*Special Evaluation Surveys*/pinecone

[1957horses]

Did anybody else get this email from Pinecone??

*Special Evaluation Surveys*

Invite To Our Business Evaluation Survey Projects !!! Compensation: 150.00USD Per Survey

To be considered for assignments..................

[Sherry67]

Is that the only text in the email? Nothing else? If so, I got the same email a couple of weeks ago -- let me guess, it says it's from Karen Scott (USA), correct? -- and I thought it was spam. It looks like many other spam messages I get from unknown companies, but with the "Karen Scott (USA)" name on it. If you'll notice, normally when you get survey invitations from Pinecone they do not have the (USA) in them...most of the time. Every now and then a legitimate email comes through with the (USA) in it -- usually one of those "different" surveys that we all have encountered here and there. But this email that you're describing did not look legitimate to me and so I ignored it.

Also notice that your ID and log-in info are on not anywhere in the message (I am assuming), and the message is extremely short, with no explanation. That is very, very unlike Pinecone.

In fact, I was going to write Pinecone about it to be sure that it was spam but I had written them about something else that I was waiting for a response to and hadn't heard back at that point. I didn't want to confuse their system with another email from me while the first topic was still open. When I send direct emails to Pinecone they tend to bounce back, but I'd like to forward that Special Evaluation email and run it by them to see if it is bogus or not. If I go through their Contact form on their website, I can't attach the email. I'd have to just copy and paste the text of it, which I don't want to do. I want them to see the actual email itself, with sending/date info and everything.

So, did you click on the link? And if so, what happened? Where did you end up?

[SeriousSurveyer]

I didn't get it but I'd say it's spam for sure. There are several Pinecone imitators around.

[1957horses]

Did anybody else get this email from pinecone??

*Special Evaluation Surveys*

Invite To Our Business Evaluation Survey Projects !!! Compensation: 150.00USD Per Survey

To be considered for assignments..................

This is what the body in the email says when yiu click on it

PROJECT -New Survey For Your Participation

You are invited to participate in our Western Union Valuation Surveys !!! {Compensation: $150 Per Survey}

Pinecone Research assigns over a 100,000 in-store surveys each year and has provided evaluation services for over 15 years.

Participating in our surveys is always free of charge, and we are always looking for enthusiastic new valuators.

Through our business evaluation survey, Pinecone Research delivers an accurate picture of the consumer experience

and services using on-profile people in real situations to report on their interaction.

Apply to join our panel and get paid to shop, enjoy leisure activities and directly influence which products gets developed to meet consumers demands.

To participate in assignments, please fill the requested application below:

Names:

Street Address:

Apt/Suite/Other:

(optional)

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Home Phone #: - -

Cell/Mobile Phone #: - -

Email:

Sincerely,

Karen Scott

Email: [email protected]

If you wish to opt out from receiving future emails from Pinecone Research, please click the link below:

http://www.pineconeresearch.com/OptOut/OptOut.asp

[avemaria]

did you copy and paste that or type it out? i can tell right away it's not valid because there is no such thing as 'Valuation'... this type of email is what she warned us about.

what was the sent from address?

[Sherry67]

Yep. I think it's bogus. A friend of mine fell victim to a "Western Union scam" through a phony Opinion Outpost invitation last year or the year before. She thought it was legitimate, and so she ended up doing whatever bogus task was asked (including cashing some sort of check), which then backfired by way of taking a chunk out of her bank account. I think she eventually got it fixed with the help of the bank, but it was scary.

The Pinecone email I got a couple of weeks ago (like yours) from Karen Scott (USA) just didn't feel right to me, so I didn't even click on the link in it for fear of getting a virus or something. Sure, it had the usual Karen Scott email address listed as the sender, but that's easy enough to pull off for any hacker or spammer these days.

[episemion]

There is a warning on the Pinecone site about this. The dead giveaway is that you will be testing Western Union. Also , if you are a member , why would you need to fill out the application? See: http://www.pineconeresearch.com/Importa ... Notice.htm

[rosiesmom]

Didn't get it, and if I did, I would be sending Pine Cone a little question if it was real.

[1957horses]

I didn't do it, but I did send it to Karen.................

[rosiesmom]

LOL! 1957horses, you make me laugh! I know you know better than to do those things. Wouldn't it be nice if we made that kind of money on Pinecone?

[avemaria]

i always thought it would be funny to see how long i could lead someone like that on that's trying to scam me.. make them believe as much as possible that they're about to get the money.. like if they send you a check and ask you to cash it for them, in which case you would be allowed to keep 10% of it or whatever number they offer.. they know it's a fake check but it's still funny to write back saying 'ok, i went to the bank and they cashed it but i have to wait 3 days to get the money... 3 days later (for the sake of just drawing out time and allowing greed and avarice to increase) you email them again telling them that the check cleared and you have the money.. now how do I go about getting your 90% to you? and this part is drawn out as long as humanly possible.. i'm having trouble wiring the money to you.. can I just send you the money in the mail? in which case they'd give you some address just to get the money.. (the thought of their check being cashed overshadows all reason at this point).. at this point i'd probably just mail a big stack of play money to them..

then i'd probably have a stalker for the rest of my life but hey.. it was fun

[1957horses]

i always thought it would be funny to see how long i could lead someone like that on that's trying to scam me.. make them believe as much as possible that they're about to get the money.. like if they send you a check and ask you to cash it for them, in which case you would be allowed to keep 10% of it or whatever number they offer.. they know it's a fake check but it's still funny to write back saying 'ok, i went to the bank and they cashed it but i have to wait 3 days to get the money... 3 days later (for the sake of just drawing out time and allowing greed and avarice to increase) you email them again telling them that the check cleared and you have the money.. now how do I go about getting your 90% to you? and this part is drawn out as long as humanly possible.. i'm having trouble wiring the money to you.. can I just send you the money in the mail? in which case they'd give you some address just to get the money.. (the thought of their check being cashed overshadows all reason at this point).. at this point i'd probably just mail a big stack of play money to them..

then i'd probably have a stalker for the rest of my life but hey.. it was fun

Funny you said that avemaria, I did exactly that to a person who want to give me money so they could move to the USA. I had him for weeks emailing me to get some funds up to get the money released. He wanted $12,000, the a few weeks later he said he was able to get all but $300. We must have emailed each other 40 times and 2 months. It was winter time and I just kept stringing along till he eventually quit emailing me................

[avemaria]

or when you 'get the money from the check'... you email them asking their advice.. 'i'm wondering, should I go and get a lawyer and have them draw up a contract saying I paid you properly percent?.. hmmm, i'm thinking 10% is a little low.. would you accept 75%?.. maybe I should ask the lawyer what to do before I mail the money...