Avoiding Mystery Shopping Scams

In our last post, we briefly touched on scams. Despite proactive efforts by the MSPA and many of its member companies, these scams are still popping up across the country. We know it can be difficult to tell the difference between a legitimate opportunity and a scam....difficult, but not impossible!

The two most common scams we've seen are 1) a check-cashing scam and 2) sites that ask you to pay up front.

You should never have to pay to be a mystery shopper. Free job opportunities are available through the MSPA Web site at www.mysteryshop.org/shoppers or through MSPA Member Companies. If a company requires a fee, simply move on to the next opportunity.

In the check-cashing scam, you recieve in the mail a cashier's check for several thousand dollars, along with instructions and an evaluation form. You're asked to cash the check, wire a portion to a specifed address and keep the remaining amount as payment. The scammers assume that you'll complete the assignment quickly. In reality, the check is bogus, and it will bounce within a few weeks of being cashed....making you responsible for the entire amount. If you receive this type of scam info in the mail, DO NOT CASH THE CHECK.

If you're targeted in a scam, you should file a complaint with:

• National Consumers League/Alliance for Consumer Fraud Awareness
• Internet Crime Complaint Center (if you're contacted by e-mail or directed to a Web site)
• Office of the Inspector General
• U.S. Postal Service (if the offer is received by mail)
• Local Police
• Federal Trade Commission
• Federal Bureau of Investigation

Sometimes scammers mimick the names of legitimate mystery shopping companies, making it especially difficult to know if you're dealing with a legitimate company. The best way to know for sure is to contact the company directly. But don't simply call the phone number on the information you recieved! Find the name of the company on the MSPA Web site and call that phone number for more details.