Scam Alert Channel
Scam Alert Channel: The Mystery Shopper Scam
In recent years, working as a mystery shopper
has become more and more appealing to those
looking for a flexible work schedule. In theory,
mystery shoppers purchase products and services
in order to help a company conduct research. The
idea is that the mystery shopper won't actually
have to pay for these products, and will be paid
for providing this service. The reality,
however, is often quite different.
When you find mystery shopper job offers, often
via the Internet, you are generally greeted by
an advertisement telling you how you can "make
money just by shopping". The ad will make the
job sound easy and fun. And while some mystery
shopper jobs are legitimate, most of these
advertisements are scams. Knowing the difference
between those that are legitimate and those that
are not is the key.
Some mystery shopping companies will offer you
the opportunity to make money by going into
local stores and restaurants and conducting a
survey of the customers you meet. You then take
your information and compile it into a
questionnaire, and are paid once this
questionnaire has been submitted. Some of these
can be legitimate positions conducting research
and providing a company with valuable
information. Others, however, are not.
When you apply to a scam mystery shopping
company, you are generally sent a training
packet that contains information about the
company, and includes a training assignment. The
packet may also contain a cashier's check, which
is generally a fake. These checks can be for
large amounts of money, and as part of the
training, you will have to cash your fraudulent
check. You would then be instructed to wire the
money in order to test the reliability of a
company. The check, of course, bounces, and you
are left responsible for the money.
This is only one new twist on an old scam. There
are many ways in which a company can scam a
person with this type of job offer, so it is a
good idea to ask a lot of questions before you
begin. Remember, they are paying you, so you
should not have to pay for anything while doing
your job. Likewise, you should not have to
actually cash any checks sent to you by these
companies, nor should you be given any type of
account numbers to use while shopping online.
These things often signify a scam operation.
These scams are traditionally implemented
through direct mail, but are being offered more
and more via the Internet. One thing to keep in
mind while perusing the job ads is this: if it
looks like it is too good to be true, it
probably is. If something seems ?off? about an
opportunity, you should always investigate
before moving forward and applying for the job.
Additional MommyEmpire Scam Alert Channel!
Avoiding Product Assembly Scams
Avoiding The Mystery Shopper Scam