Entertainment - by Justin Spees on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 16:00 - 28 Comments
How WSN Scammed Me Out of Six Dollars
So, nobody actually reads the Washington Square News, right? This decision to put out newspaper stands around Washington Square as if you were a real newspaper, that isn’t helping you. I swear to god the New York Times did not earn its credibility by stacking newspapers all over the city. If anything, you’ve cut down your readership, because I used to grab a copy in the Gallatin lobby before class, but now I have to be thinking about it as I walk past all of your stacks.
I know you’re waiting for the Associated Press to call about that Swarthmore president article, but they’ve already given their one intern position this year to the kid from the University of Montana who wrote about the beer bong game where somebody got stabbed. But that isn’t even the problem I have right now. Right now I want to address the classified ads that you post at least twice a week, that offer weekend jobs doing things like bartending and mystery shopping and sperm donating (pending). You know what I’m talking about.
Desperately trying to allay poverty, I called the ad for Mystery Shoppers, at 1-800-722-4791. I spoke to a soothing chap named Walter Jameson of mystery shop headquarters Shopper Select, who signed me up for his company’s training package, took my credit card information, and then oh yeah, casually mentioned that I was now on lists for ten day free trial periods for at least three discount savings companies. If I liked what I saw, I’d stay on board, making monthly payments of $19.95. And you know, good luck with your career, oh and by the way, we can’t promise we’re hiring right now. Click.
People have been stabbed for less.
I spent the rest of the day on the phone with these savings companies cancelling subscriptions to what was very clearly a marketing scam. Homeboy Jameson let me know he’d be charging me two dollars for the initial training, but my current balance is eight dollars less than it was yesterday morning. Somewhere along the line this network took six dollars more than they said they would. And I had to undergo the process of my father explaining to me life lessons about the cold effects of real-world capitalism.
I want two things to come from this:
1) Please, everybody, don’t ever call about anything you see in WSN’s classified section. In fact, don’t read WSN at all. Honestly, this website is so much better for you, especially since we’ve got Ned. And if you want stories relevant to the real world, read an actual newspaper.
2) WSN, I want you to reimburse me the six dollars. Shopper Select knows it’s a fuckhead organization, but you are supposed to be better than this. My name is Justin Spees, I live in Lafayette, and I will soon be covered extensively on Gawker. My phone number is 703-403-3314. It won’t be hard to find me.
Photo by Dean Stattmann
28 Comments
I think we should change our name to NED Local
Marshall Finch
Masterful.
Thank you for your interest in the Washington Square News.
WSN is not responsible for your personal choice to reach out to one of our advertisers. If you have any questions concerning the advertising policies of the Washington Square News, please feel free to e-mail us at sales@nyunews.com. Our office is open Monday-Friday 9am-6pm. My direct line is 212.995.3791 and I would be happy to discuss our procedures and policies concerning our classifieds section.
Sincerely,
Amanda Alampi,
Promotions Managers, Business Department
Washington Square News, the official NYU daily student newspaper
(p) 212.995.3791
(f) 212.995.3790
sales@nyunews.com
http://www.nyunews.com
p.s. Thank you very much for the plug. We always appreciate the free publicity because it certainly makes my job a lot easier.
Hi Amanda! Thanks so much for being so responsive.
I was just wondering: How does a publication become the official NYU daily student newspaper? Do you guys get a stamp of approval from the administration you’re supposed to be covering? Or do we all get to take a vote?
eileen reilly
This scam of “shopper select” looking for mystery shoppers is in our local newspaper several times a week also, our paper is the Racine Journal Times in Wisconsin. I called them this morning thinking they may be legit, but I got the creeps after I talked to the lady and she said training costs $1.95 and I pay with my credit card…….RED FLAGS went up and now I am glad I told her I would think about it and then I hung up !
Tricia Brown
I too called an ad in my local newspaper regarding ‘Mystery Shoppers needed’ and after giving over my name and address was asked for credit card details to pay the $1.95 fee. Red flags started waving and when I informed the smooth talker that the $1.95 was really inconsequential and that I was uncomfortable giving out my credit card information, the smooth talk abruptly turned quite trite! First thing I did on hanging up was google select shoppers and read this alert. I am thankful my senses alerted me.
Ditto, my padres! I called the 800-690-1272 in my local ‘jobfind’ free publication in Orlando, Florida to be told by an ‘Angela Adams’ about the $1.95 registration fee that would give me access to their online training and of course there is a 14 day review period but alas I’ll be charged $19.95 per month until I cancel. So I asked ‘Angela’ , “How long have you worked for the company?” in which her reply was “Quite a while”. “So, Angela, in your honest opinion, does this really pay off and how?” She began explaining to me that I set the limits;I’ll be sent several assignments a day in my zip code but if I wanted to go outside my zip code then of course the ante becomes larger. I asked more questions like, do I get reimbursed for what I buy and the answer was either they would prepay me or reimburse me. I was told I would then go home and answer an online survey regarding my visit. Another statement was they have one of the largest mystery shopper databases (that was after I asked what sets them apart from all the other mystery shopper companies). What I’d really like to know is has anyone really done this? For most of us sensible people the red flag goes up when you’re asked for your credit card number but I’m sure someone thought, WOW! Limitless income…
Patricia Smith
I also want to know if anybody has actually done this. Has this work for anybody?
Amber Sandlin
I have a friend who researched them on the internet. She decided to go ahead and sign up. She was sent a check for $3000 and told to take $500 for herself. Then split the rest in half and send it to two different locations via Western Union and report back on her experience. Pretty interesting if you ask me.
katie h
THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME TODAY! I live in MA and when I saw the add in the paper I thought it would be a good way to earn some extra money. When the woman asked for my credit card information i was a little nervous but she said it would only bill $1.95 and there wouldn’t be any other hidden charges. THEN once i gave her my card number (which i know was a huuuge mistake and i shouldnt have done) she says there going to charge $19.95 a month and I only had a 10 day free trial. I spent the next hour trying to cancel my account, 3 people told me 3 different things and I still dont know if its completely taken care of. This is such a scam it isnt even funny! Don’t fall for it!
Darla Hardy
Oh How I wish I saw this earlier! I feel for the scam i read in the Daily Times in my MD area. Being a single mom of 4 and a part time job I thought why not shop to get some money back! I even took the fake little test , passed mabye signed on twice now can’t find the web site! And they billed me 4 extra times for 1.95! thankfully it was a prepaid debit but i could’ve used that for gas!!!!!!
D Schaeffer
After reading this post I am glad I hung up to do some research……Similar story….. Mystery Shopper ad in Herald Journal. Called and spoke to Jillian who asked for my zip code then named off a few businesses before asking for my name and address. When asked for my credit card # to cover the $1.95 “registration fee”, I also saw red flags and asked how the position was paid. I was told that the online training could commence once I paid the fee and then I would have access to job listings in my area that would pay $50 per assignment. All shopping expenses would be prepaid or reimbursed. When I said I was uncomfortable releasing my card info to a company that I knew nothing about she became somewhat curt; however she did give me the following address so I could research the company:
Shopper Select
3151 NE 1st Ave Suite 201
Miami, Florida 33137
This address did not check out through dex online
Other online contact info:
Customer Service:
support@shopperselect.com
1.866.920.8009
For those of you who got taken, good luck getting reimbursed!
john brew
mother effer i just signed up for shopper select in san marcos, tx. i was hesitant on giving out my credit card number but what the hay its only 1.95. i was charged 3 times for that 1.95. then the lady gave me this phone number to discontinue the free trials and stuff of 19.95 and 39.95. i just called the number but it doesnt ring on the other end, theres just a screaming sound coming through the phone. i should have researched first but im a naive college kid and though hey lets make some money. f me in the beard. does anyone know of another number to discontinue this crap so im not charged a busload of money every month? the number she gave me was 866-923-8009
sheila frank
How do we know if Amber Sandlin doesn’t work for one of these companies?(her comment on Oct. 28th. )
Sorry Amber, so hard to trust “people.”
I also saw an ad and called but then decided to check info on-line.
So sorry to all of you who have gotten ripped off.
Trust God, He will take care of it!!!
Aubry Summers
I’m in Chicago and the number they gave out in the Chicago Reader newspaaper was 800-504-7088. I was about to sign up for Shopper Select today but when they said $1.95 I felt a bit leery about giving out my credit card number. I was thinking well its only $1.95 what’s the harm? I looked across the room and saw my purse lying on the table so far away. I told the woman I’d call her back.
I decided that as long as I had to get up and go to my purse I might as well do some research. I’m ashamed to admit that laziness kept me from being scammed.
Thanks so much for posting the real information on this despicable company.
Aubry Summers
I think its probably about time that some governing body should be let in on this little scam. Don’t you think?
Carmela Fernandez
I just hung up on Shopper Select too. I’m glad I did. I found my ad in the Employees Wanted Jobs Magazine in Arizona. Man, that was close! Ditto in all your stories too. $1.95 reg fee. $19.95 after 14days trial. Wow they were gonna give me 4 extra days. I think what got me was after all my questions…and more questions the woman on the phone was like, so what will it be “Visa” or “Mastercard”? I was like “no thanks.”
jan culpepper
I too just hung up with Birisha McCoy, at shopper select. I did give her my debit card number like a stupid person. I was like the others, just another sucker. I have triplets in college and thought this could be a great money maker for me. Guess not. Before I got off the phone with her I told her, NO THANKS. Because I found this website and was reading it as I was signing up for it. I call the bank to make sure this does not come out of my account. How could I be so stupid. I guess when you think it is to good to be true, RUN the other way.
Jess Smith
Yes.. I am too a victim of scams.. i mean honestly, as a struggling college student i’m nothing short of desperate for money but I should have trusted my instincts. Please if you are debating on whether to do this, please don’t. I just cancelled my credit card and thank God I did. They had charged me for some sort of software and the price didn’t show up on the credit yet. who knows how much I might owe.. I thought 1.95 was all I would be charged.. Jerks!
I work for a mystery shopping company, and unfortunately, scams like these make it difficult for honest, legitimate companies to do business. The company I work for, Service Alliance, NEVER charges any fees to become one of our mystery shoppers. WE pay the people who work for us, and it’s free to apply with us. We don’t have shops available everywhere in the country, but if you’re near one of the locations we shop and you apply with us, we contact you and pay you if you choose to do a mystery shop for us. There are several hundred reputable companies that provide mystery shopping services to businesses like chain retail stores, restaurants, fast food places, etc. Most of us are members of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (www.mysteryshop.org), which is a trade association for our industry, and the MSPA has a code of ethics that we have to operate by, or get kicked out.
We welcome any of you to apply with us at http://www.serviceallianceinc.com!
matt hughes
dammit!!! i just signed up for this today. i thougt it would be legitimate. a lil shady, but legitimate. i wish i would of cheked the net first. i just checked my account rite after i signed up and i only had about 2 bucks left in it!!!!!!!!!!!
Diane Levin
Your problem is not with WSN, it’s with the Mystery Shopper company. You should also be pretty angry at yourself, for being dumb enough to give out your credit card information over the phone to this guy. He didn’t “take” your credit card information, you gave it to him.
Emanuel Nabob
I agree with you (Diane Levin) but also completely disagree, if you are guided by the golden rule such as how America was founded and established you shouldn’t have to constantly winnow out these evils. I’m baffled that no one does anything about this, I know I added them to my list, I’m in law and with God; making fool’s like this accountable is what I do for a hobby. I’m hoping to get an organization together and get government funding after I take down a few more of these nefarious scumbags! Anyone is welcome to join in on the action if they think they have something they can bring to the table; and no one can do everything but everyone can do something. Disclaimer- I’m not a player but an ignorance slayer, one with veracity instead of that anecdotal foolishness! Raininginthesunshine@yahoo.com PS if you don’t think America was founded like I proclaimed read the Proclamation of the first Thanksgiving of City of New York, October 3, 1789
JOHN COOPER
WELL CRAP !!! I GUESS I NEED TO CLOSE MY BANK ACCOUNT.
patsy tyre
I saw the add for this in the Penny Saver. I called the 800 # and went throught the presentation. Sounded great until they wanted a credit card. RED FLAG!! I recently just got scamed for a time share..I managed to get out of it. Note to all ..if you EVERY go to any vacation and your thinking about buying a timeshare go BLOG about it. before you go to the resort. Do not EVER let those high presure con artists take you into signing anything..If it is too good to be true, it never is! I’m glad I did not fall for this scam.
elizabeth nance
I found the information tremendously enlighting nevertheless, I will be spreading the great news about your organization. Best wishes on your future endeavors of endless andcustomers workers who want to start their own their own business.
I SAW THIS AD IN OUR LOCAL NEWS PAPER”MISTERY SHOPPERS”, SO I CALLED THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER AND YES IT SOUNDED GOOD AND YES I LIKE A DUMB ASS FAIL FOR IT. THEN I GO TO THERE WEBSITE AND SEE ALL OF THESE SCAMMED MESSAGESFROM EVERYONE ABOUT THE COMPANY. SO I CALLED MY CREDIT CARD COMPANY TO TELL THEM WHAT I HAVE DONE AND THEY TELL ME TO CALL THE SHOPPERSELECT COMPANY TO GET A CANCELATION NUMBER. SO I DID AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY VERY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE SITUATION AND DID NOT GIVE ME A HARD TIME AT ALL. SO I REALLY CANNOT SAY THIS COMPANY IS BAD, LIKE YOU ALL SAY, THEY SEEM TO BE LEGIT ! I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYONE ACTUALLY CONTINUED WITH THE PROCESS AND MADE MONEY DOING IT.
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Awww. I feel loved.
As Justin says, we’ve got a great team, and you should read us every day.
[/shameless plug]