Mystery Shopping Scams

Priscilla: “Is the industry troubled by scams?”

Coach Melanie: “Unfortunately as a home-based work opportunity, mystery shopping is the target of unscrupulous individuals and companies. However, I would like to stress that there are lots of "real" mystery shopping assignments out there, and the field itself is definitely legitimate.

I caution mystery shoppers to use common sense. If someone asks for money upfront for information on becoming a mystery shopper, or to register to be a shopper, a warning bell should go off in your head. While there are some legitimate services that provide leads for mystery shoppers, asking for upfront money is a tip-off that this might be a scam.

A legitimate company should not ask for personal, sensitive information; they should provide a free sample of their product or service; not hide critical information like their company name; and they should not overpromise benefits derived from their offering. A prospective shopper should be especially concerned when they receive an unsolicited e-mail, phone call or mailed letter, and be cautious with classifieds ads that sound too good to be true. I have a detailed article on this topic on my web site at http://www.mysteryshoppercoach.com/mysteryshopperscams.html.

The above Q & A was from a recent interview by reporter Priscilla Nordyke Roden for my second mystery shopping piece in “The San Bernadino Sun”. The published article called “Ah Sweet Mystery Of Shopping” which appeared on 9/2 had many quotes with yours truly and can be found in the articles section of my web site at http://www.mysteryshoppercoach.com/Articles.html.

This was the final installment of the Q&As in this series. I hope you enjoyed them!

Have a great day and happy shopping!

“Taking the mystery out of professional mystery shopping”—Melanie Jordan
http://www.mysteryshoppercoach.com

Copyright 2004-5 Melanie R. Jordan E-Publishing