Is that mystery shopping job offer a scam?
Mystery shopper scams are a textbook fake-check fraud operation wrapped in a legitimate-sounding employment premise. You see an ad or receive an unsolicited message offering a mystery shopping job: you'll be paid to evaluate the service quality of retailers, restaurants, or money transfer services. No experience necessary. Work from home. Paid per assignment.
A check arrives in the post — sometimes a cashier's check, sometimes a business check — for significantly more than your 'pay'. Your assignment is to use some of the funds to complete the shopping task (often evaluating a wire transfer service like Western Union or MoneyGram), keep your pay, and wire or Zelle the remainder back to the 'company'.
The check is counterfeit. It temporarily shows as available in your account per banking regulations, then bounces 5 to 10 days after deposit. By then, you've forwarded real money. Your bank holds you responsible for the full amount of the bounced check.
🚩 Red flags to watch for
- ▶You receive a check before doing any work, for more than your stated pay.
- ▶The 'assignment' specifically involves evaluating a wire transfer service — this is the mechanism for removing the forwarded funds.
- ▶You're instructed to keep your pay and wire or Zelle the balance back to the company.
- ▶The company recruited you through a job board, social media, or unsolicited email rather than through a verified mystery shopping certification body.
- ▶Urgency to complete the assignment quickly — specifically before the check has time to fully clear.
✅ What to do
- 1A legitimate mystery shopping job never sends you money upfront. Real assignments pay in arrears, after the report is submitted.
- 2Legitimate mystery shopping exists through certified companies listed by the Mystery Shopping Professionals Association (mspa-na.org). Verify any company through them.
- 3Never wire or transfer any portion of a deposited check until you have confirmed full clearance with your bank — not just 'available funds'.
- 4If you've already forwarded money, contact your bank immediately and report to the FTC (reportfraud.ftc.gov).
📣 Where to report (by country)
🇺🇸 United States
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Action Fraud
- Police Scotland — call 101
🇦🇺 Australia
🇨🇦 Canada
🌍 Everywhere else
- Contact your local police and your bank immediately
- If money was sent, ask your bank about a recall request — act within hours
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Common questions
Is mystery shopping a real job?
Yes, legitimate mystery shopping exists. Real companies include Market Force, IntelliShop, and others listed by the MSPA. The difference: real mystery shopping pays after the job is done, at modest rates ($10–$30 per assignment), and never sends you an advance check to forward.
Why is the assignment always to test a wire transfer service?
Because wiring money is irreversible. Once you've sent a wire or Zelle payment, it cannot be recalled after the fact. By disguising the money transfer as a 'job assignment', the scammer gives you a plausible reason to complete the transfer before you become suspicious.