This is a very special post about scams. I am sure we all have heard about “mystery shopping” and how you can make money from it. Mystery shopping is real, but many scammers are taking advantage of this legitimate opportunity to scam their victims. Mystery shoppers are hired by businesses to report about their shopping experiences. If you receive an offer by e-mail asking you to become a mystery shopping and you have not applied for this, then it is probably a scam.
Someone who wants to apply for a mystery shopping position should research about the company where they would like to get a job. If this company asks you for money up front; then there is a very big change that it is a scam. Make sure that the company that you apply to is a Member of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association to avoid being scammed. Remember that you can easily spot a scam if you have to pay to apply. Another sign that the company might be a scam is outrageous claims. Again, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is a scam.