"LW Research"? I think I just got conned

I received a voice message from "LW Research" telling me that they are not selling anything but just do research for the auto industry and that, as a Prius owner, I have been invited to participate in a user discussion during the week of October 20 in Alexandria, VA. I would be paid $220 to attend the discussion.

So, I thought it sounded interesting and called back. She basically told me the same thing again, and said that the meetings would be at 8pm on October 20 or 21, and they would let me know. If I was interested, I would be be asked some screening questions. Again, I said okay. She then proceeded to ask me a whole slew of questions, ranging from my age, education, and income level, to why I bought the car, and whether I am involved in any environmental activities, etc., etc. At one point, I asked how much longer it was going to take, and she said it's almost over -- which is was. But I had been on the phone for 30 or 40 minutes by that time. When it was over, she told me that they are going to call me back and let me know whether they would be able to fit me in to one of the discussions. She then went on to say that each group will consist of 10 or 12 people, and that the discussion isn't limited to the Prius, but will include other types of cars!

By this time, I was beginning to catch on. "Wait a minute," I said..."If I don't get to go to one of the discussions, I don't get the $220 or whatever it is..." and she said right. And I say, "You've already gotten what you want from me...you've taken a full survey masqueraded as a "screening", and now you're telling me that the "group discussion" is just for 10 or 12 people?? If somebody calls me back and tells me I "didn't get in" I'm going to be really angry!

Oh well...it's not a big deal. I didn't give them any critical information...just answered standard survey type questions... but I'm really pissed that that I allowed myself to let them talk me into doing something (i.e., spend time answering a survey) that I might not have been willing to do if they had asked me straight out whether I'm willing to take a survey.

Edit:
I was wondering whether anybody else has received a similar call and what came of it? I'm also wondering what to say if they call me back. If they say I "got in", I'm not sure whether to accept. On the one hand, I'm kind of curious; on the other, it sounds like a waste of time, since it's not even just for Prius owners. If they tell me there was no room to accommodate me, which is what I'm expecting, I'm going to be pretty annoyed. I must be one of hundreds whom they invited, but the two meetings are only for 10-12 people? To me that's deceptive.

 

I should add that she told me the group discussion would be about what we liked/didn't like about the our car and it's paid for by the auto manufacturer in order to make improvements in the future.

 

Yes, I didn't feel that they asked me for any information that they could use to cheat me out of anything, which is why I continued to answer the questions. However, what irritated me was that I felt they basically got their survey questions answered under false pretenses -- they didn't just come and ask me if I would mind answering questions for a survey. They called them "screening" questions after having told me that I was invited to participate in the user meetings. And then, after keeping me on the phone all that time, they tell me that they'll let me know whether there would be room for me. I had assumed, erroneously, that we're talking about a large number of people and of course they wouldn't know up front exactly how many people would accept the invitation. But when they said it would be one of two meetings with just 10 or 12 people -- how likely is it that there would be "room" for me? I had also assumed that it was for Prius owners, since they told me that is why they called me and were asking me things about enviironment, but found out that it wasn't just limited to a discussion about the the Prius.

I did Google them and it seems to be a legit business.

 

Thanks. They DID call me back and sent me an invitation to their "important research discussion".

I have to do a pre-meeting assignment too! Meaning, homework!

The invitation says No CELL PHONES, CAMERAS, or PALM PILOTS allowed. Palm Pilots??? I guess it's all right if I take my Blackberry and iPod.

 

I wasn't conned...just rejected!

Well, I spent a few hours doing my pre-meeting homework (a Powerpoint "Web Page" -- they said to find pictures in magazines, on the Web, etc. and GLUE them to the pages -- but, not having any glue, I had to resort to pasting them electronically ). The day before, somebody called to confirm my attendance, and asked me whether I had looked at the Honda Insight. I told him I had seen one and read about it, but hadn't test driven it or anything because I hadn't really considered buying anything else except the Prius.

I ended up being one of the last people to arrive even though I was in the area 45 minutes earlier because first, I had to find somewhere to eat and when I found a place it took forever to get the appetizer I ordered at the bar. Then, when I got to the place, the front door was locked and ringing the doorbell didn't seem to produce any results. I wasn't sure I was at the right entrance, but I finally got let in.

When I arrived, they first asked me for my homework assignment, then I had to fill out yet another questionnaire. There was a room with a couple of tables where a bunch of people were gathered, some filling out their questionnaire, and others talking about their cars. After handing in my form, I was asked to wait again. A few minutes later, a guy comes back and tells us that they wanted to ensure that there were enough people in the focus group so they overbooked and would be sending three people home, although they would be paid.

Guess who was one of the three? I was quite disappointed because I really wanted to find out what it was all about but I did get to talk to the two others who had also been turned down and met their 2010s. One had a silver IV with solar, and the other had a black V, which I hadn't had a chance to see up close before then.

My speculation is that the client was Honda and they were only interested in talking to Prius owners who had actually considered the Insight. And that the only reason they had called me back in the first place was because I had made such a stink about answering all those questions over the phone.hwell: Oh well. I did make $225 but I feel I earned it after all the time I spent on the phone, doing the homework, driving to the place, and then filling out another questionnaire!

 

Re: Not conned...just rejected..

What was the panel you participated in about?

I might be wrong but I don't think they ever intended to include me and only invited me because I had made such a fuss on the phone about being conned into answering all their survey questions.

Instead of telling me upfront that they would be asking me some questions to make sure I fit the demographic they needed, they made it sound like I was already invited and that they just needed to ask a couple of screening questions. I thought it would be to verify that I do actually own and drive a 2010 Prius, that sort of screening. They did ask me whether I had looked at any other cars (I don't remember whether they asked me about the Honda Insight specifically) but that was just one of numerous questions ranging from age, education, income level, etc. to my environmental interests and what I like best about the car. After I had finished answering all their questions, they told me I would be given a call to let me know whether there would be room for me in the first or second session. Then they told me that the sessions are for 10-12 people and there may not be room in either. I was sure they had called a lot of people and there was little likelihood that I would be invited, so that's when I started to suspect that this was just a way of getting people to answer a survey without telling them it's survey.

Everybody received the same amount -- $225.