Over the years, there have been some widely publicised scams involving Mystery Shopping or (to be more specific) situations where scammers have used the promise of well-paid Mystery Shopping assignments as bait or lure.
Like many scams, they typically involve the victim paying money to the “scam artist” in the hope of receiving something in return.
To avoid falling victim to a scammer, every Mystery Shopper should exercise caution whenever they are looking to start work with any new Mystery Shopping company. This is especially true if they are new to Mystery Shopping generally.
How do Mystery Shopping scams specifically tend to work?
In the case of Mystery Shopping scams, what seems to happen most often is that scammers (or con “artists”) falsely present themselves as operating genuine businesses active in the Mystery Shopping Industry.
They offer to register would-be mystery shoppers (intended victims) onto a “special” or “exclusive” list or database, promising many attractive and (unrealistically) highly–paid assignments in exchange for a “registration fee.”
The sad ending in these cases comes when the aspiring Mystery Shopper has parted with their money (the “registration fee”) but then realises that no assignments are available because the company is not legitimate.
This type of scam should be easy to avoid: No legitimate Mystery Shopping company will ever ask you to pay a fee to register with them so that you can be eligible for (any or some) assignments. You should never pay any sort of registration fee to a Mystery Shopping company.
Although that is the most widely known type of scam, it is essential to remember that it is not the only potential type of scam that a person could fall victim to in theory.
Protect your data
Working with Mystery Shopping companies involves having them hold your personal data.
You must provide some basic personal data for your initial registration. Genuine mystery Shopping companies often ask for more data (e.g., information about your age, living arrangements, etc.) to help them best match you with suitable opportunities.
If you carry out assignments for a company, you will eventually need to provide your bank details (sort code, account number, and account name) to be paid.
Of course, everybody should take reasonable steps to protect themselves from the risk of identity theft. Data of the types listed above could potentially be used for identity theft, so it should only be shared with businesses that you are confident will adequately protect it.
How to avoid falling victim to a scam by only dealing with legitimate Mystery Shopping companies
Every Mystery Shopper or aspiring Mystery Shopper should always take appropriate steps to satisfy themselves that any company they are considering dealing with is legitimate and trustworthy before they share any of their data with the company.
Here are some basic steps you can (and should) take:
- Check that the company is a member of the Mystery Shopping Professionals Association. (If they are, then they will be a legitimate company – if they are not, then be sure to do more research)
- Check out the company’s details on Companies House (filing history, directors’ histories, etc.).
- Join Mystery Shopping groups on social media sites (many on Facebook) and check for comments about the relevant company from other Mystery Shoppers who have dealt with them.
- Do other research on the company regarding its history, background, and client base.
- Please speak to the company and ask them about its data protection policies regarding personal data relating to Mystery Shoppers.
The primary goal should be to avoid dealing with (and providing your personal data to) any illegitimate company. So, you need to take care.
However, it is essential to acknowledge that, as a Mystery Shopper, it is usually a very good idea to register with multiple companies (to gain access to more opportunities). This approach should be absolutely no problem as long as you carry out some basic checks (such as those above) on each company before engaging with them and are cautious about the data you share with them.
Again, if a company asks you for a payment as part of a registration process, you should “walk away” (disengage) immediately.
As the Mystery Shopping Providers Association repeatedly states, no reputable company engaged in Mystery Shopping will ever do this.
Please see our FAQ page for more comments on these types of scams and also check out our post detailing 6 Easy Ways to spot a Legitimate Mystery Shopping Company.