Should I Disguise Myself?

I have eight presentations to attend as a shopper about Medicare advantage Plans in the span of 2 weeks. The target might wonder why I’m attending 8 of her presentations. Any suggestions on blending in so I don’t stand out?

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@Reeree1967 wrote:

I have eight presentations to attend as a shopper about Medicare advantage Plans in the span of 2 weeks. The target might wonder why I’m attending 8 of her presentations. Any suggestions on blending in so I don’t stand out?

I'm surprised they're letting you shop the same person that frequently. I would probably email the help desk. I could see attending one or two but
8 is going to be a problem.

Wearing a mask or facial covering is perfect at times like this! My state no longer mandates masks and I am fully vaccinated but still wear a mask to do shops. Can't hurt.

@FrugalCat wrote:

Wearing a mask or facial covering is perfect at times like this! My state no longer mandates masks and I am fully vaccinated but still wear a mask to do shops. Can't hurt.

And change your hair style.

I was also surprised that they gave me 8! I wear my mask all the time. Great idea.

Maybe wear a baseball cap?

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

Get a variety of masks to wear.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I like these ideas, but sunglasses (or any glasses) with a baseball cap disguise most of your distinguishable features. Covid masks are new tools to help shoppers become less memorable unless you wear a memorable mask. Just wear the pale blue mask like most everyone else wears.

This is a good time to play with your makeup and all those hair accessories you have stashed away. I have also been seriously considering a cheap hair piece or some such.

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
"Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
-- Abraham Lincoln

You did not say much about yourself, so everything here is a guess. Light eyebrows are easy to enlarge or darken. Use your thrift store shops to pick up jewelry & other gear that can transform you into whatever is not exactly like you: businesslike, bohemian, sporty, punk, actually old, younger than you are, dependent upon cane, dependent upon walker, using crutches, etc. If you like wild or noticeable fake nails, you should lose them until this spate of shops is finished.

Bach is not noise, Madam. (Robert, in Two's Company)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/08/2021 03:31AM by Shop-et-al.

In my experience, disguises are less important than simply making yourself unmemorable. Wear bland clothing without logos or design, sit in the back, don’t draw attention to yourself. Simply observe.

The one feature they might remember is my naturally bright white hair. I’m 72. People mention it a lot. “Love your hair”. So definitely different baseball caps, glasses, mask and different bland clothes. And sitting in the back. One day I’ll wear my messy bun hairpiece, no glasses. This sounds like fun. I could always say “oh my twin was here”. Lol!!

I recently had a scheduler allow me to break rotation for a heavily bonused inquiry shop on the condition that I wear a mask (which I would have done regardless).

I've done plenty of these when I there was only two of us there - and twice just me! Hope that doesn't happen to you!

Shopping domestic and international locations since 2003.

I thought of that. Lol!

@Reeree1967 wrote:

I was also surprised that they gave me 8! I wear my mask all the time. Great idea.

Just make sure it is not the same mask and that it is not all that different from what other people are wearing! Different homemade cloth masks are good. I would say different cheap sunglasses, but I would go with readers unless you already wear glasses, then forget the last.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2021 06:31PM by 2stepps.

Halloween is near. Why not do orange hair for just the last appointment? Black eyebrows might be too much with the orange hair. Or, they might be fun.

Bach is not noise, Madam. (Robert, in Two's Company)

So I had my first shop. I was the only one there!! So much for not being noticed. Sat thru the entire presentation. Told the agent I might be back again because I want a couple of my friends to hear her presentation so I’ll be able to do at least 2 more of these.

Did my second shop today. It was good there was one other person there. Mystery shopping company must have figured out not many people were interested so they cancelled the balance of the shops left.

If you do more of these shops:
I met with reps 3 times before I comprehended the Medicare alphabet system.
You could say you didn't understand everything the last time and want to hear the presentation again.

Are you in Florida doing the Medicare shops? One of the insurance companies expects shoppers to be at every seminar they have. The MSP does not care if the agent knows you are a shopper or not. I went to 2 seminars a day 3-4 times a week and all were the same insurance company. I got to know the agents well, but still was objective in the evaluations.

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