question..company offered me job but acting odd (license, employment verification, credit)

[sand and sea]

So I interviewed with a company I like very much. They (say) they actually pay a decent hourly wage and the work seems fun and a good fit for me.

I had a second interview and they offered me the job. My start date was "right after Labor day".

I should say I am a virtual worker..this was all over the phone.

They said they would be sending me tax forms, a formal offer and job outline.

This was last week. I never got it.

Then yesterday I got an email addressed to me and about half a dozen others. It was from someone else entirely with the company who does the training, saying they want to start training this week and they hoped we all sent our stuff back to HR.

I was confused. I still am. I sent back an email saying that I was told my start date including training was to start after Labor day. I also told them that I never got the offer letter , the tax forms or ANYTHING.

So I waited for a response. I did not get one. Instead I got another email also addressed to multiple people cheerfully saying training starts tomorrow and goes through Wednesday. It was like I never emailed. And again..multiple names on email so I guess they hired a bunch of us at the same time. I do not know if they received anything.

I am a bit pissed. I cannot train this week. I mean..they TOLD me I was starting next week. I will not even be in town Wednesday. I am going somewhere with a friend and family member.

Also I am not sure I should do any work..even training without the tax forms and offer letter. The lady I interviewed with told me I COULDN'T train or start until they had all that stuff back.

I CCED her on the email to the trainer. But I did not hear back.

I have no idea what is going on and am wondering why this stuff happens. I mean..how hard is it to answer my email?

I REALLY want this job but I mean..what would you advise? Skip my plans, ignore the forms and just train without pay? Call one of them? Email again?

Sorry if I sound irritable..I guess I am.

[fishbrains]

Definitely call. Sometimes email gets filed into a filtered folder, people are out and do not check thoroughly or many other things. This sounds like a scheduling error on their part, but you need to take a bit of initiative and pick up the phone.

You also have a right to be annoyed. That is a goofy situation.

[sand and sea]

Originally Posted by fishbrains

Definitely call. Sometimes email gets filed into a filtered folder, people are out and do not check thoroughly or many other things. This sounds like a scheduling error on their part, but you need to take a bit of initiative and pick up the phone.

You also have a right to be annoyed. That is a goofy situation.

Thank you for your kind reply. So appreciated.

I called and got voice mail and left a message.

Then I got an email from a third person who appears not to know I was already hired saying I "show promise" and included in this email are the documents. Nothing regarding my email or the voice mail but this is a third person entirely.

Now I have another question. Along with the forms, they want a photo of my driver's license and social security card.

Is this..normal? If I sound non trusting it is because I am. And I have had friends fall victim to scams. I looked them up. They SEEM to be legit. They are not acredited by BBB but there are no complaints or scams and a few ratings on Glassdoor.

My DIVERS LICENSE? I am getting a bit leery. But I do t end to be a worrier. Is this the way it is done these days?

[LLCNYC]

These seems really fishy.

[fishbrains]

BBB means absolutely nothing. It is basically a pre-internet review system, and to be accredited by them costs $100/year or so. If you pay them money, they will remove the bad reviews, so basically a polite protection racket.

Give me three different email addresses, and I will give you three different glassdoor reviews.

Sounds a bit scammy to me, but nothing definitive. Do they have a business address? Can you get a google street view look at their place of business? Website? Can you find a reference to them on any external website? Have you checked the state department of revenue and found an entry?

Asking for a drivers license and social security card is pretty standard. They are the primary documents required to verify your ability to work in the US and register for tax withholding. Really, if they do not ask for these documents they are doing something wrong.

[sand and sea]

So I looked over the documents and now have even more questions.

It says I am being hired as a "mystery shopper". Problem i s..that is not the job I applied for. I have no idea what their talking about.

It also says I do not get paid weekly or every other week. I submit an invoice through snail mail and they pay me anywhere from a month after they receive the invoice.
Again..totally new to me. I use invoices of coarse but I have always done it through the internet..and there is always a day they pay..the first and last Friday for example.

They seem legit which is good news..they have a website. I was able to see their location.

But all this stuff is odd. I am not sure I am comfortable with the pay structure..since there isn't one. And I still do not like the license thing but I do not thin k it is a scam as they seem to be a valid company..just maybe a bit flaky,.

[Tardishal]

I'd be wary. It sounds more like a scam and I'd read up about them on Glassdoor.com

[fishbrains]

If mystery shopper is not what you applied for, then you need to be aware of a bait and switch on their part.

I did a couple of mystery shopping reports back in the day. Complete waste of time. They did pay eventually, but it took forever, and the compensation was far lower than minimum wage. Once I figured out the pathetic compensation I simply stopped bothering to complete assignments.

[sand and sea]

First off THANK YOU to all who have responded..very cool people on CD.

So I did find reviews of them and they of coarse range from "I love it here" to "don't work here"..LOL..it seems always that way with reviews so I do not take that seriously.

The mystery shopper thing..I went on their site..seems they offer that in ADDITION to other services..I do not blame you Fish for not doing that work anymore because I looked into it once and hear d exactly what you just told me.

I still want the job..I am thinking of just ignoring the license thing or telling them I do not drive (not a lie really..I had an injury and am not doing much driving these days). I also wonder if they want to see my license because maybe their mystery shoppers have to drive?

I am going to do this..call one of the higher ups and keep calling till I get someone and just ask the questions. I REALLY do not like the thought of getting paid..whenever. That maybe a deal breaker.

Think this is a good way to handle it? I really do not have any other options. I did say in my VM I could not train this week but hope I do not get an email later this week saying "why weren't you in training"? LOL.

[fishbrains]

Sorry, running out of things I can assist with.

If they do multiple things, with mystery shopper being one of many, they may have gotten your application mixed up, or assume that you want to do both. It is possible tha5 their mystery shopper pay structure and timetable is entirely different than the job you got.

They are going to need I’d to fill out an I-9 employment verification form. Look it up online and you can see the ids that suffice. If you are on a regular payroll and earn over $600/year, you need to provide them ID. This is no different than any other job you have held.

Anything else on my part is strictly speculation. Good luck.