[Tags: scam, internet, business]
These are big scam and most likely any mystery shopper job is either going to require you pay a fee for information that is otherwise free, is going to try and get you to wire money, or steal your banking information. You would never have to pay an upfront fee to apply to a legitimate job.
How do I spot a job scam?
1.) The message is for a position that you did not apply for
2.) The message is from or asking for a reply to an email address from a free email provider (ie: @yahoo.com, @gmail.com)
3.)The position is for a work at home job. Let's get real here most of these positions are hard to come by.
4.) The message provides no phone and/or no mailing address
5.) The company does not have a website or the website was created in the last year. Do a whois lookup to see when a domain was created.
6.) The job has few qualifications
7.) The message is written with poor english
8.) A google search for the company finds little or no history for the company
*** This list is not all inclusive. Remember if you have to ask yourself if it's a scam it probably is!
What should I do if I provided my information to scammers?
- Do not respond to further communications.
- If you sent bank Information: Call your bank immediately and tell them what happened. They should be able to change your account number or cancel your account.
- If you are still concerned you might want to enroll in credit monitoring such as LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention
- You can also file a claim with The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). They are probably overloaded with these types of claim though, so I would not expect an individual response.
- Post a comment below with any information you have on this scam to inform other people to try and avoid any future victims. Post the email you received with exact wording if different from original posted so when people search for terms they find this warning.
Thank you for your interest in the Mystery Shopper position.
Our company conducts surveys and evaluates other companies in order to help them achieve their performance goals.
We offer an integrated suite of business solutions that enables corporations to achieve tangible results in the marketplace.
We get hired by other companies and act like customers to find out how they are handling their services in relation to their customers.
Mystery Shopping is the most accurate and reliable tool a business can use to gather information regarding their actual customer service performance at the moment of truth. This moment of truth is not when the staff is on their best behavior because the boss is around - it is when they interact with customers during their normal daily routines.
This is where you, the Mystery Shopper, come in. You pose as an ordinary customer and provide feedback of both factual observations (ex...the floor was free of debris) and your own opinions (ex...I felt that the temperature in the establishment was too cold).
Mystery Shoppers must remain anonymous. You must act as a regular customer and be careful not to do anything that would reveal you as a shopper. An inexperienced shopper could tip off the staff to his/her identity by asking for the manager's name for no clear or appropriate reason. If you are going to be bringing someone with you on the shop, make sure you educate them about the process as well. Beware that even whispers can be overheard by employees. If anyone notices you are a shopper, you can bet that word will quickly spread around the establishment and you will get some of the best customer service in town.
No company can afford to have a gap between the promise of quality and its actual delivery, that's why leading corporations look to us, the nation's premiere mystery shopping and customer experience measurement company.
In order for a business to effectively compete in today's economy, they must be prepared to meet the challenge of increasing sales by:
* Retaining existing customers
* Acquiring new customers
* Creating word-of-mouth advocacy
* Improving customer loyalty
Once we have a contract to do so, you would be directed to the company or outlet, and you would be given the funds you need to do the job(either purchase merchandise or require services), after which you would
write a detailed report of your experience.
Examples of details you would forward to us are:
1) How long does it take to get served.
2) Politeness of the attendant.
3) Customer service professionalism.
4) Sometimes you might be required to upset the attendant, to see how they deal with difficult clients.
Then we turn the information over to the company executives and they will carry out their own duties in improving their services.
Most companies employ our assistance when people complain about their services, or when they feel there is a need for them to improve upon their customer service.
Our company partners with you to implement proven mystery shop auditing and surveying strategies that provide critical information about customer experiences.
You will be paid a commission of $100 for every duty you carry out, and bonus on your transportation allowance.
Your task will be to evaluate and comment on customer service in a wide variety of restaurants, retail stores, casinos, shopping malls, banks and hotels in your area.
Qualities of a good Mystery Shopper:
* Is 21 years of age or older
* Loves to go shopping
* Is fair and objective
* Is ON TIME
* Is very observant and able to focus on details
* Is fairly intelligent
* Has patience
* Is detail oriented
* Is practical
* Types well
* Is trustworthy
* Explains well in writing
* Is discreet
* Loves to learn
* Handles deadlines
* Has full internet access (at home or at work)
Mystery Shopping is fun and exciting but also must be approached very seriously and is definitely not for everyone.
If you are interested in applying for consideration as a Mystery Shopper do send in your information only at our e-mail: michael.bernard58@gmail.com
Full Name:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Phone Number:
Age:
Occupation:
As soon as we receive your information we will add you to our database and we will look for locations in your area that needs to be evaluated.
If you have any questions please reply on our e-mail: michael.bernard58@gmail.com
Thank you,
Michael Bernard
Best Surveys
505 Barranca Parkway
michael.bernard58@gmail.com
Irvine, CA 92604-3703
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Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
Friday July 3, 2009 @ 11:34 AM
I received a letter in the mail for secret shopping and a check for $3,370.00 to take to western union to pay some other people, keep 300.00 and I knew this was a scam !!
THE COMPANY IS: THE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP, INC OUT OF WICHITA , KS CAN'T FIND ANYTHING ON GOOGLE BUT BEWARE !!!
Tuesday July 7, 2009 @ 09:19 AM
Thank you so much for this site. I asked "my mystery shopper wanna be employer" for a mailing address and contact info and got nothing back yet. I hate scammers!!!
Monday July 13, 2009 @ 08:13 AM
Good site and confirmed what I suspected, the emails getting more plausible mind as its Duane.msshop-uk.com a plausible email address but with Mr Michael McDowell attached to the end still comes up as dodgy.
Rule of thumb if it looks to good to be true turn round and walk briskly away.
If you have not actually applied for a job then again walk away, these people pray on hopes and dreams and need the eyes of the law on there shenanigans.
Thursday July 30, 2009 @ 01:11 PM
We Have chosen according to the report from our officials and you have been chosen because you are one of the best to be giving a chance to be a part of the team.We have a Secret shopping assignment in your area and we would like you to participate"WINTERSHALL Shoppers International Inc.(R) company is accepting applications for qualified individuals to become bluegates Shoppers . It's fun and rewarding, and you choose when and where you want to shop. You are never obligated to accept an assignment. There is no charge to become a shopper and you do not need previous experience.After you sign up, you will have access to training materials via e-mail, fax or postal mail.
REGARDING THE WINTERSHALL SHOPPER JOB OPPORTUNITY (SECRET SHOPPER ).
We are a company that conduct surveys and evaluate other companies. We get hired to go to other peoples companies and act like customers in order to know how the staffs are handling their services in relation to their customers. once we have a contract to do so, you would be directed to the company or outlet, and you would be given the funds you need to do the job( either purchase things or require services),after which you would write a short comment on the staffs activities and give a detailed record of your experience.
DUTIES AS WINTERSHALL SECRET SHOPPER ARE:
1.) Inspection of the customer service
2.) Payment Immediate assignment
3.) Customer service professionalism
4.) How long it took you to get services.
5.) Smartness of the attendant
6.) You will be required to interact with the shop clerk
7.) Shop secretly and visit the location to make Several observations.
8.) Sometimes you might be required to upset the attendant, to see how they react to clients when they get tensed. And we turn the
information over to the company executives and they would carry out their own duties in improving there services.
ABOUT US:
WINTERSHALL Secret Shoppers International Inc.(R) company, serving clients across America and Canada with over 500,000 shoppers available and ready to help businesses better serve their customers.Continual investment in the latest internet and communication technologies coupled with over 16 years of know-how means working with Secret Shopper(R) is a satisfying and rewarding experience. Secret shopping as seen on ABC,NEWS, NBC NEWS, L.A.TIMES. Stores and organizations such as the Gap,Walmart, Pizza Hut, and Banks One amongst many others pay for Secret Shoppers to shop in their establishments and report their experiences. On top of being paid for shopping you are also allowed to keep purchases for free.Premier Shoppers International Inc. never charge fees to the shopper.Training, tips for improvement, and shopping opportunities are provided free to registered shoppers.Premier shoppers are either paid a pre-arranged fee for a particular sho20p, a reimbursement for a purchase or a combination of both.WINTERSHALL Secret Shoppers International Inc. has available for immediate assignment an inspection of the customer service of any Walmart in your area.During this shopping you will visit the location and make several observations as regards the customer service..You will be required to interact with the shop clerk.You may conduct the shop
alone or as a couple.The assignment will pay $200.00 ON Each
Assignment.
Kindly Fill Out the application form as below and we will get back to you shortly with the assignment :
REQUESTED INFORMATION:
NAME :
ADDRESS :
CITY :
STATE :
ZIP DODE :
CONTACT CELL # :
HOME PHONE # :
SEX :
AGE :
CURRENT OCCUPATION :
E-MAIL :
WORKING AVAILABILITY:
Days/Hours Available
Monday ...open availability _______ to ______?
Tuesday ______ to .______?
Wednesday _______ to ______?
Thursday _______ to ______?
Friday _______to ______?
Saturday _______ to ______?
Sunday .....open availability_____ to _____?
Hours Available _______ To ______?
Best time to call ______ to ______
Awaiting your response soon ....
Have a great Day
We look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Dan Hoover,
Thanks for Your Total Understanding and Co-operation.
Director ( Human Resources & STAFFING)
Delivering simple solutions and achievable business objectives.
> To: hooverdaninc_01[at]live.com
> Subject: PostingID: 1279442812 Customer Service Representative
> Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 14:52:19 -0400
> I received this e-mail and another for a position dealing with H.L. Plastics....I was skeptical and did some research and landed here. Thank you for this site...I responded once, but wont respond anymore thanks to this site. Why do folks want to take advantage of others? Especially when time are tough....I am a firm believer in KARMA and these folks will get whats coming to them.
Tuesday September 1, 2009 @ 09:27 AM
OMG listen lol well read i just got an email and replied asking for more info and he sent some crap about the mystery shopping requirements. This is def fishy and I'm not responding thnks to u guys.
This is his info and email address:
Michael McDowell
US Surveys Inc.
246 Second Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109
Email: michael.mc-dowell[at]comcast.net
Monday September 21, 2009 @ 09:19 AM
You can say what you want, but i fell for it as well. What to do after he has all your contact details? well, get him out of his cave and make him (or them) show their face so you can make some meaningful action. i mean court action after identifying who are behind this scheme...
Monday February 15, 2010 @ 12:52 PM
Not all Mystery Shopping is a scam. There are 100s of real companies that do Mystery Shops and 1000s of shoppers around the world. For legitimate Mystery Shopping jobs, go to
Volition.com
http://www.volition.com/mystery
MSPA (Mystery Shopping Providers Association)
http://www.mysteryshop.org/
Wednesday February 24, 2010 @ 01:42 PM
Hi folks, I have been a mystery shopper for almost 11 years. Brooke is correct. In fact, there are over 400 legitimate mystery shopping companies in the United States alone. If you really want to do this work, do visit Volition and read what other shoppers are saying. Find out which companies are real and which ones are fake.
http://www.volition.com/mystery
I am the President of The Independent Mystery Shoppers' Coalition. We have a yearly conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. REAL Mystery shopper and REAL mystery shopping companies attend. If you would like more information or have questions, feel free to email me at imscinfo[at]ymail.com
Our website is:http://tinyurl.com/imscinfo
Wednesday February 24, 2010 @ 08:25 PM
[[[Message deleted: stop spamming this post it makes you look like a scam]]]
Friday March 12, 2010 @ 10:58 AM
For some reason, my previous post was deleted.
In essence, I was explaining that not all mystery shopping opportunities are scams. A good resource is www.volition.com. Another one is the Independent Mystery Shoppers Coalition at http://tinyurl.com/imscinfo .
I was told I was spamming and making it look like a scam after only one post filled with actual facts. Puzzling.
Get the facts on mystery shopping, learn about it and make an educated decision on the subject once you've done research in the right place.
To just classify mystery shopping as a scam because what you do not know/understand scares you is not the way to go.
Wednesday March 24, 2010 @ 10:19 AM
Thanks. I think I need to post a few, there are some asking me to get software and print checks for their businesses and be paid by western union. They have my contact info. Time to shut them down. I knew better than to give them my bank account or any social security info. Time to stop the spammers I guess. It really disgusts me that they do this. People need jobs, but I will pray that God gets these jerks!
Tuesday June 1, 2010 @ 07:37 PM
I just got screwed by DIRECT SCHEDULING SERVICES AND MELISSA BENSON. Beware of unscupulpos mystery shopping companies.
Wednesday June 2, 2010 @ 06:04 PM
I fell for this scam and it cost me. they sent postal money orders that looked real. deposited to my account only to find they were fake. i have since recieved several more money orders that were to be replacements and they to were fake. postal inspectors state this is mail fraud so PLEASE BE WARE AND REPORT THESE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN BE STOPPED.
Monday July 5, 2010 @ 11:33 PM
This is the email I receive from the scammer and I almost fell for it becuase I did post my resume on workopolis.com, thats where the scammer got all my info.
The guys name "ryan ferdinand", he emailed me and also gave me a call, he said that he was calling from the state of illinois #he has a russian accent#. But anyways here is the email...
>> Hello. we are recruiting customer service representatives. Your duty will
> > be processing payments from investors of our company to clients. You will
> > get payments to your bank account and then transfer them via western
> union.
> > Payments' amounts are $1000 or more. Each transfer means 5% for you - you
> > can make at least $50 a day plus the main salary in the amount of $2500
> will
> > be paid after 30 days of employment. If you are interested in this
> position
> > let me know and i will send you the documents to sign and the job offer.
> > Company's website: http://unitech-plc.com
I did a domain check and found out that the website was created 2 MONTHS ago. Please do not fall for this scam.
Wednesday June 8, 2011 @ 08:34 PM
OMG it is terrible
Sunday April 29, 2012 @ 03:02 PM
Thanks for the info. I received one of these fraudulent emails through my AOL email account that read:
"We are accepting applications for qualified individuals to become Detective shoppers. It's fun and rewarding. There is no charge to become a shopper and you do not need previous experience and you would be paid a starting fee of $200 for every duty you carry out.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
1. You will receive funding for the assignment.
2. You will receive the Instruction for your assignment via email on the location and details of the assignment.
3. You are to complete the assignment as fast and discreetly as possible.
4. You will be asked to visit a business location to conduct business be it a restaurant, shopping store etc.
PAYMENT TERMS:
For your first assignment,You will receive a flat sum of $200 per assignment.The company will furnish you with all expense needed for the assignment and any other expense incurred during the course of executing your assignment.The fee is due to increase after your first set of assignments.
Note: You are to follow all instructions given to you to the fullest.
Your Full Name: Your Address (NOT P.O Box): City, State, Zip: Occupation: Phone/Mobile Number(s): AGE:
Regards,
Bill Gevedon Sales/Hiring Manager Detective Shopper®"
I found the TJSHome site when I checked to see if this was legitimate. Thanks for the blog and Take heed folks and DON'T GET TAKEN!
Thursday June 25, 2009 @ 11:49 PM
I just got several emails as well from Michael McDowell of WA Surveys. His address doesn't exist. He has my address from email to him I hope he can't hack into me. What a disgusting pig for taking advantage of people who are just trying to get ahead. He is the devil.