Shadow Shopper Review – A Dangerous Opportunity?
Isn’t this an interesting way to earn money? Who wouldn’t love to eat and shop for a purpose, and earn money at the same time? I know I’d love that.
But, when the opportunity comes knocking, would you dare to take it?
They say when something is too good to be true, it probably is, right?
Well, I want to congratulate you for doing your research and landing on this Shadow Shopper scam review.
In this review, I am going to expose the #1 reason why I think Shadow Shopper is a dangerous opportunity, and how you can prevent yourself from being scammed.
Also, if you stick around to the end, I will share with you a beginner safe way to earn money online that eventually got me to fire my boss and earn a full-time income online.
Now, let’s get the ball rolling shall we.
Could Shadow Shopper Scam you? The #1 Reason Why…
Firstly, it is the on-boarding of companies footing the bill. The companies that intend to hire you as a mystery shopper.
Wait! Aren’t they supposed to be legit?
You see, the reason it is dangerous is because Shadow Shopper does not charge a fee to the “employers”.
This means that there is no incentive for Shadow Shopper to do due diligence on the employers.
Any individuals or companies can post opportunities at will without scrutiny.
So, whether or not the opportunity itself is legit, doesn’t concern Shadow Shopper. It is just a Technology Platform that connects buyers to sellers (as what they explained). Here’s an abstract of the terms of use:
Source: www.shadowshopper.com
So, how does Shadow Shopper earns money in this sense.
If they don’t charge a fee to companies listing the jobs, and they don’t charge a fee for aspiring mystery shoppers to use their platform, how can they earn money? I’ll discuss this in a bit, but now, let’s take care of you…
Why should you care if Shadow Shopper jobs are legit?
Well, if you haven’t heard about mystery shopper scams, it will be interesting for you to know.
Here’s the most common scam you should be aware of…
In Canada, a notorious group of individual lures unknowing victims into their mystery shopping gig through SMS.
The victims were told that they could earn $400 working as a mystery shopper.
Naturally, anyone who is in need of the money will view this as an easy way to get extra cash.
First, the scammers will earn the victims’ trust by engaging them and making them feel comfortable.
Then, when that is achieved, they’ll ask for information as simple as an address.
Following that, the scammers will send a check worth several thousand dollars to the address provided.
The victims were told to keep $400 as payment, and spend the rest on the job.
Nothing fishy up to this point, and…
…Here’s where the real scam happened…
The first task is to spend $100 at Walmart and provide an opinion on the experience. Clever, because it makes the victims believe that Walmart is hiring them.
The second task is to deposit the balance amount from the check (less $400 as payment and the $100 spent at Walmart) into a given bank account.
Little did you know that the money spent and deposited, were hard earned cash by the victims.
The check that was promised is phony.
The scammers know that the bank will take several days to cash the check, so they did things in a timely fashion.
As was told, the given tasks were to be executed the following day the check was received, otherwise the “gig” will be canceled.
But, when the victims’ money touches the scammer’s account, they will never be found.
Such a genius way to victimize people, and that’s why you need to pay close attention to these mystery shopper gigs.
This is just one of the many cases that were made public.
I believe there are many other ways the scammers can reach your pocket.
There are already so many scam cases in Shadow Shopper…
So, how can you prevent yourself from being scammed?
As Shadow Shopper is not doing anything to keep you away from scammers, you have to take security in your own hands.
Tip #1: Read the fine print
Before accepting any mystery shopping job, be sure to read the fine print of the hiring company.
If they do not have a corporate website or any trusted information, don’t bother joining.
And, even if there is information, the next step is to verify if the information is accurate (See Tip #2).
Though some companies are legit, you have to read the terms of payment carefully.
Some companies do not pay you for the merchandise that you purchase during the gig, while others pay.
Make sure that the terms of the contract are something that you are comfortable with.
Tip #2: Do Your Due Diligence
The most important task for you is to research about the company offering the job.
A simple Google Search for reviews is just not enough.
You should never rely heavily on positive reviews because they can be bought.
The trick is to draw attention to those negative reviews.
I always believe in genuine negative reviews because they are the most trusted sources of information.
Tip #3: Don’t Pay to Play
If any company requests money from you in order to get paid, even the most legitimate reason like “getting certified for mystery shopping gigs”, don’t do it!
Mystery shopping jobs should earn you money, not take money away from you.
Most of all, if a company like Shadow Shopper asks you for a membership fee, think about it, is it necessary?
You see, if Shadow Shopper were to be paid as a business, they shouldn’t be asking from their members, mystery shoppers like you and me.
Whichever company that needs a feedback on their products or services, should be paying the mystery shoppers for the information, not the other way around.
It’s common sense.
Tip #4: Don’t be too happy to receive payment before the job
Think about it, which legitimate company will send you a payment before doing your job?
It just doesn’t make sense, unless they have something up their sleeves.
So, if you ever receive a check beforehand, you now know that it is most likely a scam.
Phew, that’s a handful for preventing yourself from scammers in this sort of opportunities, right?
Shadow Shopper Review – The Real Agenda behind the curtains
Alright, now that you know what you are getting into, let’s dive right into Shadow Shopper.
If you want me to sum up in one sentence, what Shadow Shopper actually is, I’ll say that it is…
…A middleman of the middleman!
Let me explain.
Close to 90% of the jobs posted in Shadow Shopper are actually jobs posted in other mystery shopping websites.
Sites like:
You can register directly with those sites as well. You don’t necessarily need Shadow Shopper to notify you of new jobs.
Moreover, the real deal with Shadow Shopper is its Gold Membership fee!
The Gold Membership Fee – What’s the Difference?
Here it is:
- Bronze Membership (Free) – You’ll get access to jobs that are posted 7 days or longer. But, by the time you see these jobs, they are most likely been taken. Also, you’ll get access to promoted jobs (Jobs that will be listed at the top of the job board because employers pay Shadow Shopper an advertising fee).
- Gold Membership (see below for the fees) – You’ll get notified of the most recent jobs, and you’ll be placed in the front line for the employers’ selection. This will give you an edge against other bronze members.
But wait, these are not jobs that are exclusive to Shadow Shopper members. Remember I said that they are the middleman of the middleman?
So, technically, you are competing with other Gold Members, as well as members of the source job.
How much does the Gold Membership Fee cost?
- $6.95 for 30 days
(usual price $29.95) - $9.95 for 60 days
(usual price $49.95) - $27.95 for 180 days
- $47.95 for 365 days
(usual price $99.95)
Maybe you will find that it is worth joining the Gold Membership, but personally, I feel that there is not a need because there are other sources that you can go directly to.
So, to sum up…
In my opinion, the idea of Shadow Shopper is like the “google” of mystery shopping jobs, but you have to pay to get the “latest news”.
How Much Can You Earn as a Mystery Shopper?
Mystery shopping jobs can typically earn you between $6 to $50 per job, but it means that you have to spend a lot of time on them in order to earn a good amount of money.
There are 2 types of mystery shopping gigs:
- Jobs that allow you to work from home
- Jobs that requires your physical presence at a shop
Obviously, the work from home jobs pay lesser than the other.
What you usually need to do is to conduct a certain job, and write up a detailed report for the employers.
These jobs are suitable for people who are efficient in narrating their experience through a report.
But, one thing for sure is that your household can’t fully rely on this source of income.
Mystery shopping is an avenue for anybody who wants to earn extra cash to supplement the household income.
So, is Shadow Shopper a Scam?
I think you already caught the drift.
Shadow Shopper is not a scam, but its purpose for existence is questionable.
Well, I would say that if there is no segregation of memberships and every member enjoys the same benefit, then this platform is valuable to the industry.
What do you think about my assessment? Feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below.
My 2 Cents on Shadow Shopper
In my opinion, you don’t necessarily need Shadow Shopper to be notified of mystery shopping jobs around you.
You can visit the Mystery Shopping Professionals Association (MSPA) to source for mystery shopping job providers.
With MSPA, there is an added layer of security for mystery shoppers because there are strict criteria to obtain an MSPA membership.
However, mystery shopping is definitely not the way to go if you are looking for something to replace your job.
Not Mystery Shopping, what’s next?
If you want to build a business that can potentially get you out of your job, then I’ll recommend you to join this program.
This is the program that taught me everything about building an online business, and has allowed me to quit my job and work full-time from home.
Have you read my story of how I fired my boss yet?
I know that building an online business may be out of your comfort zone, but I promise you that I felt the same when I first started.
Either way, I wish you all the best in your endeavors, and I thank you for reading this review.
If you think that this review has helped, please share it. Other people might need this information.
And, if you’d like to discuss more about Shadow Shopper, please, feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below.
Your pal,
Jack
