Secret-shopping scam: two for the price of one

Yes, you can get paid to shop. Being a mystery shopper can be fun and rewarding work. But you’re not going to make a fortune in your spare time as the scammers want you to believe.

“You won’t wind up on ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,’ ” says Anthony Giorgianni, associate finance editor at Consumer Reports. He spent months looking into the secret world of secret shoppers for an article in the August/September 2007 issue of Consumer Reports Shop Smart magazine.

Mystery shopping is a legitimate business with more than 1.5 million secret shoppers across the country. Companies rely on these undercover agents to give them honest feedback about their customer service.

But the pay isn’t great. According to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association, the typical assignment pays about $10 to $20.

The scam ads talk about all the neat things you’ll get to buy and keep. That is rarely the case. You may get a free meal or movie, or a free oil change – if you’re checking out a quick lube place, but you won’t take home a free laptop or designer outfit.

Something else to remember: There are expenses. You should be reimbursed for most of them, but not gasoline. Depending on the assignment, you could wind up losing money.

Some people do make a living being a mystery shopper, but Consumer Reports says that is the exception. Giorgianni says based on his research, you might make a few hundred bucks a month, maybe.

Don’t get burned
This is one scam that’s pretty easy to avoid. Skip the “mystery shoppers wanted” ads – whether online or in the newspapers – since most of them are bogus.

“If you’re asked to pay money to get a job as a mystery shopper or to get a list of companies looking for mystery shoppers, don’t do it, because you will lose that money,” says Lydia Parness, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission.

Don’t trust a money-back guarantee. If the ad was placed by a con artist, that guarantee is worthless.

All the information you need about becoming a mystery shopper and finding out about work assignments is available free at the Mystery Shopping Providers Association. You should also visit a site called Volition. This is where real mystery shoppers hang out to share experiences and give or get advice.

Most importantly: Never accept a job that requires you to cash a check and wire money. No legitimate mystery-shopper service would ever make you do this. Keep this in mind: You could be prosecuted for cashing a counterfeit check.

More information

• Mystery Shopping Providers Association Q & A (.pdf file)
• FTC: The Secrets of Mystery Shopping Revealed
• BBB: Shop, Dine and Get Paid?
• BBB: Two Scams for the Price of One
• Consumer Reports: A day in the life of a Mystery Shopper

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