galaxy105 Wrote:
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> to actively
> try and bring down someones livelihood over a
> matter of $25/$30 is frankly petty and ridiculous.

Not petty or ridiculous when many people are not receiving payment. Mystery shoppers have the right to expect full accurate and timely payment for the work they perform. Shoppers also have a right to have their concerns addressed in a professional manner.

You say you are "really sorry to hear of some of the other experiences that people have had in recent times", but that comment is seemingly insincere when immediately followed by one describing shoppers as "petty and ridiculous" in trying to preserve their own livelihoods.

shopgal Wrote:

>
> Not petty or ridiculous when many people are not
> receiving payment. Mystery shoppers have the right
> to expect full accurate and timely payment for the
> work they perform. Shoppers also have a right to
> have their concerns addressed in a professional
> manner.

I wholeheartedly agree. It is deeply frustrating and the behavior is unacceptable. That said, there comes a point when your efforts are best put to finding new MS opportunities. It is of course a matter for the individual to decide when that point has been reached.


>
> You say you are "really sorry to hear of some of
> the other experiences that people have had in
> recent times", but that comment is seemingly
> insincere when immediately followed by one
> describing shoppers as "petty and ridiculous" in
> trying to preserve their own livelihoods.


I did not say that shoppers were "petty and ridiculous" - I was talking about name-calling. I'm not quite sure what purpose it serves?

"Calling someone names is one thing but to actively try and bring down someones livelihood over a matter of $25/$30 is frankly petty and ridiculous."

Actually you seemed to be okay with the name calling and as the quote above shows, you did refer to someone trying to collect their payment as being petty and ridiculous.

galaxy105 Wrote:
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> I did not say that shoppers were "petty and
> ridiculous" - I was talking about name-calling.

You had said in a prior post: "to actively try and bring down someones livelihood over a matter of $25/$30 is frankly petty and ridiculous."

Looks like that pretty much sums up your opinion of the efforts of shoppers to get payment resolution and to ensure other shoppers don't suffer the same hardship.

I'm in England and Hines was stiffing us as well, I've never known anything like it for late payment and non communication. The only MSC I will never work for again. I hope she goes out of business as she preys on people who may be vulnerable due to financial circumstances, people like her disgust me.

FYI - I am new to this group.

Laurie Hines, Secret Shopping Services is in the process of filing for dissolution of her company according to the complaint I have filed with The Attorney General's Office in the State of Washington. She will not be paying anyone until she speaks with her attorney and decides what actions to take. Apparently too many fraudulent shoppers have made it impossible to continue.

I am owed $225.00 dollars for shops completed last Octoper / November.

This woman will talk you in circles on the phone. She actually told me that she had to spend all her time corresponding with the Attorney General because of my complaint and so she couldn't respond to me. I finally ended the conversation after 45 minutes.

She is a one woman show. She will tell you accounting is looking into your payment. She is the ONLY employee.

My scheduling company says she hasn't paid them either.

Make sure you file your complaints so you hopefully will be in line to collect when her company is dissolved, but I wouldn't hold your breath!

So at long last, SSS and TWoO will no longer be playing games with shoppers just trying to earn an honest buck.

I'm so confused as to how fraudulent shoppers have affected her business. How? Did she make payments to people who didn't complete a shop?

Did you recently get her on the phone?

Dibble3 Wrote:
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> FYI - I am new to this group.
>
> Laurie Hines, Secret Shopping Services is in the
> process of filing for dissolution of her company
> according to the complaint I have filed with The
> Attorney General's Office in the State of
> Washington. She will not be paying anyone until
> she speaks with her attorney and decides what
> actions to take. Apparently too many fraudulent
> shoppers have made it impossible to continue.
>
> I am owed $225.00 dollars for shops completed last
> Octoper / November.
>
> This woman will talk you in circles on the phone.
> She actually told me that she had to spend all her
> time corresponding with the Attorney General
> because of my complaint and so she couldn't
> respond to me. I finally ended the conversation
> after 45 minutes.
>
> She is a one woman show. She will tell you
> accounting is looking into your payment. She is
> the ONLY employee.
>
> My scheduling company says she hasn't paid them
> either.
>
> Make sure you file your complaints so you
> hopefully will be in line to collect when her
> company is dissolved, but I wouldn't hold your
> breath!

AnonymousGirl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm so confused as to how fraudulent shoppers have
> affected her business. How? Did she make payments
> to people who didn't complete a shop?

Fraudulent shoppers probably affected her business as much as flying pigs, purple hippos, and T-Rexes that were champion arm wrestlers.

You think she would pay fraudulent shoppers when she didn't pay the honest ones?

Come on, now.

Do you really think she is going to take responsibility for her own business? How much easier to blame the shoppers.

I spoke to her on the phone this week for 45 minutes. Trust me, it is not worth your time - she just talks in circles and says that she is working with her lawer to get a letter out to all of her shoppers (She says that there are thousands of them). They are going to be looking into all past shops, evaluating the independent contractor agreement and deciding on next steps. She was very careful to not accuse me of being a fraudulent shopper, but stated that they have caused major problems in the industry and that she just doesn't care to be a part of it anymore. She kept going on about how she has run a successful business for 13 years, blah, blah, blah... I was telling my husband that she is extremely adept at turning the conversation and how frustrating it is to hear her agree that "Yes, you completed your shops, I'm not saying that you won't get paid, but no one is getting paid right now." Ridiculous!

I was surprised to see that no one has filed complaints against her on the BBB. If you are owed money, I strongly suggest getting your complaints in to the Attorney General and BBB in case there is a chance for any compensation.

She wouldn't answer my question as to whether or not she was paid by the client who hired her to have me Mystery Shop. I've reached out to their VP of Marketing to see if I can get any information from him and to advise him that she has not paid me. I did receive a nice reply stating that they are looking into the matter, but I don't expect it will get me paid.