First of all, there's an international organization called Mystery Shopping Providers Association that provides certifications for shoppers who show seriousness in this profession. There is also a job board where assignments are posted. The Association also provides membership to legitimate market research companies from all around the world who offer mystery shopping as a service to their clients. Therefore, as a member of the Association, the company will most likely to have an authorized logo on their corporate website. However, not every company will post the logo so keep on reading to find out more about knowing whether you're dealing with a legitimate company or not.

Secondly, there is never a fee to pay for whatever reason there may be. To become a mystery shopper, you must fill out an application form to go through a selection process just like applying for a job. This is not a work-at-home business opportunity so there should not be a financial investment from your part. There's no fee for accessing or being part of the company's database of mystery shoppers. Since a minimum of assignments is not guaranteed, it would be unfair to charge an access fee.

Although it is not required to be a certified shopper in order to be accepted and assigned missions, the certification by the MSPA would be your only expense (aside from required purchase during an assignment, of course!). Therefore, whenever you encounter a site that requires you to pay an upfront fee, close your window browser! That's not a common practice in the industry.

Thirdly, speaking of payment, mystery shopping companies will pay you for successful shops. Successful means that you have followed their guidelines and submitted a satisfactory report that met the company's standards. There are different ways for companies to pay you for your work. Those methods are by check posted in the mail, by electronic transfer via PayPal (a well established and reputable online payment processor) or by direct deposit into your bank account. If the company uses more than one payment method, you will have the option to choose or the company will state their preferred method. When giving your payment information, simply keep in mind that they should be paying you, not the other way around. So there's no reason for them to ask you for your credit card info!

In the case of an assignment that requires a purchase, this will be an out-of-pocket expense. It will never be paid to you upfront. You will not receive an advance or an allowance (whatever they may call it) to complete your missions. Instructions are always provided regarding returns and reimbursements of purchased items prior to you accepting the shop job. So if a company sends you a check and asks you to cash it so you can evaluate a few stores, that practice is definitely a scam! Imagine the millions of dollars lost if shoppers do not accomplish their tasks as requested! So it does not make sense for a mystery shopping company to pay fees in advance for an assignment.

In conclusion, remember to look for the MSPA logo on the corporate website and to never pay any fee to become a mystery shopper. It happens that a company is not member of the MSPA and yet is a legitimate mystery shopping company. I suggest you gain experience and familiarize yourself with the way this industry operates. You'll then be able to easily spot the scam ones!

Enjoy your shopping!