Tom Callaghan - SSIShops
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I did a mystery shopper assignment for him in December. My reimbursement was about $50. Not the biggest amount but owed to me non the less. Submitted all necessary forms and received a confirmation number from him thru email. Waited 3 weeks. Finally googled his name and company and found out he is a scam artist at least since 2008. Most people he never pays for their services. But the companies pay him. E-mailed about payment. Nothing. Called office number. Nothing. In January filled a complaint with NJ board of labor. Wage dispute. Received notice from them for a hearing in 5/10 in Trenton. I live 2 hours north. I am not driving 4 hours round trip for 50 bucks. And he knows that. Also he wouldn't show up anyway which means even if the judgement went in my favor I wouldn't be paid. A waste of time for me. The perfect scam. He gets people all over to do mystery shops for him. But never pays them. He knows most people are not going to travel to Trenton to get their wages thru a hearing. He also knows that even if they did go he doesn't have to show up which means if you win the judgement you will not receive any money anyway. So most people just forget about it. Luckily I only did one shop for him. The police won't get involved because it's a wage dispute. Another win for him. The attorney general's office is the only option to get him stopped and locked him!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2017 02:00PM by rhulit.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2017 02:00PM by rhulit.
You are both relatively new to the forum. One of the best things about the forum is the ability to use the Search function to search "all dates" and see the history of companies before you work for them. Tom Callaghan is such a well-known name that he's kind of a scam joke here on the forum. Search his name or search SSI and read. Here are just a few of the warning signs that will come up if you search Tom Callaghan:
[www.mysteryshopforum.com]
[www.mysteryshopforum.com]
[www.mysteryshopforum.com]
[www.mysteryshopforum.com]
[www.mysteryshopforum.com]
[www.mysteryshopforum.com]
[www.mysteryshopforum.com]
[www.mysteryshopforum.com]
I have never heard of him, sounds like a scam....did you get a check before doing job?
Live consciously....
I am going to push you on this.
1. In a civil court, if a judgment is found in your favor, you can generally recoup legal fees which, in your case, would be the time and gas you spend driving. If you place your hourly rate at, stay, $50/hr, you could potentially ask for $250+gas + time spent researching and gathering evidence. If it is clear that he has a pattern of scamming folks, the court will not look kindly upon him. Moreover, if he no-shows, you will win by default.
2. I would suggest that you also bring evidence from this forum about how he has burned others. A printout of anonymous posts may not get you much. However, if you get get one or two folks to write statements stating how he burned them as well and get them notarized, you will have really have something to present. If I were burned by him, I'd happily do that - and send it to you overnight certified mail at my expense, just to bust the fellow.
3. If the judgment is found in your favor, it would make it really easy for anybody else to follow suit and file a small claim against this POS. They would actually be able to use your court records to show a pattern of behavior. A savvy lawyer could sense a class action suit and tear him apart. The attorney would even name his clients in a lawsuit. The clients would be dismissed in all likelihood, but they would be likely be deposed and such an action would end their relationships with him permanently.
4. If he's scammed enough folks, this becomes a felony and he could find himself jailed. He would lose his business license, if he has one.
Meet the piece of garbage in court. If you win the judgment, but only get $50, I'll send you another $50 for your trouble.
1. In a civil court, if a judgment is found in your favor, you can generally recoup legal fees which, in your case, would be the time and gas you spend driving. If you place your hourly rate at, stay, $50/hr, you could potentially ask for $250+gas + time spent researching and gathering evidence. If it is clear that he has a pattern of scamming folks, the court will not look kindly upon him. Moreover, if he no-shows, you will win by default.
2. I would suggest that you also bring evidence from this forum about how he has burned others. A printout of anonymous posts may not get you much. However, if you get get one or two folks to write statements stating how he burned them as well and get them notarized, you will have really have something to present. If I were burned by him, I'd happily do that - and send it to you overnight certified mail at my expense, just to bust the fellow.
3. If the judgment is found in your favor, it would make it really easy for anybody else to follow suit and file a small claim against this POS. They would actually be able to use your court records to show a pattern of behavior. A savvy lawyer could sense a class action suit and tear him apart. The attorney would even name his clients in a lawsuit. The clients would be dismissed in all likelihood, but they would be likely be deposed and such an action would end their relationships with him permanently.
4. If he's scammed enough folks, this becomes a felony and he could find himself jailed. He would lose his business license, if he has one.
Meet the piece of garbage in court. If you win the judgment, but only get $50, I'll send you another $50 for your trouble.
@rhulit wrote:
I did a mystery shopper assignment for him in December. My reimbursement was about $50. Not the biggest amount but owed to me non the less. Submitted all necessary forms and received a confirmation number from him thru email. Waited 3 weeks. Finally googled his name and company and found out he is a scam artist at least since 2008. Most people he never pays for their services. But the companies pay him. E-mailed about payment. Nothing. Called office number. Nothing. In January filled a complaint with NJ board of labor. Wage dispute. Received notice from them for a hearing in 5/10 in Trenton. I live 2 hours north. I am not driving 4 hours round trip for 50 bucks. And he knows that. Also he wouldn't show up anyway which means even if the judgement went in my favor I wouldn't be paid. A waste of time for me. The perfect scam. He gets people all over to do mystery shops for him. But never pays them. He knows most people are not going to travel to Trenton to get their wages thru a hearing. He also knows that even if they did go he doesn't have to show up which means if you win the judgement you will not receive any money anyway. So most people just forget about it. Luckily I only did one shop for him. The police won't get involved because it's a wage dispute. Another win for him. The attorney general's office is the only option to get him stopped and locked him!
Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.
File in small claims court. This is exactly why we have such courts. In the meantime, send a notarized statement to @rhulit describing your situation along with copies of your documentation and confirmation of shop completion. Those last items can be emailed. The notarized statement needs to be sent overnight. (I would PM @rhulit) for contact information.
This POS will continue to do this and burn folks for relatively small amounts of money until somebody steps up and stops him out like the cockroach that he is.
This POS will continue to do this and burn folks for relatively small amounts of money until somebody steps up and stops him out like the cockroach that he is.
@debsr wrote:
I am having a terrible time collecting outstanding payments from this gentleman that i did a series of (name removed) Mystery shops for. I am due an outstanding amount of $301. Does anyone here know what means I can use to get my compensation? I have tried multiple means to no avail. Since joining this forum I have now discovered this is his pattern. He should be reported by to the agency that keeps allowing him to engage in this business...
Name of client removed to allow post to conform to Forum rules - Admin
Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.
While I can understand someone being hesitant to take four hours and drive out of their way, that is exactly the reason the guy is able to continue in business and continue stealing from others. Sometimes we have to make a choice to look at the big picture and what we can do to help others. Knowing my case could possibly lead to further action which may shut down this guy, I would take the time.
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.
"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.
And default judgements really aren't that hard to collect.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
You cannot get blood out of a turnip.....
It IS hard to collect if they have no money
It IS hard to collect if they have no money
@bgriffin wrote:
And default judgements really aren't that hard to collect.
Assuming Tom is being paid by his clients then not paying his shoppers, there is money somewhere. It doesn't change the fact that any efforts to help put him out of business will save many unsuspecting contractors down the road.
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.
"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.
He has all the shoppers' money + what his clients paid him. Pretty sure he's doing just fine.
@CANADAMOMMY wrote:
You cannot get blood out of a turnip.....
It IS hard to collect if they have no money
@bgriffin wrote:
And default judgements really aren't that hard to collect.
Yes. That is correct. But unless he is homeless or has paid for house and vehicles he is getting money somehow. The trick is to figure out where his bank account is and when to drain it.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
We are assuming he is not a meth head
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.
"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.
I suspect a homeless fellow or a meth head would have problems getting contracts with the clients....
Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.
That's a fair point.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
Both of those are fair points.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
I would file a complaint with BBB. They can't force him but can assign a lousy rating and affect his credibility some more. I don't know if he has an ICA but if he violates it by not paying you and not responding to you, what about contacting his client ? I'm no lawyer but I'm sure his clients don't want to be associated with a fraud/deadbeat. You may want to consult an attorney just to get some options.
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