Mystery shopping itself is not a scam, but many scam artists online pose as hiring companies in an attempt to steal money and personal identity. Mystery shopping, or secret shopping, is a part time job where a legitimate company will pay a mystery shopper to visit a business, pose as a real customer and evaluate the product or service. People use this opportunity for supplemental income and product freebies.
The first sign of a mystery shopping scam is when a company doesn’t have a screening process for new shoppers. Legitimate companies will always screen shoppers for a criminal record. Companies hire reliable and professional shoppers. Real mystery shopping companies are not going to hire a stranger without first conducting a criminal background check, or a work record check at the very least. No screening means someone is probably in a hurry to scam you.
Another sign of a potential mystery shopping scam are websites pushing sign up fees in order to get a job. This also comes in the form of a mystery shopper guide. People sell guides that include tips and supposedly leads for new shopping jobs. If you want to get paid to shop as a mystery shopper, it’s not necessary to pay for a guide. Job hunting tips and legitimate leads are available for free on the Internet.