Too Trusting

I have been on the quest to find some part-time work from home jobs. My first attempt has been to post some opportunities on craigslist (see Kristy's Boutique for my ads) and to apply to some of the telecommuting positions on there. I have always been a trusting person. I know people criticize the internet and warn others about predators and all that scary stuff. I've always just discounted it, that if you play it safe you'll be fine (which I still believe by the way). I have never experienced anything evenly remotely skeptical online, because I usually just browse sites.  Well, after this craigslist experience I have a little different view. Nothing really bad happened, it just made me feel stupid and realize how serious things could be if you are not cautious.  Here's my story.
I posted a tutoring "add" on craigslist that I was available to tutor for such and such (see Kristy's Boutique). Later that night I got three responses and I was so excited! Here were my responses:

From Kim C.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 4:52 AM

I've been trying to contact you about coming in late this week, but for some reason I don't think you are getting my emails. Is there a way you can come in this week, or maybe we can schedule another time thats convenient for you? Please let me know, and thanks in advance!

Kim C.


Then 2 hours later I receive this email from Sara Castle

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 6:20 AM

I'm sending this again incase you didn't get it the first one. Is your schedule open for this week or maybe the week after? We can also do whatever works for you, but I definitely would like you to come in. Let me know if you can!

Kim C

Then 30 minutes later I receive this email from from Gloria Cupp

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 6:51 AM

I'm looking to employ someone either this week or the week after. Just wondering if you were still available for work. If so, let me know!

It appeared to me that these were all from the same person and of course I didn't really pay attention to the time that they were sent. So I simply replied back that yes I was available what times were you needing?  Luckily this was all I wrote, I did not send out my phone number.
 I sent this on Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 9:10 am.

Then I received the following email:
From: Christine K <christinek@infobiaresearch.com>
To: ta
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2011 6:47 PM
Subject: Re: Wrong CL Post, PLEASE READ!!

Hey, this is Kim. I had replied to you're resume posting on CL earlier by mistake (I sent you an email from two of my personal accounts asking if you were able to come in next week). We are looking for a new receptionist to come in this week for our office (I work for a research company and I was EXTREMELY tired when I got in earlier) and I believe I may have your ad mixed up with someone elses ad. I was actually meaning to get in contact with a person who has an ad a few spots above yours, not the one you posted, but I ended up responding to your ad unintentionally, thats why my message seemed so vague. I did not want to be rude and not answer your email incase you were waiting on a reply from me, I just wanted to let you know that it wasn't your ad I was responding to.

Kim

P.S.- If you want, I can see if I can get you in to the study group we are having this Saturday (September 24th) since I already contacted you anyway. The event is a one hour focus group discussion (pre-testing for an electronic product being released next year) , and its paying about $150 bucks. I'm not sure how old you are, but as long as your over 18, you should be able to get through (I'm assuming you are over 18).

If you want to sign up for it, you can use the form on our site at infobiagrouppanels.com/septembersignup and give me a call at the office once you signed up, (888) 552-8301 and hit extension 34. I'll be in the office for another hour so you can call me now if you would like to ask any questions. If by chance you don't reach me this afternoon the best time to call is during the week around 6:30pm or so as I'm usually really busy during the day. You can also call Josh, at extension 23, as he's one of the panel coordinator's for this Saturday.

I can't make any guarantees since I'm not working on this particular panel, but I'll see what I can do if your interested. Anyway, good luck out there. And again, sorry for responding to your post unintentionally and waiting so late in the week to inform you about this! I figured doing this would make up for my little "mistaken identity" accident! Have a blessed day!

Kim Christine Smith
Panel Supervisor
PG Studies Inc.
Phone-(888)405-7420
Ex 34
Direct-(888)566-3354
Global Research You Can Count On!




Unsubscribe

------------------------------
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE
This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are the property of Infobiapanels, Inc.,  and is intended only for the named recipient(s) above. If it has been sent to you in error,  please notify the sender by reply e-mail. Any other use, retention, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this e-mail is strictly forbidden by the Federal HIPAA Laws.
Thank you for your consideration.

AND I TOTALLY FELL FOR IT! I didn't notice that little unsubscribe button right about the Confidentiality notice. I thought it odd that she said a couple days ago but didn't really think anything of it. I currently am in a group that does focus groups and I've even already gotten paid for one $50, so I just assumed this was the same thing. So this was my response:

Thanks Kim for the email! I totally understand. I appreciate your letting me know.  Actually I would be interested in the study depending on where it is. I am over 18 (30 actually :o) I just signed up (I think I just put my name and email in the section it asked for it).  I will give you a call at 6:30ish tomorrow to find out more.

Thanks!

Kristy DiGiacomo

Then I got thinking (of course, me and my thinking) and sent this email (stupid me):

Hi Kim it's Kristy again. I was actually thinking, is your research firm in Columbus? I have been looking for some supplemental income and I am at a loss for where to even start (hence my craigslist post). I am a stay at home mom and I'm currently babysitting, but I'm looking to stop babysitting and just have my kids, and ideally work from home, or part-time from home. I know some mom's that are willing to trade off babysitting so that each can do part-time work. I would LOVE to get into the research field! I have a Bachelors of Science in psychology and couldn't decide what to do when I graduated. I thought in order to get anywhere with psychology I would have to obtain a master's degree. I had two routes I was going to go, working with kids or doing research. I decided to go with kids and got my Masters of Education in Special Education. Well come to find out, being an intervention specialist isn't what I thought it was. After having my boys, I had a hard time going to work to get paid, not very much because I wasn't teaching, and all that was going to child care. Hence, staying at home and babysitting. However, I'm not the babysitting type. I love researching. I always tell my husband (a teacher) that when we win the lottery I'm going to go back and get my PhD so I can do research (not sure what kind because I like an array of fields, child psy, industrial psy, social psy, etc). But, anyway, now that you know my whole life story, I was wondering how you got into the research field. Does it require a particular kind of masters degree or is a bachelors degree enough?  Thanks for any information you can provide!!!

Kristy

I always try to look up companies I'm dealing with on the internet and so I thought it wouldn't hurt to check this chick out since I just proposed she help me out.  Well this is what I found, a plethora of others posting this SAME EXACT email that I had received. (Here are some links: http://flakelist.org/page/viewpub/tid/1/pid/4841 http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/767931/beware_of_vindale_research_scam_paid.html?cat=3) I was infuriated, not only did I feel completely and totally stupid, but I had been excited that maybe after all this time (I have been looking for online work on and off since I was pregnant with Joseph almost 4 years ago) I was finally getting somewhere. But, alas, no I was just taken for a sucker. So beware and never give out any personal information! Luckily, I just told her about myself, which is really quite harmless, but I could have seen being like contact here is all my information.