Mystery Shopper Scam: Fake Checks,
Gift Cards and Warning Signs
A mystery shopper scam can look surprisingly legitimate. You may receive an email, text message, letter, or check from someone claiming to represent a mystery shopping company. The offer may promise hundreds of dollars for a simple assignment.
Unfortunately, scammers know that mystery shopping is a real business, and they use that fact to convince people that their fake opportunity is legitimate.
I've been involved in legitimate mystery shopping for years, and one of the biggest misconceptions I've encountered is that mystery shoppers are routinely sent large checks before completing assignments.
That's a major warning sign.
Want more help getting started? My book, Take That Job And Mystery Shop It!, walks you through finding assignments, completing shops, writing reports, and avoiding many of the mistakes new shoppers make.
How a Mystery Shopper Scam Works
One common scam begins with an unexpected job offer.
You may be told that you've been selected to evaluate a retailer, bank, money-transfer service, or another business. A check arrives for considerably more money than you would normally expect to earn from a mystery shop.
The instructions tell you to deposit the check.
You're then supposed to use part of the money to buy gift cards, send money to someone else, or complete another financial transaction. You're told to keep the remaining money as your mystery shopping fee.
The check may initially appear in your bank account.
That doesn't mean it's legitimate.
A counterfeit check can take time to be discovered. If you've already spent or transferred the money when the bank determines that the check is fraudulent, you can be responsible for the money you withdrew.
Mystery Shopper Scam Warning Signs
Be suspicious when someone:
- Sends you an unexpected check before you've completed an assignment
- Tells you to deposit a check and send part of the money somewhere else
- Asks you to buy gift cards and provide the card numbers or PINs
- Tells you to wire or transfer money
- Promises unusually high pay for a simple assignment
- Pressures you to act immediately
- Contacts you unexpectedly about a mystery shopping job
- Asks you to pay money to get a job
- Uses the name of a legitimate company but communicates through suspicious contact information
Scammers can impersonate real businesses. Seeing a familiar company name or logo isn't enough.
If you're uncertain, find the company's official website yourself and contact it using information you independently verify—not the phone number or link contained in the suspicious message.
What a Fake Mystery Shopper Letter Might Look Like
Here's a fictional example based on warning signs found in common mystery shopping scams:
Congratulations! You have been selected as a Retail Evaluation Agent.
Your first assignment is to evaluate customer service at several major retail stores in your area.
Enclosed is a check for $2,950.
Deposit the check into your personal bank account. After the funds become available, keep $450 as your commission.
Use the remaining funds to purchase gift cards from two participating retailers. After completing your purchase, remove the cards from their packaging and send us clear photographs of the card numbers and PIN information so our accounting department can verify the transaction.
This assignment must be completed within 24 hours to qualify for future assignments.
Do not discuss this evaluation with store employees or your bank because doing so could compromise the mystery shop.
Your prompt response will qualify you for additional assignments paying up to $500 per week.
That sounds official.
It's also loaded with warning signs.
The oversized check, gift cards, request for PIN numbers, urgency, unusually high compensation, and instruction not to discuss the transaction with your bank should immediately raise concerns.
A legitimate mystery shopping assignment doesn't require you to help someone turn a questionable check into money they can take from you.
Unexpected Text Messages Are Another Warning Sign
Scammers don't have to send a letter anymore.
You may receive an unexpected text or message offering easy work with attractive pay.
Be especially cautious when someone you don't know contacts you out of nowhere and asks you to respond to learn about a mystery shopping opportunity.
Don't assume a message is legitimate because it mentions the name of a real mystery shopping company.
Go directly to the company's known website and investigate the opportunity independently.
Legitimate Mystery Shopping Really Does Exist
This is the part I don't want people to misunderstand.
Mystery shopping itself isn't a scam.
I've completed legitimate assignments at restaurants, hotels, apartment communities, automobile dealerships, new-home builders, and many other businesses.
Real mystery shopping companies hire shoppers to evaluate customer service and other aspects of a business.
The problem is that scammers use the idea of mystery shopping because it sounds like an easy way to make extra money.
That's why learning the difference between a legitimate assignment and a mystery shopper scam is so important.
What Should You Do If You're Suspicious?
Stop before depositing a questionable check or sending money.
Research the company independently. Search for its official website and contact information.
If someone claims to represent a legitimate mystery shopping company, contact that company directly and ask whether the offer came from them.
If you've already deposited a suspicious check, contact your bank immediately and explain what happened.
If you've purchased gift cards or transferred money, act quickly. Contact the gift-card company or financial service involved and explain that you may have been the victim of fraud.
You can also report suspected fraud to appropriate government authorities.
Remember One Simple Rule
Mystery shopping can be a legitimate way to earn extra money.
But you shouldn't have to send money to someone else in order to get paid for doing a job.
When an opportunity involves a large unexpected check, gift cards, money transfers, pressure to act quickly, or compensation that sounds too good to be true, stop and investigate before doing anything.
I've seen mystery shopping change considerably over the years, but that basic advice hasn't changed:
Protect your money first. No mystery shopping assignment is worth risking your bank account.
Here are a couplle of additional scam resources worth checking out.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service: Mystery Shopper Scams
You can also see an actual mystery shopper scam email I received in 2009.
About the Author
I'm Mystery Don (Donald J. Servais, Jr.), and I've completed mystery shopping assignments for restaurants, hotels, apartment communities, automobile dealerships, new-home builders, and other businesses.
I created MystShopper.com to share what I've learned from my own experiences, help new shoppers avoid common mistakes, and explain how legitimate mystery shopping really works.
I'm also the author of Take That Job And Mystery Shop It!, which includes beginner-friendly advice, real-world mystery shopping experiences, and a directory of more than 150 mystery shopping companies.
Drawing on my 45-year career in television, I've also written 7 Keys to Success in a Changing Television Industry, a guide for people interested in building a career in television and video.
My goal is simple: honest guidance without the hype.
We're always looking for new faces to visit different places.
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