How To Spot A Mystery Shopping Scam

shopper-scamToo often our emails have shopper scam emails. Typically, a shopper scam email promises you a high rate of pay for a short duration of work. It is relatively easy to spot a scam email. Generally speaking, if it sounds too be good to be true it is.

In the event you receive an email seeking your help as a mystery shopper, you should always receive an email from a company’s domain name (i.e. @epmsonline.com) in lieu of someone’s name or another foreign domain name. In addition, the scam email generally asks for a host of personal information without further directing you to a corporate website.

A legitimate mystery shopping company will not solicit you without you first filling out an application to work for them. When in doubt, you can always check with the MSPA association for a list of legitimate mystery shopping companies looking for shoppers. In the event an email or piece of postal mail asks you to wire money to someone for any reason, you should never do so. This is always a red flag and a sure indication that such is a scam. Also, in the event you are sent postal mail with a check to cash in advance of doing any work, you should never cash the check because this too is a scam.

Always do your homework first, by researching the mystery shopping company prior to applying to work for them.