When MSC first started requiring photos on shops, I was nervous as you know what. Then I realized: they are intentionally putting us at risk of being exposed. Therefore, I don't let it bother me anymore. I know I won't get paid if I don't take the photos, and I'm not foregoing my salary, so I take the photos. If I get caught, I was just doing my job. Try not to pay me and there will be problems. I have been identified twice now. I was paid both times without incident.
That doesn't mean I am not covert. If it is a sit down restaurant, I ask to be seated in a quiet area away from a lot of traffic. I try to just use my phone for photos since it is less obvious. The less suspicious you act, the less attention you draw. Don't look around before you take the photos. Just take them. If it's the salsa bar at Moe's, I'm texting at an angle. People text all the time, so if you are using your phone, you can usually make it look like that's what you are doing. I've turned the sound and flash off my camera phone.
Same goes for asking for names. I try three times. After that, if I still don't have a name, I log the steps I took to obtain a name and explain why I was unsuccessful. Of course you are going to be identified as the shopper if subtlety doesn't get you anywhere. It's not my problem. The corporate suits want a name, get them a name. Yesterday I had to place a pre-call to a college bookstore. The girl wouldn't give me a name. I called back, she still refused. I called a third time (now I'm certain she thinks I'm a stalker). I tried to play it off, "Hey I think I just spoke with you. What was your name?" Not happening. The girl flat out refused to give it to me. I explained in my report. I can't make her give it to me. I can't tell her, "Listen, I am a shopper, and you are going to lose points if you don't tell me your name." I did what I could do, and that was it.
We all run into scenarios from time to time that we know would never play out in real life. That's not our problem. The client is paying us to do as we are told. If you just can't get over the anxiety, don't take the job. I used to second guess myself all the time: "Gosh. This is stupid. I'm going to get identified." Now, I psych myself into it by not caring. I have my orders, and I am going to fulfill them as discretely as possible.
Shopping since 1995; full-time since 2009. Blogging about shopping on www.myfrugalmiser.com.