Anyone know any mystery shoppers? I am thinking about it for some extra cash, wondering is it on the up and up, what's the catch, if any? Is it legit, is their any long-distance traveling, do you really get to pick your own assignments? What's the down-side if any? I am in Virginia, if anyone has any local experience that would be great too!

Perhaps you want to enter the detective business from the victim side?

Excuse me ontrack, what does that suppose to me?

If you are the type of that eats out regularly then do it the only benefit to it is they will reimburse you, but to me it wasn't worth it, because I don't eat out a lot. Plus you have to go to the places they tell you to it might not be a place you like or it might to far from and plus you have to be there when they tell you too.

It means there are scammers operating in those waters.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news0...y_shopper.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news0..._shoppers.html

He doesn't have a real job, he only secret shops. Been doing it for a couple of years now and he's happy with it. It annoys us (his family) because it's always 'hey we should go to such and such to eat, I have to do a secret shop there anyway' or 'I can't go there today - I have a secret shop I have to do and get a report in by 3pm'
I don't know what ones he uses but he does make money. I'm sure it's not alot but he does make money.

Mystery shopping is legit, but there are a LOT of scammers out there!

Don't pay a fee to sign up - these are "informational services" that will just sell you information you can find for free.

There are hundreds of mystery shopping providers (MSPs) out there. Most mystery shoppers won't work for one. I've been mystery shopping for over one year, and I'm signed up with probably 200-300. Of those, I've gotten work from about 50, and do regular work for about 15.

It is a good way to earn money in your spare time. You will also get some free perks, like dinners out. But, on the other hand, you have to be comfortable typing up sometimes long surveys. It will take a little legwork to get started as some companies pay reasonably and some pay very low for the amount of work and time involved.

I earn about an extra $200 - $300 a month mystery shopping in my spare time, plus free goods and services. You can get free oil changes, free formal dinners, free carpet cleanings... many consumer services. But it will require a lot of time signing up. My first month I made $12 from one shop because it took me awhile to find places that had clients in my area. You have to prove yourself - MSPs are worried about people flaking out.

Here's a couple of (self-promoting) links to how to get started. Please note that these are free.
Introduction to Mystery Shopping
Complete Get Started Guide

I've subscribed to this thread, so please feel free to ask any questions. Also I participate over in MSFreedom which is a mystery shopper forum run by shoppers.

Here is another good site:
http://www.mysteryshopsmart.com/

yeah, I was wondering about that myself.

It is a fun thing to do in your spare time, but you will never make a full time job out of it. I eat out about 3- 4 times a month for free and I shop a local super market in my area 1-2 times a month a multiple locations. I make more money doing online surveys.

How many companies do you work for? I do work for probably 50 different companies and I make several hundred dollars a month minimum - sometimes more (depends on how much I push myself). If you are making that with surveys, I'd like to know how :)

If you believe in karma I wouldn't do it. Those reports put people's livelihood on the line and that's not cool. Besides, does it really affect your dining experience if "Thank you for choosing (insert corporate slophouse name here) my name is BlahBlah can I get you started with a roundtheworld rita and some cheese kickers?" I hate that when they make employees be robots.

What is a mystery shopper? I've never heard that term before.