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OK, I have to vent to someone

December 29, 2011 06:55AM
It's time to beat up on CRI again. Their *&^%#^%* on line evaluation system just did me in again. I was all done with a report when it showed an error. So, I went back to fix it and bang – All Gone. The entire report. Not that it hasn't happened before. I'm sure it's happened to a number of you. And of course, it's going to happen again. I know I was pushing their deadline. Most of the shops I did today were for them and, I wasn't able to start working on the evaluations until evening. I will take part of the blame for that but, they've got to something about their on line system.

Now the message light on their website is winking at me because it's past midnight and Cinderella should've been at home and in bed!

OK, I cooled down some now and, just to be fair their shops do pay well--- during crunch time. You always get your score back in less than 24 hours and, you can bet your money will be in the bank the following Friday. Overall they are not difficult to work for. But they've got to do something about that online system.
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December 29, 2011 07:15AM
you are using internet explorer right? and is it updated? 8 or 9 if you have vista

the site will not work as efficiently on other browsers: firefox, chrome, etc

you can check by right clicking the IE icon and opening the properties up...

shopping north west PA and south west ny
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December 29, 2011 08:37AM
I'm using IE9 and I've not had any problems with CRI reports being swallowed by any digital maelstrom. I can't swear to it but given the hours I keep it's a safe bet I have entered more than one on the succeeding calendar day (though likely within a 12-hour window).

D'Agosto


"What does it mean? You ask. I answer not/For meaning, but myself must echo, What?/And tell it as I saw it, on the spot."
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December 29, 2011 08:57AM
I am using IE 8, 9 gave me all kind of grief orignally. So I went back 8 and never upgraded again.
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December 29, 2011 02:10PM
Hello I would like to know if given certain amount of money to shop at one of 3 stores is there a method or item that would be better then the other to buy and why?
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December 29, 2011 03:06PM
Huh? Can you clarify your question. It's rather confusing.

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.
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December 29, 2011 03:11PM
A company sent me a check and I am to spend 100.00 at a choice of 3 stores.This is my first time as a shopper.Thanks for input.
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December 29, 2011 03:18PM
And you are still not a mystery shopper, but you are very close to becoming the victim of a scam. Do not cash that check, it will bounce and the best case is you will be responsible for all the bank fees, the worst case is you could go to jail for fraud.

Think about it. Mystery shopping is a legitimate line of work and is run like other legitimate businesses. Here's the difference.

Mystery Shopping: You apply to the company and work through their website.
Scam: They contact you out of the blue and work completely through e-mail.
Mystery Shopping: You do a job and are paid anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months AFTER
Scam: They send you a check in advance and tell you to keep part of it and wire
the rest to someone else.
Mystery Shopping: The pay averages $5 to $15 per assignment which may take you
anywhere from 1 to 2 hours to complete.
Scam: They will pay you hundreds of dollars every week to only work an hour, yeah right.

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.
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December 29, 2011 03:18PM
Lib, let me guess.... You've been sent a large check, asked to spend part of it then return the rest? Run...no, you're not running fast enough....run faster. It's the most common scam in the MS business. The cheque is no good. If you're in doubt, bring it to your bank and ask them to cash it. Don't leave the bank until you've been told the cheque has cleared. You might be there a while because it will never clear - it's a fake. Sorry!
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December 29, 2011 03:20PM
A company which I did a google search on and a search on the assignment coordinators. I am to purchase 100.00 worth of merchandise , send via Western Union some with instructions on what to look for when they do the transfer. Aslo got probationary training pay. Anyone get anything like this. It give me a Rep ID number as well.
Thanks
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December 29, 2011 03:23PM
I am to call a number to activate the cheque first. I was thinking on going to the actual bank the cheque came from and open an account just seperat for that purpose. Nothing via e-mail all done by mail and fax back the report.
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December 29, 2011 03:25PM
What does that change? You got a check prior to performing any work, correct? No legitimate business does that. If you took a job at Starbuck's would you expect them to pay you before you started work? It's a scam. Run away while the only thing you have lost is some time, because I guarantee if you continue with it you will lose a helluva lot more.

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.
Reply
December 29, 2011 03:26PM
You missed the point about e-mail. If they are operating by standard mail and fax that is the same.

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.
Reply
December 29, 2011 03:27PM
Thanks all for information.
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December 29, 2011 03:30PM
BTW, opening a separate account would not have protected you. It would still be in your name and if the bank cashed that check and gave you $1500 or so to wire away, you would still be responsible for that money when the check bounced. Due to some banking regs the funds have to be released to you within several days even though the check has not really "cleared" at that point. It sometimes takes weeks for the check to bounce. The "victims" really have been arrested for fraud in connection with these scams.

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.
Reply
December 29, 2011 03:33PM
Thanks.Ok so here is my next question. My position was outsourced to India and am looking for work but would like to do MS.Are you aware of any Canadian companies I tried to google MTL. but not much luck.
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December 29, 2011 04:03PM
Look at all the MS companies listed on this site. Apply with all of them because many have interests in the canadian market. I live in the US and get e-mails all the time to do shops in Cananda because I don't live far from the border.


As for the e-mail/ check question you asked I can sum it up---IT'S A SCAM, RUN LIKE HELL.

Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain
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December 29, 2011 04:17PM
Register at Jobslinger.com (the free account). Search for work in your area. Probably a whole lot of individual shops will show up. Most of the shops will have already been taken by other shoppers but you can still go through the postings to figure out what companies it makes sense to register with.

You can not make a living mystery shopping as a beginning shopper. You need to have some other source of income and you need to have some available cash to cover things like your gas to drive around and your reimbursements. Over time some shoppers do make a living at this once they have established an excellent relationship with companies that systematically have a lot of work in their shopping area. Some redefine their shopping area to include long road trips for relatively high paying work and some lay out a lot of capital for video equipment for relatively high paying work over a far flung area.
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