told her to remove me from the email list. The fact that she does not have a company email address is strange, in addition to everything else. For all I know, she is looking for people with high FICO scores and selling their information to someone who may try to scam them. Even if that's not the case, it is a complete waste of time.

WOW!! Both Judy and Curinos remain highly reputable. Probably because Curinos shops pay very well I assume that every job offer sent out gets a deluge of responses. Just because their system does not spew out a response to every shopper not selected for a job does NOT make them suspicious. Their clients set the credit score proof requirements for their shops. If that offends you, by all means, do not send that info. But accusing them and their use of a topnotch independent scheduler of "suspicious" behavior is really far fetched!

To clarify, my experience with them is from when they were Informa. I did a number of bank shops and phone shops for them back then, but never any for which I had to provide my financial information. I don't do any shops for them now because it seems all the ones they currently have require proof of your credit score and/or a credit check, and I have all my credit reports locked and don't want to open them up unless I really need to for personal reasons.

I was only sharing that, in my experience, they are trustworthy. I am not trying to convince anyone of anything, and I don't care whether you work for them or not! Of course, if you don't like how they recruit shoppers, then fire them or disable notifications.

I did one shop for them earlier this month. Judy was very responsive and easy to work with. I think the issue is that since you are not using Sassi to apply since they need additional informaiton (like your current and past bank relationships, locations near you and credit score) they have you email directly and it likely isn't worth the time to respond to everyone who has applied. Very easy to work with, great attitude and good pay.

I sent information earlier this to become part of one of Curino's projects. I am an ongoing part of that project. I sent information for another project. I was accepted. It was one and done. I sent information for a third project and was told that they had met their quota. All of this happened this year.

I can not understand labeling Judy or Curinos as scammers because a shopper was not selected for a project.

Scammers use the information for nefarious purposes such as identity theft, monetary theft, etc. Nothing in the OPs messages indicates anything related to scammers. Disappointment in not being selected, yes. Having been scammed? Definitely not.

I have three comments concerning both Curinos and Judy:

1-Read the response of Wales. Any additional info from me would be repetitive.
2-This is business. Replying to all shoppers NOT receiving an assignment, who knows the number, could be labor intensive and would not be necessary in a professional setting.
3-I am guessing my first job through Judy was at least 15 yrs. ago. During that period, I have not experienced the slightest hint of a problem.

A final comment: Should any reader think I am a boot licker or an arse kisser, access my prior postings and you will quickly change that opinion. If the manner by which either party conducts their business is unacceptable, merely discontinue the relationship. I, myself, have probably cancelled my contract with at least a dozen MSCs, so I respect any shopper who decides the bad outweighs the good and elects to "move on."

Wales, don't be a dope....the complaints we have are noteworthy....Choosing one shopper when Judy adverts for 'shoppers', is disingenuous, at best. I, and others, don't ask for a response on every app....just that at some time, some response is given. The fact is that at no time do I, or others, get a response, and we mush pursue the logical conclusion of the application (which includes a TON of personal information, by the way). Does that not sound inappropriate and 'fishy' to you? My comment here is being made only after over a year of applications and subsequent frustration regarding their (Judy and Curinos) process!

I've worked with over a dozen mystery shopping companies over the past 11 years. Occasionally, I am not selected for a shop with other companies, and that's not an issue. But if you read my post, the emails I have received have always stated that they're looking for 'shoppers', indicating that more than one person is selected. If the email had stated 'we are looking for a shopper and only one individual will be selected', I would not even have bothered to apply. The wording is deceptive for sure. And I've applied for many of them over the course of the past year, and only ones I qualified for based on the requirements stated in that email. And each and every time, I have to provide personal information and never hear from anyone again. I work with at least a dozen other mystery shopping companies, and Curinos is the only one that operates this way. I've done several financial shops before. The way this company requests personal information and never even has the courtesy to send out an automatic email with something like 'thanks for applying for x shop, but we have filled our quota and you were not selected' would be a respectful thing to do. But I never hear from anyone again until the next email blast. I never said that I know for sure there is anything fraudulent going on, but I'm entitled to feel suspicious under the circumstances. Your experience with them has been different, so you have your own impressions.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2023 06:54PM by digikiss.

Shopper Bob...noted. I respect your opinion. I don't expect a response to every app...but once in hundreds of apps, I would like not to have to pursue some explanation of my app's status. Just one response, that is all I am asking.....

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/19/2023 06:55PM by salisburync.

I've done a few shops with Curinos - they're one of my favorite companies to work with! I've found their schedulers, editors, and data collection team to be very responsive. They've always paid promptly and are very thorough about explaining their data privacy and information safety standards when I've asked. I usually apply by responding to the emails you mentioned though, so I can't speak to their selection process. But if you can get assigned to a shop then I wouldn't worry about the scam issue, they seem to run a tight ship as far as data privacy is concerned.

In that "salisbury" mentioned me, I will assume, much as I dislike to, that "digi" is replying to my post.

As I have been self-employed for 59+ yrs., I do not take offense at business situations. If I determine the flavor of the peach is not to my liking, I simply refrain from shaking the tree. However, just because that is my position, I do not expect other folks to adopt my philosophy. Both Curinos and Judy are FIRST RATE in my book. .

Reading these comments and my own expierence, it is posdible tjat once they get your credit scores and other info they could be doing the shops themselves, with your info.

I do every shop Curinos will give me. The pay is good, the payments are quick, and the work is easy.

Same here.

As the actor Patrick Swayze replied to Demi Moore in "Ghost," DITTO!

No, that is not possible under any plausible scenario. It is not at all easy to create the required accounts at the credit bureaus, and once you do, you need your password and sometimes 2-factor authorization to log on again.

@Youllneverknow wrote:

Reading these comments and my own expierence, it is posdible tjat once they get your credit scores and other info they could be doing the shops themselves, with your info.

I've never dealt with an MSC that lets you know you *haven't* been selected for a job. If you don't get it, your application simply gets deleted, and you'll hear nothing. If you specifically email and ask, then, yes I expect (and generally get) a response stating it was awarded to another shopper, or, as in this situation, that the required number of shoppers was already selected.

But to think a company is somehow shady or unprofessional, or whatever the implication was by one poster, because they don't auto-respond to every rejected application is kind of bizarre. This is normal.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/23/2023 07:32AM by BirdyC.

They usually have one particular project at certain banks and subsequent other projects at other banks, nationwide. It is a whole process organized monthly and rotating between financial institutions. These are ongoing, so, they always need "shoppers," plural, but only one on each. Your credit score is just the beginning. There is other criteria that is considered in the selection process. Nothing shady or unfair is involved. It is the way those particular shops are offered, period.

I think their shops tend to be pretty specific requirements (I.E., specific credit score, or personal debt, medical debt, etc.) and that they are very competitively paid, so they tend to go quickly.
I've had a good experience with them since the days of them being Informa and having to fill out and mail in a paper report done with pencil (anyone remember those?).
I did a handful of shops for them last year and it seems when I am able to respond right away, I have a better chance of getting the shop. I fully understand if they give a shop to the first person who meets the requirements. Time is money and sorting through a bunch of emails isn't always a good use of their time.

I am just jumping to the bottom to make a reply without reading the last few replies first as they seem redundant at this point. But from my point of view I get emails all the time from the companies I am applying to looking for shoppers (with a plural) and every shop I apply for is only wanting one person. In addition to that for the few times I apply for a job where i cannot self select myself I do not generally get an email if the job is given to someone else. I am signed up with about 35 companies and I am just thinking the OP must be doing business with none of the companies I do business with as what the OP describes is not the same business practice most of my companies have.
I do think that competition for all ms jobs has increased since the pandemic as there are fewer shops around and there seems to be more broad outreach than there was before from companies like Informa aka Curinos. Pre pandemic it seems Informa was not well known. Now there have been multiple threads where others are finding out about this company so a lot more competition.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2023 08:17PM by sandyf.

@BirdyC wrote:

I've never dealt with an MSC that lets you know you *haven't* been selected for a job.

There are a few MSCs that send an email to let you know that a shop you applied for went to someone else. Off the top of my head, Reality Check, Customer Impact, and BILD do this. There are others, but I can't think who they are right now.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/24/2023 11:41PM by shopnyc.

They don't need to create new accounts. You already sent them everything they need.

If you were replying to me, I can assure you that the initial information did not come close to providing the information that was required for the shop. Simply put, there is no way that they could be me when it comes to credit bureau reports or loan offers. I personally needed to create the required accounts, so that I could send them screenshots of the offers.

@Youllneverknow wrote:

They don't need to create new accounts. You already sent them everything they need.