How to Get Free Mystery Shopper Jobs

Mystery shopping is an enjoyable and interesting way to make extra money. Unfortunately, how to become a mystery shopper is a “mystery” to most people. As a result, scammers and other unsavory types have taken advantage of people who wanted to be mystery shoppers. No legitimate mystery shopping company will charge you to apply. They also will not send you a check and ask you to wire back most of the money. Anyone who sends you a check for thousands of dollars and asks you to wire money is a scammer, not a mystery shopping company. No exceptions.

The process of becoming a secret shopper is easy, once you know how. Follow these steps for the most efficient, effective way to get paid to shop as a professional mystery shopper.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 
    

   Choose an email address to use for mystery shopping. It is wise to set up a new address especially for your mystery shopper emails. It will make it easier to manage the emails you receive offering mystery shopper jobs.

2. Sign up for PayPal. Many companies use PayPal to pay their mystery shoppers, and you will need to have a PayPal account to work for them. If you already have a PayPal account, add the email address you are going to use for mystery shopping to your account.

3. Pull together application information. To complete applications quickly, prepare a sheet with information about your education and employment history so you can refer to it. Some companies will also ask where you are willing to shop, so have a list of three to five area codes and five to ten zip codes where you are willing to accept assignments.

4. 
    

   Create writing samples. Writing skills are important, so most companies will want to see if you can write. Prepare three writing samples of about 100 words each: one describing an example of good customer service you recently experienced, one describing an example of poor customer service, and one explaining why you think you would be a good mystery shopper. Save them in a text editor or word processor so you can copy and paste them into applications as needed.

5. Choose the companies to which you will apply. Legitimate mystery shopping companies will not charge you to apply, so never pay to apply. You can find a list of nearly 200 no-fee mystery shopping companies at the link in the resources section. Apply to as many as you can, as you never know which ones will have the best mystery shopper jobs for you.

6. 
    

   Complete the applications. Most companies have online applications. Go to their websites and fill out the applications as completely and correctly as you can. Spelling and grammar matter, so take care with your applications.

7. Watch your email for offers of mystery shopper jobs. Many companies will send emails to let you know they have mystery shops available in your area. Some companies may ask you to check their job boards to watch for jobs. Follow their instructions to claim the mystery shop assignments you want.

Resources

• Legitimate Mystery Shopping Companies