Lying to get a PRO card

[MiCHiE]

It's a paid program, so MAC is making $35 for every person they approve/year. I'm a cosmetologist. I used to have a Pro card. I think they approve most people in the industry because of the potential clients they reach which, in turn, helps MAC. I think it's wrong for people to abuse the system, but there were users here who have inquired about printing up a biz card or getting a letter of recommendation in hopes of being approved. If MAC wants the program to be strictly for people who are "professionals", they can most certainly change their guidelines.

 

[ClaireAvril]

I also believe that it is none of your business to rat on her.

Karma will come back to her.. it may not be now.. maybe not tomorrow.. but eventually it will.

We shouldn't concern ourselves with what other people are doing and focus on ourselves.. and our lives..
She will get hers.
When she brags just shrugg it off. It should make you feel better because you know you are an honest person.

C

 

[NicksWifey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fafinette21 I'm kind of confused about some of the comments here. If it was so easy for this woman to fake her way into a PRO card then how come so many of you know people who are ACTUALLY in the makeup industry but they can't get cards? Shouldn't it be just as easy for them to get one? I don't think you necessarily need a license though. I think you could be self taught and be as brilliant and knowledgable about everything as someone professionally trained is.

I see what you mean. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who can do makeup & even hair wonderfully and have never had formal instruction before.
My beef is, this woman has no ounce or lick of any kind of training and she's using the PRO card for her own selfish motives because her husband gets mad at her for spending so much money on MAC each month. She's scamming MAC now and she's done it before to other companies. This woman cannot do makeup worth a crap and I honestly do not know why she wastes her money on so much MAC all the time, it's just ridiculous.

This person has horrible morals and I cannot wait until everything she's done, finally catches up with her.

I'm not sure what she did to jazz up her so-called letter of recc and a business card, but it's just not fair to those who actually can do makeup and are professionals (and even if they aren't professionals but can still do makeup amazing) that can't get them.
This girl is just a bored little secretary/housewife who wants to take companies for a ride.

She does it all the time, with her huge shipments of MAC each week. For example, she really loved Smoke & Diamonds eyeshadow when she got her package a few weeks ago. She didn't feel like buying another, so she called MAC's 1-800 # and told them that she had received everything in her order, minus S&D eyeshadow. They asked her for a little number that was stamped on the packing slip that it's in a circle and they sent her out an S&D eyeshadow for FREE, 2 day air by UPS because she lied and told them she never got one. She got an eyeshadow for free, just because she didn't feel like forking over another $14.50. So that's two eyeshadows, for the price of one, at the cost of MAC. It's just wrong.

 

[NicksWifey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClaireAvril I also believe that it is none of your business to rat on her. Karma will come back to her.. it may not be now.. maybe not tomorrow.. but eventually it will. We shouldn't concern ourselves with what other people are doing and focus on ourselves.. and our lives.. She will get hers. When she brags just shrugg it off. It should make you feel better because you know you are an honest person. C

I know what you mean, but I think the whole situation is total nuts. She's abusing the program and there's no other way to put it.
I'm sure there are also tons of other people out there doing the same thing. We would all love a discount on cosmetics, but I'm not going to run out and do the same thing as those people. It just makes you wonder sometimes, why karma takes forever to come back around

 

[fafinette21]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NicksWifey She does it all the time, with her huge shipments of MAC each week. For example, she really loved Smoke & Diamonds eyeshadow when she got her package a few weeks ago. She didn't feel like buying another, so she called MAC's 1-800 # and told them that she had received everything in her order, minus S&D eyeshadow. They asked her for a little number that was stamped on the packing slip that it's in a circle and they sent her out an S&D eyeshadow for FREE, 2 day air by UPS because she lied and told them she never got one. She got an eyeshadow for free, just because she didn't feel like forking over another $14.50. So that's two eyeshadows, for the price of one, at the cost of MAC. It's just wrong.

Wow! That's just ridiculous. It's people like her that will make it harder to return things, or harder to get stuff replaced when people are ACTUALLY missing things from their shipments or something is damaged.

 

[Beauty Mark]

You'd think MAC would track that shit more. It would be obvious that there's theft going on.

From what I understand of the PRO discount, MAC gives it to people who have makeup or their face as an important part of their job and will probably buy more than any of us and/or recommend it to others. I don't know what you all consider a "professional", but that's how I read the application. Regardless of your definition, the PRO discount is not for someone to use for personal use only.

 

[ms.marymac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NicksWifey I see what you mean. I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who can do makeup & even hair wonderfully and have never had formal instruction before. My beef is, this woman has no ounce or lick of any kind of training and she's using the PRO card for her own selfish motives because her husband gets mad at her for spending so much money on MAC each month. She's scamming MAC now and she's done it before to other companies. This woman cannot do makeup worth a crap and I honestly do not know why she wastes her money on so much MAC all the time, it's just ridiculous. This person has horrible morals and I cannot wait until everything she's done, finally catches up with her. I'm not sure what she did to jazz up her so-called letter of recc and a business card, but it's just not fair to those who actually can do makeup and are professionals (and even if they aren't professionals but can still do makeup amazing) that can't get them. This girl is just a bored little secretary/housewife who wants to take companies for a ride. She does it all the time, with her huge shipments of MAC each week. For example, she really loved Smoke & Diamonds eyeshadow when she got her package a few weeks ago. She didn't feel like buying another, so she called MAC's 1-800 # and told them that she had received everything in her order, minus S&D eyeshadow. They asked her for a little number that was stamped on the packing slip that it's in a circle and they sent her out an S&D eyeshadow for FREE, 2 day air by UPS because she lied and told them she never got one. She got an eyeshadow for free, just because she didn't feel like forking over another $14.50. So that's two eyeshadows, for the price of one, at the cost of MAC. It's just wrong.

Wow, anytime I have ordered, there is a pen mark on each item listed, indicating that a person physically checked off the items that were in the box.
I guess if someone calls pitching a fit, I guess there's not much a company can do. That is such bs.

And the poor MAs that had to get reprimanded for probably nothing all because she wanted a free clear lipglass.

 

[xbrookecorex]

From all the different makeup websites/communities I'm a member of I know a TON of people who have done this. I actually think this summer there was a big 'bang' of people doing it because it's becoming common knowledge how anyone can get a pro card and anyone can fake the documents with basic knowledge on their computer. If you send in the documentation they ask for, they approve you. And in my oppinion they BETTER approve you because they're the only cosmetics company that charges a FEE to makeup artists to be part of their program.

Sorry everyone, but I'm not on 'Mac's side' for this. I love Mac products just as much (maybe more than) the next person but I still view them as an 'evil empire industry' that only cares about the $$$ (see various threads about how they value selling over artistry) so I don't care at all if people are being immoral with them.

 

[gigiopolis]

^ Hm. I don't know, I really think it's a win-win situation here when it comes to MAC PRO.

MAC charges a fee for each card-holder, sure, but the fee isn't really a big deal since you can EASILY make up for the $35 in discounts in like, one haul. I don't know how that's a problem. The reward for the price is WAY better than most cosmetics companies I know of. I can hardly think of a cosmetics company's program off the top of my head because very few of them even offer one, let alone one as awesome as MAC's. I'm thinking of Bobbi Brown right now, and while it's free, the only benefit I get is the first news on new products. Yeah, like I can't do some online research and find out myself.

MAC is a company, after all. It's in their best interest to make money, and we, as MAC lovers, should sympathize with that. If they didn't make money, we probably wouldn't be able to use MAC in the future because it would go bankrupt. If you really want companies not to care about money, then what you're expecting is for them to manufacture products and give them to you for free. That's naive.

A company's care for cash does not make them "evil", because every single cosmetics company does the same just to keep themselves alive. What we should look at is, while MAC does care about money, is how they ARE valuing artistry, moreso than a lot of other brands. At least there exists a program that helps artists out there (even though it's being abused, as seen in this thread), at least there seems to be an obligation for them to keep up with trends and provide great quality products at a reasonable price. And their customer service is one of the best in the industry. Hatin' on MAC for being what a company ought to be just seems a little strange to me.

 

[NicksWifey]

I think it's wonderful MAC has the PRO card program but to those who abuse it, fuck them in the ass and what goes around comes around.
I personally think MAC should make it harder to get a PRO card, than just to assume every Tom, Dick & Harry that applies for one is a true professional. I don't think they even check references? Obviously not or the chick I know wouldn't have hers.

 

[Beauty Mark]

Quote:

Sorry everyone, but I'm not on 'Mac's side' for this. I love Mac products just as much (maybe more than) the next person but I still view them as an 'evil empire industry' that only cares about the $$$ (see various threads about how they value selling over artistry) so I don't care at all if people are being immoral with them.

I'm not a big fan of MAC's ways of cheating the makeup artist business (I actually use very little MAC because of that), but I still acknowledge it's wrong to cheat the company. IMO, they're separate issues, since some people in the makeup industry still choose to use MAC when there are (IMO) better products available for most uses.

Abuse will affect everyone, just like people who steal in stores get affected. I think it's wrong to cheat in general and two wrongs aren't making a right.

 

[babiid0llox]

She seems to me, to be pretty selfish. She is abusing the privilege of a PRO card. I swear if they take the PRO system away....I would be very very angry hehe.

 

[34macfan]

Yes, I have heard of someone telling the same little story, but i think being the good person you are, Just let it go its the world always looking fora discount. Maybe she is one of those people who have spent over there limit and is now trying to keep a habit, she feels so deeply for. some people don't feel there wrong because they don't mean bad things by it. Like maybe she looks at it as just a discount not free. This one Artist told me she turned some of her friends in now thats Creepy

 

[34macfan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark I'm not a big fan of MAC's ways of cheating the makeup artist business (I actually use very little MAC because of that), but I still acknowledge it's wrong to cheat the company. IMO, they're separate issues, since some people in the makeup industry still choose to use MAC when there are (IMO) better products available for most uses. Abuse will affect everyone, just like people who steal in stores get affected. I think it's wrong to cheat in general and two wrongs aren't making a right.

Great point

 

[goldspice]

wait....whats all the hype about?...the cost price of manufacturing any makeup items is in the range of pennies!...plastic containers r no more then 25 cents each to manufacture..and the eyeshadows alone are even cheaper to concoct! Why do u think almost all designer makeup have a full refund/exchange policy implemented. Reason is because they are losing next to nothing in the first place...your essentially paying for the label which is just a HYPE tht the consumer world buys into. I am in the business of makeup..and believe me..these high end companies WANT u to beleive tht there products r more then there REALLY worth. Personally..there's no point in reporting anyone, if anything the high end companies r abusing the sheep mentality tht the consumers buy into.

 

[gigiopolis]

Well, I honestly think that as consumers, we just buy into it. Try selling me a $1 eyeshadow, and tell me it's as good as a MAC one. Would you honetly buy it? I've been trained into thinking that $1 eyeshadow is a load of crap, and crap is NOT going on my face. We definitely have caused the industry to be like this; they're just giving us what we want.

But I don't think that disagreeing with a company's morals/ethics justifies cheating the system, at all. Sure, it may cost MAC little to nothing to manufacture the products, and losing money to fradulent PRO card-holders is probably just a drop in the bucket, but it's inherently wrong, and frankly, hypocritical to punish a cheating system by cheating yourself.

 

[ms_bloom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark I'm not a big fan of MAC's ways of cheating the makeup artist business (I actually use very little MAC because of that), but I still acknowledge it's wrong to cheat the company. IMO, they're separate issues, since some people in the makeup industry still choose to use MAC when there are (IMO) better products available for most uses. Abuse will affect everyone, just like people who steal in stores get affected. I think it's wrong to cheat in general and two wrongs aren't making a right.

I basically agree 100% with Beauty Mark, except that I can appreciate MAC's marketing savvy and separate that from their products, which I (generally) love. But they are separate issues. Looking the other way - as in, only intervening if it is "our business" - fosters an attitude of self-centredness on a societal level. We shouldn't ignore these things just because they don't affect us directly. It's almost like being an accessory

Trivial things, maybe let those go, but this woman is a repeat offender.

 

[ClaireAvril]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NicksWifey I know what you mean, but I think the whole situation is total nuts. She's abusing the program and there's no other way to put it. I'm sure there are also tons of other people out there doing the same thing. We would all love a discount on cosmetics, but I'm not going to run out and do the same thing as those people. It just makes you wonder sometimes, why karma takes forever to come back around

Well sometimes karma doesn't even come around during the person's lifetime. Sometimes payback is on their judgement day.

Every dishonest thing we do will come back to us.. also with the good things that we do. We see people being dishonest all around us - i know there are some things that we should speak up about... have you told her your feelings about what she's doing? I would tell her she got that card in a dishonest way and I don't want that type of negativity around me.. so don't talk about it or brag about it around me.
Maybe she will stop and think about what she did. And if she doesn't.. well if someone is going to be dishonest with something like that then she could be dishonest about many other things. Tells you a lot about her character and if she is someone that you can really trust.

 

[erine1881]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldspice wait....whats all the hype about?...the cost price of manufacturing any makeup items is in the range of pennies!...plastic containers r no more then 25 cents each to manufacture..and the eyeshadows alone are even cheaper to concoct! Why do u think almost all designer makeup have a full refund/exchange policy implemented. Reason is because they are losing next to nothing in the first place...your essentially paying for the label which is just a HYPE tht the consumer world buys into. I am in the business of makeup..and believe me..these high end companies WANT u to beleive tht there products r more then there REALLY worth. Personally..there's no point in reporting anyone, if anything the high end companies r abusing the sheep mentality tht the consumers buy into.

well believe me when i say that i see a difference in the quality beween these higher end brands and drugstore brands, and will gladly pay more for the name.

 

[ClaireAvril]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldspice wait....whats all the hype about?...the cost price of manufacturing any makeup items is in the range of pennies!...plastic containers r no more then 25 cents each to manufacture..and the eyeshadows alone are even cheaper to concoct! Why do u think almost all designer makeup have a full refund/exchange policy implemented. Reason is because they are losing next to nothing in the first place...your essentially paying for the label which is just a HYPE tht the consumer world buys into. I am in the business of makeup..and believe me..these high end companies WANT u to beleive tht there products r more then there REALLY worth. Personally..there's no point in reporting anyone, if anything the high end companies r abusing the sheep mentality tht the consumers buy into.

This is true.. not just with makeup.. but clothing etc. These companies pay people in third world countries pennies a day to make clothing that cost the company next to nothing to make then turn around and sell something like jeans for 100 dollars.
Still don't think we have to stoop to a level of dishonesty to stick it to em.

bbuut, you can see the difference between something like MAC makeup and some drug store brands. You can tell that there is a little more work put into MAC's products when you compare it to something like.. wet and wild.

You are paying for the name but I do think the quality is a bit better.