Watch Out For Mystery Shopping Scams
By Kamyar Shah
Becoming a mystery shopper is not as mythical as it seems. Like any entrepreneurship,
all it takes is a little hard work and diligence. That is not to say that there are not
scams out there just looking to trap those who are on the search of becoming a mystery shopper.
Here are the red flags for scam shopping companies.
The company wants you to pay a membership fee in order to see an exclusive list of job
postings. A serious company does not require a deposit to join a list of qualified
shoppers. However, the company may ask questions that are specific to your lifestyle,
income, smoking habits, education, etc. These questions will help the shopping provider
select the right shopper for various jobs. For instance, a non-smoker would not be an
ideal candidate for shopping a gas station for a carton of cigarettes in order to ensure
that personnel are checking customers for proper ID.
The shopping company insists you pay for a course before you can begin completing
shops. Becoming a mystery shopper does not require special training. You should be able to
find a shopping niche in whatever industry you are experienced in.
The shopping company has a bad reputation among business bureaus. If others who are
becoming a mystery shopper have only bad things to say about a company, you might do well
to avoid that company.
There is no phone number or contact email for you to contact the company once you have
joined their list of shoppers. A shopper must be able to reach some one from the
management team. This information might not be posted for the general public to view from
the company's home page, but if you are becoming a mystery shopper for them, they should
willingly give you their contact info. You have responded to a job posting and had no
response. If you apply for an open position and hear no approval or denial back from the
shopping coordinator, then you may take that as a sign to look elsewhere.
You completed a shop but have not been paid. This is a very obvious reason to
discontinue shopping for this provider and find a new shopping company and may warrant a
negative report to a business bureau.
The company promises or guarantees any amount of income or steady flow of work.
Anonymous shopping companies and quality assurance agencies can not predict what
assignments they will have next week or next month. To do so, and promise shoppers any
amount of income is foolish and unwise. A legitimate shopping company would not mislead
shoppers in this way.
The best way to decide which shopping company is best for you is to ask yourself if you
would use that service in your every day life. If the answer is yes, and you have
researched that company and feel they are a reputable business, then contact them about
becoming one of their shoppers.
However, do not expect it to come easily and fall into your lap. There are hundreds of
workers and shoppers out there, vying for your position as an anonymous shopper. So do not
give up your search for shop assignments and a great company where your skill set and
experience make you the perfect candidate for the job.
Source : Watch Out For Mystery Shopping Scams
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