Research Specialists Incorporated (RSI) Anyone heard of this Co?

**ren ramsey** · 03-07-2013, 06:36 PM

Research Specialists Incorporated (RSI) Anyone heard of this Co? They claim to have contacted me through the SOFI and asked me to fill out their application, but their app ask a lot of questions that could be used for ID theft. weird stuff like of course Social, but eye color, hair color, height. None of that is necesary to use me for a job. Just smelled fishy

Similar Threads:

**Stuart Brooks** · 03-08-2013, 10:34 AM

They come up when Googled as a Credit Reporting Company. But, I agree, it sounds like a phishing attempt. If they didn't contact you first by phone then it's a 0.99 probability that it's a scam. And, if they were legitimate, they certainly wouldn't ask for all those personal details. Scammers can use any company name to send out email. They've used mine and probably have used yours too. You know when you get junk email from your company.

To me, it's a no-brainer that it should be internationally illegal to send email with false headers. Make the penalty really really harsh.

johnmika1 · 03-08-2013, 03:44 PM

Yes, they are a legit company performing insurance inspections. They contacted me and I filled out the application later to find out it was a waste of time. I was curious what they paid and it was pretty silly. Something like $20 and you need to make multiple attempts to contact the owners and file paperwork and reports with them within a specific time frame or no pay. And then you get paid several weeks from the invoice date.You will also need commercial insurance , take a online test and assume all risk, all for about $5 per hr. It was really a joke and unless you are really hurting I would not bother with any of these companies. I have them call me at least a couple times a month and I tell them all the same thing, $100 an hour minimum. I think we are worth at least that. I'm sure they charge their clients that much or more. You would be surprised at how most people will not even question that fee, except these insurance inspection companies. I think all of the pros should stay out of that racket, it cheapens our work.
We should have the same mentality as lawyers. Its hard to find one for under $200/hr. We are experts with years of knowledge and should be paid for it. I find the most expensive inspectors keep busy and have quality clients that appreciate their level of professionalism.

Originally Posted by Stuart Brooks

They come up when Googled as a Credit Reporting Company. But, I agree, it sounds like a phishing attempt. If they didn't contact you first by phone then it's a 0.99 probability that it's a scam. And, if they were legitimate, they certainly wouldn't ask for all those personal details. Scammers can use any company name to send out email. They've used mine and probably have used yours too. You know when you get junk email from your company.

To me, it's a no-brainer that it should be internationally illegal to send email with false headers. Make the penalty really really harsh.

**David Tobias** · 02-07-2014, 03:54 PM

Hello-

My name is David Tobias and I am the owner of Research Specialists and I just came across this post. I'd me happy to personally answer any of your questions at dtobias@rsireports.com. I can assure you we are in fact a legitimate company licensed in CA. You can look up or state License here-http://kepler.sos.ca.gov/ with lic. # C0634500. Also our state PI license can be found here- http://www2.dca.ca.gov/pls/wllpub/WLLQRYNA$LCEV2.QueryView?P_LICENSE_NUMBER=5236&P_L TE_ID=651

Please dont hesitate to contact me with any questions.
David Tobias
dtobias@rsireports.com
Research Specialists Inc. Insurance Inspections

**Scott Patterson** · 02-08-2014, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by David Tobias

Hello-

My name is David Tobias and I am the owner of Research Specialists and I just came across this post. I'd me happy to personally answer any of your questions at dtobias@rsireports.com. I can assure you we are in fact a legitimate company licensed in CA. You can look up or state License here-http://kepler.sos.ca.gov/ with lic. # C0634500. Also our state PI license can be found here- http://www2.dca.ca.gov/pls/wllpub/WLLQRYNA$LCEV2.QueryView?P_LICENSE_NUMBER=5236&P_L TE_ID=651

Please dont hesitate to contact me with any questions.
David Tobias
dtobias@rsireports.com
Research Specialists Inc. Insurance Inspections

Why do you pay so little?

Just a simple address verification 5 miles away will take a person about an hour after they drive, take photos and then report the findings. Personally my minimum hourly rate is $225 an hour, regardless of what I'm doing unless it is litigation work and then it is higher.

As soon a folks realize that Field type work or inspections just do not pay enough to justify doing them the better we will all be. A person could make more as a greeter at Wal-Mart or as a Tilt-a-Whirl greaser!

**David Tobias** · 02-08-2014, 01:19 PM

Scott-

Hope all is well. I appreciate your point and understand where you are coming from thats why we allow our inspectors get get pre-approval for higher fees before doing the inspection so we can ask our clients for that approval. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

Why do you pay so little?

Just a simple address verification 5 miles away will take a person about an hour after they drive, take photos and then report the findings. Personally my minimum hourly rate is $225 an hour, regardless of what I'm doing unless it is litigation work and then it is higher.

As soon a folks realize that Field type work or inspections just do not pay enough to justify doing them the better we will all be. A person could make more as a greeter at Wal-Mart or as a Tilt-a-Whirl greaser!

**Scott Patterson** · 02-08-2014, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by David Tobias

Scott-

Hope all is well. I appreciate your point and understand where you are coming from thats why we allow our inspectors get get pre-approval for higher fees before doing the inspection so we can ask our clients for that approval. Thanks.

That is a pretty evasive and political type response, but I give you credit for responding.

Coastal Palm · 06-22-2015, 08:23 PM

I have been doing work for RSI for quite some time now. They are a great bunch of people and very easy to deal with.

**Mark Reinmiller** · 06-23-2015, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by Coastal Palm

I have been doing work for RSI for quite some time now. They are a great bunch of people and very easy to deal with.

Interesting that you joined the forum yesterday and I assume are using a made up name.

Jody Wallace · 02-25-2019, 11:35 AM

I just received the same email today. I joined SOFI because it was free, and supposedly RSI found me through them. I'm looking forward to more input on this company.

**harvey kelly** · 05-30-2019, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by Jody Wallace

I just received the same email today. I joined SOFI because it was free, and supposedly RSI found me through them. I'm looking forward to more input on this company.

RSI is a legitimate company and I have worked for then as a contractor doing insurance inspection for the past 7 years. They are based in California and various companies hire them to work in various states. They hire contractors to handle the work. There fees may appear to be low when compared with whatever work that you do but this is contract work and it depends on what they want done. They have always paid me and when there is mileage involved they have agreed to my additional fees for this mileage. In my experience they are willing to negotiate, but they are a business.

The usual route is they will email you that they are looking for a contractor and they may use SOFI or other sources where they list contractors. They should introduce themselves and ask if your interested in joining there pool of contractors. If you reply yes then they should send you the paperwork needed to listed with them. This is how you will get paid and for them to verify your identity as their clients are reputable companies.

Just sending an email requesting personal info is suspicious and it may be the bad guys out there trying to get you. In this case as the first poster said it is suspicious. Still I am not RSI so, you can still email them or call them first.

Tobias is the owner but I do understand that he died last year. I think that after his death that another entity was trying to buy the company. I do not know if it happen but they probably will keep the name as it is an established business.

There pay is relative to the job they want. They are depended on your location as big cities obvious have more work and it may be worth your while and you have to do a number of them to make money. Rural area may not as it will involve lots of travel. You can talk with them and they are willing to negotiate based on my experience. You can say yes or no.

So to answer the question, they are legit company and I have never had problems with them. They are a little high tech and been trying to do drones. I know that they are also a PI company also but I don't do PI work for them. You still should be careful as anyone can say the represent RSI and you would have to verify that instead of just replying to the email. They do have a website and are known as Research Specialist Inc DBA as RSI Reports and there website is www.rsireports.com. They do personal inspections. If you usually get 200 plus for a job, they may not be your typical job. Still they want people to make observation about houses or do commercial inspections of buildings. Its not as detailed and pay will be less.

**Zippy Canner** · 11-25-2020, 08:49 AM

Thank you for this forum. It was very helpful.

**harvey kelly** · 11-25-2020, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by Zippy Canner

Thank you for this forum. It was very helpful.

If it is the company based in California, then they are a good company to work for.

They pay well
They do not quibble over additional fees for mileage which can be added at the final submission of the report. It also tell you exact what the fee is for the report and allows you to add additional fees. They always accepted my additional fees as long as its responsible

Reports are online and they have upgraded the reporting system

I have done jobs for them for over 8 years and always been paid in a timely manner

Reports are very long which is the only negative. Comments can be made
never been a fan of previous gross and this year gross figures questions but hey

no worries about this company