MONEY MORAL DILEMMA. Should Heather take the money and run?

Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on:
Should Heather take the money and run?

Heather's been offered £100 to take part in a specialised survey about accounting companies, meant for people in the business. However, as a glamour model, she has no knowledge of the field or the companies that operate in it; she was recommended to the surveyors by an accountant friend of hers, who promised she could make up the answers, but she's not sure about doing so. Should Heather take the money and run?

Click reply to have your say

Previous MMDs:
Would you contribute to the cost of repair?
Would you report him to the police?

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Comments

  • Gorf123
    Gorf123 Posts: 77
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    Should she take part? Absolutely!

    If it were for a charity or an industry where valid opinion can make a worthwhile difference, I'd be more reticent; but nor for accountants. If her inexperience bites anyone, it will be the bloke who recommended her. She should take the money.

    I don't suppose you know her number...?
  • Little_Chicken
    Little_Chicken Posts: 2,798
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    Yeah - take the money....statistics bloody statistics n all that!
    :grin: Save me from spending...
    Sealed Pot Challenge 2008 - £1004:T 2009 - £1139 2010 - £1260 :j 2011 - £1557 2012 - £740 :beer: No 195 Target £1k
  • russimp
    russimp Posts: 28 Forumite
    Take the money and blag it!! These research companies have more money than sense and normally only give it out to people who are earning plenty anyway (and these people often end up completing these surveys during their work time, when they're already getting paid anyway. And I'm speaking from experience - I've done a few myself - kerr ching!!). It's truly amazing the amount of cash these companies chuck around to get the information they're after. In my line of work it's usually drug companies.

    Of course, as a glamour model, Heather may already be earning a fortune and a survey like this (which would take what? - 20/30 mins, usually??) might not be worth her while... but more than likely not, eh?!?

    Take the cash, 'Evva!!
    If I've made a grammatical error and you're pointing it out, I'd just like to say :T "Thanks" in advance. You big person, you ;)
  • Dorrie
    Dorrie Posts: 66
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    Definitely not! One - she would be lying, and two - she is taking money under false pretenses, which amounts to stealing.
  • bigpat
    bigpat Posts: 328
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    Yes she should take part. It's up to the company to verify her credentials and maybe they should be ore selective in their recruitment. Anyway, they're going to take her opinions and make money by selling the results of their survey.
  • Yes, she should take part. It would make up for all the times Ciao has asked her loads of questions only to tell her she isn't "eligible for this survey". Not that I'm bitter, or anything.
  • Kazza1
    Kazza1 Posts: 18 Forumite
    As a self-employed market researcher, I would definitely say that she should NOT take the money. A lot of market research is carried out by people like me - we are not big corporations.

    When we quote for a piece of work, we quote a fixed price. If we get someone who turns up who has clearly lied (but refuses to admit it), we then have the hassle of finding another person to make up the numbers and have to pay them too. This means that I am personally out of pocket. I'm sure, if the same thing happened to other people and their company deducted the costs from their wages, they would also agree that she should not take the money!

    It is also unlikely that she will be able to bluff her way through an in-depth interview or a focus group as these tend to be quite detailed so she probably won't even understand the questions. She will just end up feeling embarrassed.
  • The company concerned is offering the money based upon an independent recommendation so Heather need have no qualms about accepting the money. The question of any obligation to the accountant "friend" is of course her own business . . .
  • rickfick
    rickfick Posts: 6 Forumite
    She should complete the survey so long as she does not provide false information or lie...

    ...unless the survey specifically asks if she falls into a certain category. Even if it does, she should tell the truth and take the reward.

    If the company leading the survey were so keen on targeting a specific cross-section of society, then they should have a way of measuring that.

    She can bag the cash, and leave with her conscience intact. It's win/win!!
  • olly300
    olly300 Posts: 14,736
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    I don't see why there is a dilemma.

    If she is a glamour model then she is either self-employed or has set up her own limited company, like other sports stars and celebraties. This means she has a business and is likely to use an accountant at least once a year.

    While she may not know a lot about accountanting companies she just needs to tell the truth about her own business afairs and take the money.

    The only people who I've met who know a lot about accounting companies are accountants themselves, or people who run small businesses. The people who run small businesses who know a lot about accountants have generally had to change accountants a few times due to being unhappy with the service their previous accountant(s) provides.
    I'm not cynical I'm realistic :p

    (If a link I give opens pop ups I won't know I don't use windows)
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