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Market Force Information, Inc. ripped me off. If you ever decide to work here, you will most likely end up regretting it. Seemed like a great idea at the time-- even fun perhaps. Getting paid for your opinion, experience at writing AND reimbursed for your meals? Hey, I love writing and I give my opinion freely-- so why not get paid for it all, right? Hmph! Was *I* in for rude awakening!
On the initial application they want to know everything there is to know about YOU. Do you own or rent a home, do you have any type of disabilities, what's your gender, your race, are you married or single, what's your household income, what's your birth date, your Social Security number, your hair color, eye color, do you wear glasses, how tall are you and how much do you weigh?! Many of those criteria sounded very suspicious or even illegal to me but I ignored my intuitions. I knew that there were some mystery shopping jobs that were a scam and you had to be careful so I checked them out with the BBB. When I saw that they had a decent rating I eagerly signed up with them. I wanted this job. Badly. It sounded like my dream job so I ignored any skepticism on my own or anyone else's part.
They wanted me to take a written test that would test my attention to detail on the last place that I shopped. Spelling and grammar counts even though when you do the actual reports for them, you have an automatic spell checker-- but yet they still have an actual spelling test on there and they want to know the exact time right down to the very second that you started taking their test and EXACTLY when you ended it!
Then, if you're accepted, you have to read and then take a 35 question test on an 11 page manual. 5 pages of the manual are dedicated entirely on how to start and stop timing the workers at the restaurant. They devoted about half of the questions to things like: What is the timing point 1, 2 and 3 for the walk in, what is it for the drive in... which timing point is #2 and which one is #3 and then what are timing points #1-3 for the drive-thru. You only get 2 chances to get a 100% of all questions correct-- and you must get them all right either the first time or the second time!
When you're doing the actual evaluation at the restaurant though you have to be very discreet about your timings. Can't actually write them down while you're there or you could blow your cover. You're supposed to be able to remember exactly down to the second: "When did you come to a complete stop in the drive thru, what time you stop and pay for your food, what time you did you receive your food and drink, how many cars were ahead of you, what time did you go to the walk-in line, how many people were ahead of you, how many cash registers were open, what time was it when you were told the total cost of that order, what time was it when your food actually arrives... It shouldn't be more than 10 seconds or something's wrong with the worker! There are so many requirements that need to be met, so many questions that they ask, so many details that you have to remember but you are not allowed to bring these list of requirements with you because you are supposed to look and act as if you are an ordinary shopper. You can't even bring anyone else along. You must be alone, pay entirely in CASH, be very hungry, go to a specific location between a specific time frame. You must be able to eat, drink and honestly scrutinize 2 consecutive full meals all by yourself.
The night before my first assignment, I worked on my computer for over an hour downloading and printing out 10 pages of their rules and instructions. The next morning I woke up, got myself ready to snoop, took the time to go to Wawa to get $20 in CASH, (which was all I could spare this week), went to McDonald's and did the absolute best mystery shop that I could do with what I had to work with.
You would think with all of the pages that you have to download and print out, they would actually USE these pages to make it very clear exactly what to order for each part of this review but they are STILL unclear because they REALLY do not want to pay you for all of your hard work! For example, on page 3 of their 10 page "Information Sheets", they said you need to order one sandwich, fries and a beverage-- but it was unclear to me if they wanted me to do that for the walk-in AND the drive thru. They said you need to order: "either a sausage biscuit or sausage biscuit with egg, a sausage mcmuffin or a sausage mcmuffin with egg, a sausage McGriddle or a sausage egg and cheese mcgriddle. Then it says for the second order, (the drive-thru portion) you have to order one of these choices.. either: "a bacon egg and cheese biscuit, an egg mcmuffin or a bacon, egg and cheese mcgriddle." It did not say to order yet ANOTHER side and a drink... and I thought it would certainly be ridiculous of them to expect anyone to eat 2 entire meals all by themselves so I just got the sandwich for the drive-thru, just like it said to do in the upper middle portion of that page.
For each evaluation, you have to answer questions about the server's friendliness, their attentiveness, their communication, their speed, the accuracy of the order, the food quality, the store's cleanliness, how the drive thru was and how the restrooms were. Ok. No problem there. That is what I expected to do but it was disappointing to me that they did not have any space for me to write in my own comments and observations, which I feel are just as important as the other things that they want scrutinized. (I thought the restaurant was fine. The only thing that could use some improvements were the fact that the tray was very wet and so was the counter top in the ladies' restroom.)
I filled out their report on the walk-in, the surrounding area, the drive thru AND the restroom then I scanned the receipts and the "CPI", which is the Contractor Payment Invoice-- the form that they have you sign that you must also print out when you print out the useless 10 other pages of their requirements...and you have to print it out right at that time, not later on.
After waking up early to go to this place, spending my time and my money, doing their report, scanning everything that they wanted, they still have to try to find something--anything that wasn't done precisely so they don't have to pay for all of this.
It took me hours to try to upload my CPI. I tried it a dozen times but every time it just made my computer freeze and then I'd keep getting an error message. I shut down the computer and started it again 3 more times before the site finally said everything was received. By then I was angry, frustrated and was really starting to feel like this wasn't worth my time or aggravation. Not too surprisingly, a few hours later I received an email from Market Research Information saying that they were not going to pay me ANYTHING for all that I did because I only ordered a sandwich, drink and hash browns in the walk-in but I only got 1 sandwich in the drive-thru!
It was a very belittling and condescending letter!
Now if this were a reputable company, they would have prorated their assignment fees-- especially for my first experience working with them-- but they don't. It's all or nothing with these crooks. What I did was surely worth something but THEY acted like all my hard work and money were worthless and they allegedly "could not use it".
Now that I know how crooked they are and all that they demand, I think back to what my husband told me when I first told him about this place. They simply do not pay the reviewers nearly enough for all of this even it was done entirely correct in their mind. I also feel that they expect too much from the McDonald's employees too with what scanty amount they get paid! For this assignment, if I did it entirely how they say they wanted it, they were only going to pay me $7.50 plus the cost of food.
I thought this would be a fun job even though it doesn't pay well but this anal company is clearly not worth the time, money, effort and aggravation.
I have seen other complaints about this company online. I wish I took them seriously. What a waste of time this crooked company has been.
Good for you! I'm happy for you, Observer 101 and Anonymous 1 that you didn't get sucked into their foolishness. :) I don't trust them as far as I can throw them. Luckily for me, I was only out $5.98 plus the cost of food, unlike some of their other victims who I read about who were ripped off over $40 for each mystery shop.
The only thing I got out of this is learning to be less trusting and to have even more empathy for people who work at fast food places. These big corporations expect way too much from them for what little they pay.
Great idea! I couldn't agree more! Excellent letter and excellent ideas!
! They should have paid you an aggravation fee on top of what they so cheapskatedly cheated you out of. Cheap sneaky ###. It's like they want to irritate their employees on top of ripping them off and wasting their time.
They are SO crooked it still boggles my mind just how low they will stoop. Well I hope you do get a lawyer and take them for everything they have. Perhaps your lawyer could even get them to pay your entire court costs too. For all the people they've ripped off this is what they have coming to them. Good luck and I wish you all the best. I hope you will write soon to tell us how many millions of dollars you took back from their greedy hands on behalf of all of us.
I think you're absolutely right. It is both and they ARE like talking to a brick wall. Numbskulls.
Thank you very much for writing and for reading and appreciating what I wrote. I wish you the best with this. Just remember to do everything exactly as they say and keep track of every detail or they'll use it as an excuse not to pay you. You'll probably be videotaped so they can be sure that you do everything their way and are accurate right down to the second. I now think they may be quasi-legit but I just found them to be too demanding for what little they pay. If your interest in doing this is more like a hobby than a way to make a living, this may even be interesting and enjoyable for you. Good luck and best wishes. Let us know how it goes... --Sylvia
I did an audit for them at a place I would not ordinarily go, and spent more money that I usually would. Then they had extra questions that I had already answered in the report; they had not asked for elaborations on the report. They also asked about certain questions, ex. Qxx, but I didn't remember which one that was and could not download another report. I was then told I did not respond to their questions and the report was going to be invalidated. I that email, they quoted from the terms that any report could be invalidated at any time for any reason. In other words, they could get what they needed, get paid for it, but then not pay us. Shame on me for not finding a site like this first. When I looked at other assignments further, I noticed they were going to pay $5 for an assignment that would take an hour+ and then the report time (with picture downloads). What a waste of time. This is less that minimum wage! I never saw anything like these other that paid out hundreds, much less thousands of dollars. I have actually found BBB complaints now that I looked.
Market Force has been helping a lot of people to earn extra income.. C'mon don't easily judge just by initial impression... think before you click...
The nice comments about Market Force are misrepresenting the facts, in my view. I completed 5 weeks work with this company as a mystery shopper and thought they were legitimate and was paid for most of my mystery shopping work - bar one job where I didn't follow the assignment brief. Last week I completed an exit interview with them all day and got scammed completely. I spent all day on site with the client hustling their customers for survey feedback, which took 7.5 hours of my time. I was exhausted when I returned home. The next day I tried to upload the reports and was not able to do so -the MF software did not allow me entry. When this matter was resolved I was still unable to upload the reports becuase of another technical issue. This is later resolved but not until mid-day, eating in to all of the time I'd allocated for this job for the less than minimum wage all in fixed fee, which I had agreed to do according the terms set out in the assignment brief.. I rang MF and said I would now send the paper survey reports for the same fixed fee (with an extension for postal arrival time) or would need extra fee for the uploading part of the job now that more hours were required eating into other earning time within the same 24 hour period.. After all, the technical hitches were not at all my fault and I had not reneged on the agreement.. They initially agreed and said I was to send the reports by mail in the post (to avoid paying me the extra by 3.30 pm that day). But when I asked for confirmation of my fee - at the same fixed rate - no one replied so I didn't send them that they. The next day they said that they would not be paying me at all becuase I had not uploaded the reports electronically and that they were going to close my Mystery Shopping account with them too, even though this was not a mystery shopping job at all. Clearly they thought I had sent the paper surveys off already before telling me that. I had introduced myself as a representative of MF on the client site. Clearly, MF thought that I had sent the reports when they reneged on their agreement with me - so that they could gain maximum value from my time spent on site, which they had no intention fo paying for.
I suspect that the company does have a bunch of MS working for them that get all the best jobs and don't get cheated. Judging by the mentality of some of the MS who post on one mystery shopping forum, who seemed to think my predicament was funny, I suspect I am right on this point. But for other mystery shoppers, they take the piss. I have also discovered in the last week that my bank account had been raided too: over £269 taken from the account over the internet - to pay of loan companies I have nothing to do with. At first I thought it might have eminated from one of the pub jobs I did for MF around the time of the first withdrawal from my account; but on closer examination of my account details it could nto have been them and it is unlikely to have been anyone else from places I visited - given that I watched staff very closely whilst transactions were being carried out. After this incident with MF over the exit interviews, I think it could have come from a source within the MF offices (after all, they do have my bank details and these were internet thefts, not pin number required thefts - so no scrutiny of my debit card would be needed). So I have now shopped them in to the Inland Revenue and will be taking legal action against them for not paying me for work performed - and at the legal rate of payment for the terms and conditions of my agreement with them concerning this particular assignment. I will also be calling the police to investigate the matter of theft from my bank account and whether trying to extrapolate surveys from me using a false declaration of agreeing to negotiated terms, when they had no intention of following through with them, also constitutes a criminal act that needs investigating.
Market Force, I suspect, really are scammers, Keep away.
humm after reading all of your comments Iam having secon thoughts about this company... I just recieved an e-mail saying welcome to the team, I also wondered about this being a scam, but it sounded really good. Im not sure what to do now, it seems like kind of a waste of time and effort :S
@hammer200 WHY would you believe someone who sends you a check for over $3000? Common sense says stay away!
You sound so damn bitter. Ever think it was your dumb ### that didn't get it right?
Yes indeed...the McDonald's shops suck and they don't pay S H I T cheap bastalllllss! You get the drift right. Cheap, Very detailed and i use a stop watch for the timing. Still got the report disqualified and didn't get reimbursed for the food which was $20.00 yeah I am pisssssed!
We (couple) have worked with marketworce fro over 2 years. If you have not been paid it is only because you have not completed the assignment. Many of thier clients have special requests specific to the assignment. Read the assignment carefully. You can decide if you can comply with the requests or not, & can turn down any assignment without predjudice. Do the ones you like, & decline the others & you will have a great experience with them.
The thing I don't understand is whether or not people here are writing about the same company that I researched into. It is true. Many companys hide behind a legit name but those companys are usaully scams. Everyone says Market Force. Or another one I read. Was it marketshops.com? I have never gotten an email telling me about how I can make money by purchasing at restaurants or retailers. No one has emailed me asking if I would like to be a mystery shopper. People here say that they are mailed a large check from some odd location, they take it to the bank and it ended up being a fraud. My point is that a lot of people on here have confused the name of the market company. The actual name that I have been aproved for and might work for soon is Market Force Information, Inc. (or in short they call them selves MFI) When speaking to their market researchers on their page. Not Market Force. They have an email with their name included. They have a fax number, and they also have a telephone number. They gave me a long test to see if I met their qualifications. I was exepted. One of the rules was that you have to be over 20yrs. old. I read a comment on here that says that the company he was looking at said 27 yrs. old. That's another detail that I have gotten that shows me that he was involved with a different Market Force type company than me. I haven't done a job yet for the company even tho I have been approved. I am going to wait about a week until I am satisfied and have completely read all their information. I have done so much research about if they are a scam. If they're legit, reviews, and complaints. I'm reading the comments on here and they don't sound anything like the company that I have come across. I understand that people get ripped off and I can see everyones point. I now am also scared after reading these reviews that this is all going to happen to me. But wait. I'm not with Market Force. I think a lot of people might have found one of those disguised names. As for Sylvia 103, she is describing exactly the market research company that I'm looking at to the dot. She wrote the same exact questions they asked of me. I'm actually paying attention mostly to her comment the most. All I can say is that I will give it my first shot. I'll try not to pick out a fast food location. Market Force Information, Inc. has said that they do need to have the shopper have a stop watch to time the length of service. I sure hope they don't give me the ruff time that they gave Sylvia! I am going to do my first shop. I'll try to make sure that I won't be paying too much to do it just in case I don't get paid. I also think that the first time is always the hardest on most things. I am going to do a shop a second time. I may get the hang of it and it may not be as bad as my first experience. I think that some people have commented some wise advice by saying "learn form your mistakes". That's why I'm going to try it at least twice so that I can see any mistakes that I might had made and try not to do it again. It will also help me know a little bit about how Market Force Information, Inc. really works. I'll get to know them better also. After trying a few shops, I will then decide whether I am getting myself into some "money hungry screw ball company". I'll cross my fingers that I won't!
Ha ha! The internet and Google have helped a lot of people avoid scams and ripoffs like this. Thanks to all who posted honest opinions here. My wife got a similar mailing as hammer200 did, except it originated in Canada. Why, when the company Ecom Leads is based in Brooklyn? After reading these postings, the entire mailer will go into the shredder!
The internet and Google have helped tremendously in researching things like this. My wife got a letter, postmarked in Canada, from Ecomleads Market Research, with a check made out to her from Wells Fargo. Similar instructions as hammer200 posted. Too good to be true? Always. Thanks to those who took the time to post honest complaints here. You have helped others avoid being victims of this rip-off.
This company is FAR from my favorite, as they are so impersonal and the helpdesk frequently could be called the clueless desk...but their instructions are VERY clear, and if you mis-ordered after reading the instructions incorrectly, then no one is at fault but you. They have few shops of interest to me, but the ones they have are EASY.
Signed up about 15 minutes ago and now regret it. Called back to cancel and already getting the run around. They gave me a number to customer service and it is not a working number. Already spoke to Brian Greene, Derika, and Ashton Howard, and Tanika. I cant get any where, what do I do now.
I have shopped for them for over 10 years. When I started out shopping for them they were under the name Shopnchek. In all the time of shopping for them, I do believe I only had 1 shop rejected and it was my fault - ordered the wrong items. They even sent me a free digital small stopwatch to make it easier to get accurate timings. I knew when I started with them it was not a get rich quick scheme and attention to detail was a necessity. Now they frequently offer me bonus money if they need a shop done quickly (and they offered me a bonus shop as a birthday gift). I like the freedom of being able to take or not take the shops that are offered. They have always been honest and more than fair with me and friends that also worked for them. Re the checks that have been sent - they are NOT from the companies that they appear to be from. All the various companies I work for have specific warnings out that they never ask you to cash a cashiers or any other kind of check.
How does this company continue to have a good credit rating with all of this information?
So here's the deal; the way I see it you can't expect to be a mystery shopper or any time of entry level consultant and make a good deal of money - it simply isn't reliable for steady income. However, if you have a good job and make steady living there is no good reason why you shouldn't attempt to sign up for something like this. It may be that the requirements are tedious and generally off the wall ridiculous; but that is what it is.
My wife and I really enjoy going out to eat, but going out to eat is expensive and we honestly can't afford to do it as much as we do; but if once or twice a month we can find a good mystery shop at a place we'd both be willing to eat at - we can do it at no cost to us. The truth is that we would go out to eat anyways so if we screw up and don't do the shop well enough, then we pay what we would have otherwise. I personally don't care If i'm required to do a certain number of stupid and useless things - honestly it gives me something to do.
On the other hand, it may turn out that doing all of the details ruins the experience for me, in which case I simply won't do it anymore. My suggestion is if you have never mystery shopped before (which I haven't yet) to make sure that the first shop you do is something you would have done anyways. In fact - don't do any shop you wouldn't normally do until you are confident that you will do it correctly and that you will (as a result) receive compensation for the shop.
Anyone else have thoughts or comments? I'm up for listening to them. My feeling is that most of the complaints here are from people who were expecting to be compensated and paid for doing something they wouldn't normally do, people who in my opinion are expecting this industry to be something that it simply is not.
Nathan Danks
Thanks for the information, I will avoid doing any mystery shopping then and advise friends to be careful.
I think MF is real, though they sound like a nightmare, but...a new phishing scam is out there using them. I have been out of work for awhile now, so always on Craig's, where you know you have to be careful. Well, I had heard of companies willing to pay you for a car wrap and advertising a companies goods or services. Well, got one of those emails that you just know. Signed by somebody from MF, but when you look at the return address it is a gmail address. You don't see the broken English like you used to, but still some grammer issues as another person mentioned. Then, "we will send you two weeks of pay, AND the money to get your car wrapped, we then need you to send the money via Western Union to the vendor that does the car wrap". Sigh...so sick of scammers wasting my time.
ban this schmuck and be sure to talk up online about avoiding the store being pushed
I did a Panera shop for Market Force and they pay $7 for the food and require you to buy 3 items. Much to my surprise the first item came to $6.99 before tax and so I lost money on the shop without even counting my time, gas, and time entering info. online. What a rip off. You could not possibly know you were going to lose money on the shop. When I saw the prices I thought for sure I just read the assignment pay incorrectly. In my 20 years of doing mystery shops I have never been asked to do a shop where the minimum costs were not met.
I receied an email from market force, thank you for your advice. I did not respond and deleated their email.
When you put your resume on line, scamers will respond. If it sounds too good to be true, beware.
I too was a victim of money order scam by an individual posing as a employee of Market Force. I am now $10, 000 debt. I was instructed to wire transfer thru western union and money gram after i received the money order that they sent me. I recieved 18 counterfeit money order in all, by the time I realized they were fake money oder I have cashed 10. They use multiple names, emailaddress and phone number, and all are impersonating that they are employee of Market Force, mkimora7@aol.com, mkimora7@gmail.com, garymaydpt1@hotmail.com, brainsawyerr@jobs.com, brainbsawyer@aol.com, here are the phone number, [protected]) 446-6379
I received the same letter. I'm trying to figure out the same things as hawkeye2011. What is going to happen if the check is cashed?
Received today a cashier's check for $1, 460.00 from Finance Central Federal Credit Union though signed can not make out Signature. Letter attached has "Sarah Hayes" as the Training Coordinator at [protected]. Letterhead has the name of "marketforce" in all lower case. Have not researched Market Force to see if the company logo is the same as reflected in this letter. Email sited in the letter is "hrcoordinatorx@gmail.com." The letter and cashier check amount seemed unrealistic. Perhaps a copycat company scamming is my guess. Thanks to all who took time to post to protect those of us that followed.
Yeah. After conversing with them back and forth about my specific case, I am trying to decide if they are either extremely stubborn and crooked or just plain stupid. I have a feeling it is both. It would be one thing if I blatantly did not follow the directions, but the fact that I waited over 10 minutes to make sure I had received all 3 items before leaving the counter makes it clear that this was not the case.
The point of having that rule about not leaving the counter until having all three items is for timing purposes--to make sure you aren't jipping the place and you are there and ready to accept the order as soon as it is out. They are misusing this guideline as an excuse to not pay me. And at the same time, they are too stupid and hard-headed to see the big picture over their useless magnifying glass. They are distorting their own picture carelessly yet purposefully. All the while, they are unable to give me any good explanations to my inquiries. It's like trying to communicate with a brick wall!
That is exactly what I though!
On of the MF workers had the nerve to send me this guideline quote, as if I wasn't aware of it!:
"Please see the guidelines.
Do NOT go to the drink bar, restroom, or leave the counter area while waiting for your order.
Be sure you have all 3 items (entrée/sandwich, French fries/hash browns, and beverage/cup) before you leave the counter area."
Well, duh! I know that. And I did have ALL THREE ITEMS. My understanding is that when the associates present you with your sandwich, it is then YOURS and you officially have it. It is clear that I was aware of the rule about waiting at the counter until you received all items because I waited freaking 10 minutes to get the other stupid items.
I just can't believe how MF is reacting to this particular case. I have even thought about getting a lawyer to help me straighten this out. I have done McDonald's shops before, but this was by far the most difficult because the associates were just all over the place! I put in time, money, and patience to complete this assignment. I had to wait an obscene amount of time for them to even ring up the sandwich, because the cash drawer was missing from the register! And when I finally got my sandwich, I had to reorder the other two items because they DID NOT LISTEN when I told them I wanted a VALUE MEAL. And it took 5 minutes to place my order and pay for the hashbrown and drink separately... and then ANOTHER 5 minutes for them to get me the damn hashbrown! All the while, I STOOD BY THE COUNTER. I had to step aside from the registers to let other customers order... but all the while, I stood at the counter.
I was refused payment because Market Force claimed that I "left the counter" without receiving all my orders.
What really happened was that I ordered a McGriddle Value Meal. The cashier rung up a McGriddle sandwich ONLY. I didn't notice until I saw the receipt on the tray. Then I told him I ordered the Value Meal, not just the sandwich. So they set the sandwice on the tray, and I had to wait for the rest of my items at the counter and then pay them extra for the additional items that would have been in the Value Meal (hashbrown and reg. coffee/soda). I waited at the counter for over 10 MINUTES. Once I finally received my drink and hashbrown, I pressed the stopwatch on my cellphone since I had already received the sandwich earlier and now officially had all three items.
Well, since they gave all of these things to me separately, I took several seconds to drop my hashbrown and drink off at a table. Then I immediately went back to pick up my sandwich... and it was GONE.
Anyway, Market Force claimed I left the counter before recieving all of my food items. I did not! In fact, I waited over 10 MINUTES at the counter, doing nothing but just watching all the associates... WAITING. I was making extra sure that I stayed at the counter until I received all items! How was I supposed to know they were going to lose the damn sandwich they had already given to me!
On top of that, the cashier did not even have a cash drawer in the register...
Yet, they are apparently saying my entire report is invalid even though their associates caused all the problems I encountered in the first place! It's like I'm getting punished for the associates being so terrible at what they do! If they had paid attention to me when I ordered, they would have heard that I ordered the VALUE MEAL. And if they had paid attention, they wouldn't have lost my sandwich! If anything, I should have been paid extra for how taxing this shop was. It ended up taking almost an hour to complete because the associates were so inefficient!
you contradicted yourself though, if you technically had ALL items you wouldn't have had to go back to a "missing" sandwich.. With all the information you get beforehand and the the details you have to note to put in your report later... Why would you not take a millisecond or two to confirm before you pay that it's rung in word for word to match what you need?
We are all adults and with the as detailed as you are aware you need to be.., I'd do everything I could to make sure there no question a step was missed.. I read somewhere above someone shopped, didn't have cash but paid by card an was mad they didn't get paid.. they clearly knew it had to be purchased with cash, ..I know these companies are sketchy and they probably did wrong but some here lack common sense, ...I just got an email from "CAPITAL ONE" (LOGO all in blue, which it not the real company) saying..I had $90 waiting for me. So with the logic I'm reading from others..I should trust that email, .. knowing the email addresses aren't from capital one.. get information stolen then complain about the REAL capital one..
... Just sayin'.. .
~God bless~ and have a safe holiday everyone ☮️💜🐾
Very true - people could easily be getting screwed without knowing it. I'm glad that this post has so many interested parties. Obviously, people searching for Market Force International and scam are coming across our comments.
Excuse me but I don't know how old you are, don't care either, and I don't know how much experience you have. I am 62, ran a company who hired, trained and fielded thousands of mystery shoppers and merchandisers and so I think I just might know a thing or two about this business. Of course, I don't have a way with the English language as you seem to with your symbols for lack of words but I only gave that business up because I am now happily semi retired from the money I made from successfully running Reliable Merchandising. Market Force should have someone intelligent enough to see the receipt of McDonalds is done in military time and so it is not lack of attention to detail but my exact use of the same military time to send in the report. I deal with many companies and have never had the trouble I have had with Market Force. Did it ever occur to you that since they had the receipt and did not have a problem with any other part of the report that maybe, just maybe, since they had all the information and all the receipts they look for anything to "disqualify" reports and then submit the report without paying the field agent? They could make a lot more money that way and there is always another sucker to replace anyone who does not like it. I took note that although the shop had more time left to be done it was not reposted. I will be you that McDonalds got a very good report in military time and paid Market Force as they don't have any reason nor desire to see if the field agent gets paid. Of course, it is your time and money so be my guest.
Based on Sylvia's bad experience with Market Force I decided not to apply for a shopper position. However, in reading some of the other posts, it seems to me that some scammers have gotten in the act by using similar names like marketforceshop, etc. These are criminals that take advantage of people by "impersonating" legitimate companies. It's a real shame that these individuals get away with murder by hiding behind - often untraceable - emails and scamming the public in the process.
Yes, maybe some companies are indeed overly picky in accepting (or rejecting) completed assignments... but that's the nature of the business. Some other posters have had a good experience with this company. Seems to me that if you are not a person who pays attention to detail and/or strays away from the specific instructions of the job perhaps you are not cut up for this kind of work.
I got a check from blacutt brothers inc from suntrust bank- I called the bank n it ran the account # in said the funds are availiable! So idk what to do- is it krap or not?
I just spent about $15 doing a McDonalds shop and spent time filling out their lengthy report and they denied my payment. They said I did the shop at 7 o clock when the shop had to be done at 5. When I did the shop the receipt for McDonalds was in military time, and showed a time of 17:15. Those idiots took this to mean 7 o clock. Just because something has a 7 in it does not make it 7 o clock. You would think someone with some intelligence up there would see the 17 and realize it is military time and means 5 o clock. The exact time required for the shop. I would be very careful doing anything for this company as the staff is not too bright. I am sure my particular McDonalds is not the only store to use military time. How could they not know this or is it truly a scam.
Thank you all for your feedback. I got an email (posted below) that contains all the things we watch for in spam/scam emails - spelling, grammer, senders email address, etc. I did check out the site and it seemed legit, so I searched for Market Force scam and found this site. I will not sign up with them. I would like to send the corporate office the email I was sent and ask if THAT is the type of person they perfer to work for them - someone who can't spell, cannot use correct english, etc.
The email:
Our company is deslighted to put forward you the office of Food Critic in Market Force . after finding on your autobiography at CareerBuilder online. Our HR department did its best to study your resume and remained to be pleased. We trust that your experience will be among our most valuable assets.
Necessary Criteria for being employed:
1.Age: older than 27
2.Internet access
3.3-5 hours of free time every day for carrying out your professional capacities
4.Certtificate of no criminal record
Job Benefits:
As it goes, Food Writer is an perfect way for customers to earn revenue in the process of providing feedback, making comments, making of, commenting out to establishment. This is a real potential for you to get to the top of the career delighting in things you like above all. For instance, one may eat in cafe or acquire things in supermarkets reveling in life and assisting corporation at the same time.
Remuneration:
Your month salary may amount to $1, 500-2, 000.
Time Limitation of the Position:
On account of the great amount of applicants for this office, this vacancy is time-bound. So, it is strongly recommended for you to provide us the necessary information about yourself ASAP.
To become the employee of our entity:
1.Please go to our site: Market Force
2.Register yoursel
3.Download, read examine carefully a agreement and sign it necessarily.
In underwriting this employment offer, you affirm that your employment will be on at-will basis and give up any lamentations against Market Force and its personnel.
About Market Force :
Our corporation is engaged in work with other companies to perfect quality on an international scale by applying anonymous resources. We deal alongside with over 300 corporations world-wide. Our main work includes marketing and cooperation with merchandising firms, private investigation companies, training organizations and other establishments that are drawn in Restaurant Critic services. Our member firms deal with their consumers in order to establish the system of perfecting level of amenities.
Regards Best wishes
Whatever this was, it did not come from an American company or from any legitimate company. The jobs mentioned--food critic and food writer--are reporting/opinion-writing positions, not mystery shopping. In addition to the spelling, the wording is as bizarre as poorly translated user instructions for Chinese products. It used publicly obtainable information, assuming CareerBuilder is similar to LinkedIn or Monster.
Thanks I will!
I meant to add that if you google the company Market Force, theres tons of different link names. I dont have any idea if the real Market Force company is legit or not since I never worked with them. Im just saying thats another clue.
When I clicked on the link in my email it took me to marketforceshops.com. I then clicked on the REAL marketforce.com from Google and every link on that website did NOT use the word shops at the end!
Even though the marketforceshops.com looked JUST like marketforce.com, Im assuming that all the emails weve gotten were from this SCAM company!
I stopped for a moment and looked further! The contact page shows an address in NYC but then had the email .GMX.COM, I looked that up and thats another FREE email service. These are just little things Ive learned along the way of job searching, I hope it helps!
So please do some investigating first, it may seem tedious but it WILL help you in the long run!
I too just received an email from Market Force to be a mystery shopper. My first clue also was the bad grammar used.
One Example:
"For instance, one may enjoy meal in eating house or buy things in online stores reveling in life and assisting entity at the same time."
That is NOT from an educated or legit recruiter!
The next clues were the name and the email to respond to. They ask you to go the website to apply but I always click on the name of the sender, that will show you their email address! The name said Connor Oneill but the email came from a Carlee Farmer at HOTMAIL no less!
Its been my experience that 99% of legit companies will have their own email system! Some small local will use hotmail and others but they use the company name as part of the email name.
I feel so bad for everyone who has been scammed, I know sometimes its tough to weed out the bad ones, but trust your gut! I even googled the company I work for now since I found their ad for help on Craigslist (Another place these scammers try to find you)
The old saying is true: If it seems to good to be true, it probably is! Trust your instincts, then use GOOGLE!
Take Care Everyone!
I received an email employment invitation to join Market Force. The first red flag was the manner in which the email was written and constructed. It appeared to have been written by a first semester English student. The grammar appeared to have been constructed by my dear friend from India, who is learning English.
Their web site contains an impressive corporate staff, however, I did not find it user friendly in responding to their email request: "register and underwrite the application."
Thanks for the comments. I would like to do this type of work on a part-time basis, but it does not appear from the many comments that its worth the effort with this company.
I received an email invitation to join Market Force as an employee. The email invitation red flags was the quality of the English and the Grammar used in the email. The email appeared to have been written by someone in their first semester of basic English.
I visited their site and was impressed with their corporate staff. However, their site was constructed as less then user friendly for responding to the email.
After reading the many comments, I think I will pass on this one. It does not appear to be worth the time and effort.
Thanks everyone for the comments.
Is marketforceshop.com & marketforce.com the same thing? I was approached about being hired & directed to marketforceshop.com-- I'm confused.
Sorry hammer200, but you admit to your own greed, ignorance and maybe even stupidity if you truly believed that someone just sending you a $3, 000+ check and all you have to do is send most of it to a third party and you make an easy $200. That is a scam that is so old, only someone who never connected with the real world wouldn't have heard of it. It's right up there with those folks who receive notice that they are "winners" in some lottery they have to know they never played and yet send off their "processing fees" in order to receive their "winnings". I can attest from personal experience that Shop 'N Chek was a legitimate company - I shopped two or three dozzen McDonald's shops for them in [protected]. They were acquired by Market Force.
For Sylvia103, all one can say has already been repeated by a number of writers - you weren't scammed; by your own words you didn't follow instructions. However, Sylvia103 is certainly a true, modern-day American; she wants to blame someone else for her own failures.