I recieved a letter from SEABOARDINTL.NET in the amount of $,998.85. I found out about mystery shopping from an ad in the Chicago SunTimes newspaper n i called the number n 2 weeks later this is what i received. I tried to find the website but i cannot locate them .... i see u all have said this place is a fraud. Ive never secret shopped before and i would appreciate any help asto which is the safest company for a 1st time shopper as myself so that i dont have the fraud problem on my first try!... ANY FEEDBACK IS WECOMED

Hi Madeline - Welcome to the forum. You're right. That check you got in the mail is a scam.

I don't know where you are and that makes a difference, but three companies that work nationally and are good to pay are Maritz, CRI, and Market Force. These would be good companies to sign up with to start. At the bottom of each page of this forum there is a link to a list of mystery shopping companies. Sign up with as many as possible.

Read as much as you can on the forum. You will find a lot of information on different companies by reading posts made by other shoppers.

It would be great if you called the advertising department at the newspaper to let them know that they're selling space to a fraudulent company. It's worth a shot letting them know on the chance that they'll care, and you might help save someone a tremendous amount of grief.

HI TRYNA HOW DO I BECOME A SECRET SHOPPER AND HOW DOES IT WORK

Hello Broncos


*Welcome to the Forums! I put together a little help/fact sheet outline for new shoppers. Hopefully you find the information valuable and helpful getting you started!

Try and spend as much free time as you can find READING the forums. Too many new shoppers come in, post 1 time, and then skeedaddle. There is so much valuable information you can find just by visiting (even lurking), and reading!

**Please - No "ALL Capital Letters" - that is equivalent to yelling.

**Please - Proper punctuation, spelling and grammar. Also, no chat speak please, as we like to consider ourselves professionals.


~~~~~~~~~~~

You are probably feeling somewhat overwhelmed, wondering where to begin. Here are some facts and tips:

1. Mystery Shopping is NOT "quick money" or a "way to make a living". (True, few people do, but they are gone on over-the-road video trips for several weeks at a time, and they BUILT their Reputation by starting at the beginning.)

--> (A) Mystery Shopping is work - hard work.
--> ( You are self-employed.
--> (C) You pay taxes on ALL of your income (YES, EVEN on that single $7.00 Shop Pay you got from one company you did work for once in the year!).
--> (D) You need to keep a spreadsheet and/or track of ALL of your expenses.
--> (E) You should have an office with a good computer, internet, printer, paper, ink, a good camera (if you decide to get into auditing), or a good cell phone with a camera.

2. You get paid (starting usually) $4.00 to $10.00 AFTER you complete a job, submit a survey free of errors, have your survey accepted, and hopefully had no deductions!

3. You get paid - 95% of the time - 45-60-90 days AFTER your survey is accepted. (There are a few companies that may pay in 30 days, just don't count on it, and it really helps to learn how to balance/budget your future earnings.)

--> (A) Most of the time, you will need to lay out money first. Example - that Fast Food shop? You need to pay in *CASH*. You'll get reimbursed - and also a "fee" - but that will come later (See #2 above)

4. You need proper Grammar, Spelling, Capitalization, and Punctuation. Yes, that should include a forum. We consider ourselves professionals, even on a forum.

5. READ - pull up a chair and Read. Tired of reading? Don't like to read? Well, you are not going to learn anything unless you start reading. Grab a soda, coffee, tea, whatever your preference and start going through all of the threads - at least threads on the first page of EACH forum. Forums are listed at the bottom of all of the pages.

--> (A) When you get to "New Mystery Shoppers" Forum: [www.mysteryshopforum.com] - there are "Sticky Threads" at the top of this forum. READ through ALL of the information that a long time shopper/member (Flash) wrote for new shoppers. Then, go back and read it again. Some people have been known to print out the information that Flash has written (not all of the follow up threads, just her first post).

6. Get yourself set up with a spreadsheet to keep track of your future jobs. Search here on the forum "spreadsheets" - and you should pull up ideas on how others set them up. You NEED to keep track of your expenses - you will need those for tax time!

7. Get yourself set up with a PayPal account.

--> (A) I would also suggest that you set up an Email ONLY to be used for Mystery Shopping - and use that email to connect with your Paypal account and the one you use signing up with MSC's.

8. I'd also recommend that you start a new checking account - Again, ONLY to be used for Mystery Shopping. At tax time - especially if you stay interested in shopping - you will be SO glad that you had separate accounts! Someone recommended it to me when I first started - and I am definitely glad that I did get one!

Have fun shopping - but you do have to do the work yourself. It's the only way you are going to learn - and find out what type of company works best for you.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/15/2012 02:48AM by r@inyDayZ3.

They probably will care since it's highly likely they won't be paid be either

nicelytwicely Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It would be great if you called the advertising
> department at the newspaper to let them know that
> they're selling space to a fraudulent company.
> It's worth a shot letting them know on the chance
> that they'll care, and you might help save someone
> a tremendous amount of grief.