My mother-in-law sent me this email she received from "Secret Shopper" and asked me to check into it because she thought she'd like to do it if I thought it was legit. I wouldn't normally ask but since I do know that there is a company called Secret Shopper that is here on the Mystery shopping forum, I was unsure if it actually was. I am including the entire email in this message. Things that are suspicious to me: There is no website included. No contact information. No graphics in the email. And the fact that you get to spend at least $800 at Walmart and KEEP it. Seems sketchy. And lastly.. once you copy the message... well you will see below... it's really hard to read.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Linda Zentner <lzentner917@hotmail.com>
To: David Zentner <thetrain8@yahoo.com>
Cc:
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 07:44:41 -0600
Subject: FW: 696-943-2939


From: recdep992@gmx.com
CC: lyuk26@hotmail.com; lzentner917@hotmail.com; lzmvillegas@hotmail.com; m-meisner@hotmail.com; m-oise-1@hotmail.com
To: weyhcxvz@hotmail.com; ygjtibix@outlook.com; pprmoqcu@msn.com
Subject: 696-943-2939
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2015 08:28:39 -0800

pHixthere,k

hSecretvShopper®kisqrecruitingymysterynshoppers,oWeqarekrecruitingvinrconjuctiontwithjWesterngunion®l
xWefarellookingltowrunaawmysterycshoppinglassignmentoindyoureareanandpwerwouldplikebyountobparticipate.p
yIt'sdfundandorewarding,kandyyoudchooseuwhenuandmwheregyouiwantztogshop.y
iTherehisknolchargentoibecomedatshopperoandjyoutdonnottneedeprevioussexperience.w
iAfterqyouqsigndup,yyouywillqhaveaaccessitodinformationkviage-mail,lfax,ypostalcmailooruSMS.f

uABOUTsUSe
nSecretwShopper®zisatheopremierymysterygshoppingncompany,lservingdclientszacrossrAmericaiandlCanadae
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sStoreskandforganizationsysuchkasfTheuGap,yWal-Mart,xWesternoUnion,yandkBanks.e
wManydothersxpayqforqSecretcShoppersmtokshopxinqtheirfestablishmentsdandnreportutheirfexperiences.c
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yYouywillibeorequiredxtobinteractzwithhthemattendantworkadcashier.v
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t
aThewAssignmentminjbrief:rAmCheck/Moneyordercofobetweenx$800n-y$2850fwillzbeqmailedcoutotouyou.
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pYougwillctakewtheocashoandeshopjatxanykWalmartuandiWestern-unionqoutletuclosestptoeyoudandmevaluate
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zThehfundszyouhwilldreceivejwilldhavewbeendcalculatedatofcoverwbothmaspectsjofzthisasurvey.x
wYouvwillibeoallocatedw100sdollarshforutheeWalmartgshoppingysection.k
xRememberathatseverythinglyoubbuyhisftotallyayours.c
jTHEbWESTERNwUNIONwASSIGNMENTsSECTIONn2ndfaspectzofpthefevaluationx(dToytransferbBetweeno$600b-a$2550)k
eAlottofkWesternpunionscustomersrhavewreportedblapseseincMoneygtransferzservices.h
aYoumwillwbepgivenhmoneyvtovmakejaotransfermoftfundstfromgyourllocationitojouruagentfinaanothervlocationgorkcountryw
haspspecifiedqineyourpassignmentbpackage.pFundsjwouldwbeppickedpuprbydoursagentcatlthejexactclocationvwhichnaycustomeru
nhasdpreviouslyoreportedmhis/herpfundscstolenjfrom.xYouvwilljhavewtofrecordhtheutimelatcwhichuyouqgotktoitheq
yWesterndunionaoutletuandohowzmanyzminutesaitbtookjyougtotgetetheoservicesdone.k
kYoubwillpbeqpaidjancommissionb$100toramorewformcompletingibothttasks.d
dSecretxShopper®viszalsokawcharteromemberzofvthecindustryftradevassociation,othesMysterynShoppinguProvidersxAssociation.
zBenefithfromjpartneringlwithlAmericaskpremieryMysterymShoppingccompany.c
bWefhaveabeensbuildinguourgtraditionhofhexcellencezforctwoydecades.p


iSincerely,e
gRecruitinghDepartment

Total SCAM. The email addresses are a dead give away besides many other red flags.

It's a scam. From: Linda Zentner <lzentner917@hotmail.com>

While there is ONE exception I know of who uses hotmail, all other MSC's email addresses will be @nameofcompany not hotmail or yahoo.

And companies with ONE exception I shopped for do not send money to shoppers upfront. The ONE exception was a company who knew me, and I knew them, and the amount was $50.

NO MSC will ever send anyone $2850 upfront, especially not to a total stranger they recruited through email. They will send a bogus cashier's check, tell you to cash it (which I think is what it says up there in that gibberish), keep part, and wire the rest back to them. When the bogus check bounces, you have already sent them *your* money and the bank will take it back from your bank account.

Tell her to delete the email and remember, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

Oh, and the scammers always pretend to be from a company that is perfectly legitimate.

Secret Shopper is a legit company, but the email posted is not from them.

Thank you to everyone who commented on my post. I have informed my mother-in-law and she now knows the signs to look for in determining if a shop is legit or not. I'm just glad she asked me first before proceeding since she has never done any mystery shopping before. I have offered her to do some shops before like a year ago, but I'm assuming the pay was not to her liking along with all the actual work that is involved. lol So she probably saw this shop as a way more lucrative opportunity.