Although mystery shopping scams have been around for years, scammers have now taken on a new trick: targeting unsuspecting victims via email. With so many mystery shopping scams, many people think there are no legitimate secret shopping jobs available.
With such a high volume of scammers, it can be difficult for new shoppers to pick the scam emails and websites from the legitimate opportunities. Fortunately, there are a few telltale signs you’ll find in a scam email.
1. You Need to Pay to Get Started
No legitimate mystery shopping company will ever make applicants pay a membership fee, cover training costs or send them money for any reason whatsoever.
2. You Receive an Unsolicited Email
Unless you’ve registered with a mystery shopping agency in the past, any unexpected emails regarding secret shopping jobs are likely a scam. Legitimate companies only hire people from job postings or their database. They never send out emails at random.
3. It Sounds Too Good to Be True
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If an ad for a secret shopping job promises a large income, an exact salary, or a chance to mystery shop a Caribbean cruise or Disney World, we’re sorry to say, it’s a scam. In all our years of experience, we have never even heard of a Caribbean cruise shop.
4. Moneygram, Western Union, or Banks are Involved
One of the newest and worst scams is a traditional wire fraud scheme veiled. The company sends you a check, and asks you to deposit it in your bank, and transfer the money via Western Union, Moneygram, or even their bank. No legitimate shopping company will ever ask you to do that.
Before sending any personal information to a prospective shopping job, take some time to research the company online. One of the safest ways to find mystery shopping jobs is through the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA). It’s the world’s largest and most respectable mystery shopping associations, and they even have a free job board.
The MSPA also publishes a list of their member agencies.. Any agency on this list is in compliance with the industry standards the MSPA works to uphold. If they’re not on this list, avoid them.
The Mystery Shopping Experience 