Most mystery shoppers become aware of just a few of the scams targeting the mystery shopping industry before they even do their first assignment. There are numerous websites online that offer you mystery shopping training for a fee, a mystery shopping license, and a list of mystery shopping providers for a fee as well. Of course, you don’t a license or special training to be a mystery shopper, and the providers’ list is provided for free. These are simply companies that are preying on your desire to be a mystery shopper. These, however, are just a few of the scams out there that target mystery shoppers, and you do want to know what to look for if you want to steer clear.
Emails From New Companies or Schedulers
Getting an email from a new company that you have not signed up to work with and that you have never heard of can be a red flag. Further, getting an email from a provider who you do work for but from a scheduler you haven’t heard of could possibly be a sign of a scam, too. Of course, providers do hire on new schedulers all of the time, but you will want to read through the email from someone new very carefully before accepting any work from them.
Assignments That Are Too Good to be True
Often when an assignment seems too good to be true, it really is. Many mystery shoppers have been duped into cashing fraudulent checks over the years because the offer promised them a large fee for doing so. This is just one of several scams that continue to go around the mystery shopping world. If the work required doesn’t correspond with the pay, it’s likely in your best interest to turn the other way and run from that offer.
Assignments That Require You To Front Money
This can be a tough one for new mystery shoppers to grasp. Most assignments today do require a mystery shopper to make a small purchase at a store, restaurant, or so forth. The reason for this is because the assignment is designed, at least in part, to check up on the customer service of employees throughout the sales process. Often there is a minimum purchase requirement of $5 or $10, and at least a portion of that will be reimbursed to you later. You may be permitted to keep the item, or you may be required or permitted to return it if there is not an expense reimbursement included in the compensation. These are generally legitimate assignments. However, assignments that require you to make significant use of your own money, such as when you are asked to deposit a check and then immediately write a check for that same amount to a third party before the first check has cleared your account is a red flag.
If you have any questions about a possible scam, perhaps the best thing to do is to hop online and post a question on the mystery shopping forum. Many mystery shoppers who visit the forum regularly have been mystery shopping for years, and their expertise and experience can help you to determine if your job offer is a scam or not.
Good, good advice, well written and easy to understand. When trying anything that you are not sure of, think first, consider all points, and think again.
I, too, have had an experience with a mystery shop scam. They were good because they passed the google website test.
They had a real impressive Web page with all the proper links. However, I became suspicious went I never received the customary welcome letter with further instructions. Secondly, every link I tried to go to kept taking me to the same page repeatedly. After a while I knew I had been dupted. My fear was and still is that whomever may missuse
my information for larceny or fraudenent purposes. I forwarded my experience to a website called Scambook.Com. It fights complaints, scams and files class action law suits. I hope this may help you and others.
One of the first things I look at is who the email I recieve is to.If it says undiclosed recipient then chances are about 99.9% that it is a scam. I get 3-4 of these a week and to read the email it sounds real good IE: They do mystery shopping fo 5,000 companies, etc all over the US and world, etc. They name big companies that everyone knows, like WalMart, CocoCola, etc. Then someplace it usually says that you will be paid your fee up front and that it is usually $200 per assignment accepted or completed. Then somewhere if you keep reading it will say all you have to do is evaluate the coustomer service at a Money Gram or Western Union office or the US Postal Service. I have recieved all three types of checks or money orders with instrcutions on what to do. I have also checked with all 3 and none of them do mystery shopping at any of their locations. The bad part is when you call their main office or tell them what is happening they tell you they are aware of it and to just tear up or shred the Money orders or checks you recieve. That is why this continues to be a problem in this industry and others every body just passes the buck and nothing gets done about it. This is just information and my opinion about this subject.
The Internet is new to me, being that I just retired. I am reading blogs on many topics, and commenting too. I think that you have to put some attention on a blog to bring it above the dry and boring verbage that is common, and you have definitely accomplished that. I am the proud owner of my own website and blog and i get ideas from blogs such as yours. Thank-you. I have incuded a website and email address. I think it is ok that I incuded them since there seems to be a place to do that. Hope so anyway. TheVeryBest2You 13 9