Mystery Shopper Scams
Americans lost $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, according to the FTC.
Quick Answer
Mystery shopper scams are a type of employment fraud where victims are tricked into sending money after depositing a fake check, contributing to the $750.6 million lost to business and job opportunity scams in 2024 (FTC).
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How It Works
1
Scammers recruit victims through unsolicited emails, social media posts, or online job ads promising a lucrative, easy job as a secret shopper for a well-known retail company.
2
After hiring the victim, the scammer mails them a fraudulent check, often for thousands of dollars, which looks authentic. This amount is far more than the victim's supposed pay.
3
The victim is instructed to deposit the check into their personal bank account and immediately use the funds to complete an 'assignment.' This assignment always involves sending money back to the scammer.
4
The victim is told to keep a small portion as their 'pay' and send the rest to the scammer via wire transfer, money order, or by purchasing gift cards and sending photos of the PINs.
5
Days or weeks later, the bank discovers the initial check was counterfeit and reverses the full deposit from the victim's account. The victim is held liable for the entire amount they sent to the scammer.
Red Flags
- You are sent a check for much more money than your assignment requires.
- You are instructed to deposit a check and then wire money or buy gift cards.
- The job offer comes unsolicited via email, text message, or social media.
- You are required to pay a fee for training, certification, or a list of jobs.
- The company guarantees a high salary or full-time income for part-time work.
- Scammers create a sense of urgency, pressuring you to deposit the check and send money immediately.
- The job offer impersonates a well-known company like Whole Foods, Walmart, or a legitimate research firm.
What to Do If Targeted
- Do not deposit a check from an unknown source. If you did, contact your bank immediately and inform them it is fraudulent.
- Never wire money or send gift card PINs to someone who sent you a check for a job.
- Stop all communication with the scammer.
- Report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
- File a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.
- If you received the fraudulent check via U.S. Mail, report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
- Research legitimate mystery shopping opportunities through the MSPA Americas trade association.
How to Report It
- FTC — File a fraud report with the Federal Trade Commission. This data helps law enforcement track and stop scammers.
- FBI IC3 — Report the incident to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to help them investigate cybercrime.
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service — If you received a fraudulent check or letter through the mail, report it as mail fraud.
- FCC — File a complaint about phone scams, robocalls, or unwanted calls with the Federal Communications Commission.
- AARP Fraud Helpline — Call 877-908-3360 for free support from trained fraud specialists. Available to anyone, not just AARP members.
Key Statistics
- Consumers reported losing $750.6 million to business and job opportunity scams in 2024, a category that includes mystery shopper scams. — FTC 2025
- In a 2024 survey, 18% of Americans reported they have fallen victim to a business or job scam in their lifetime. — IPX1031 2024
- The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received reports from almost 12,000 victims of non-payment or non-delivery scams during the 2022 holiday season, with losses over $73 million. — FBI IC3 2023
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Frequently Asked Questions
No, legitimate mystery shopping jobs exist, but they do not operate this way. Real mystery shopping companies never charge fees to work for them, nor do they send you a check and ask you to wire a portion of it back. You can verify legitimate companies through the MSPA Americas, a professional trade association.
The scam's goal is to steal your money through a fake check scheme. Scammers provide a counterfeit check and rely on the fact that banks must make funds available before the check officially clears. They convince you to send them real, untraceable money from your account before the bank discovers the fraud, leaving you responsible for the loss.
Scammers demand payment via wire transfers or by having you purchase gift cards and send the PINs because these methods are like sending cash. The funds are nearly impossible to trace or reverse once sent, allowing the criminals to collect the money quickly and anonymously.
Banks are required by law to make funds from a deposited check available within a few days, but it can take weeks to uncover that a check is counterfeit. By the time the bank discovers the fraud and reverses the funds, the victim has already sent their own money to the scammer and is liable for the full amount.
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