Workplace

You might consider becoming a mystery shopper! It’s a great way to make extra money. You’re not going to make big bucks – so don’t quit your day job. Here are the facts, courtesy of ABC News:

What do mystery shoppers actually do? Basically, they go to a store, restaurant or gas station – or call a catalog company - and evaluate the customer service. Like, how long did it take to get served? Were certain items in stock? Was the sales staff able to answer questions? Afterwards, you fill out an evaluation form. You get paid anywhere from $8 to $30, depending on how complicated your assignment was. So, how do you become a mystery shopper?

• First, log onto a website like WomenforHire.com/Mystery, where you’ll find dozens of companies that hire mystery shoppers. Since the gigs are freelance, and work isn’t always available, you’ll want to apply at several places.
• Carefully proof your applications! Your spelling, grammar and punctuation are critical, because your evaluation forms are passed directly to the client company.  
• Finally, think about becoming a “certified shopper.” There are hundreds of thousands of registered mystery shoppers - but only about 12,000 people who’ve taken classes to become certified. They stand out as the “go-to” shoppers for the choice assignments that pay big bucks.  
• Beware of offers that sound too good to be true. Like this one we found on the Consumer Reports website: A mystery shopping company sends you a $3,000 cashier's check, and asks you to go to Wal-Mart and send a $2,700 MoneyGram to Canada – and keep $250 for yourself. Weeks later, your bank discovers that the check was bogus - and you have to pay back the $3,000.