No. We are mystery shoppers signed up with various companies that we sought out to apply with on their secure websites. We then take assignments that we report on these websites using our given user names or site ID's and passwords. We get paid weeks later, usually between $10 to $20 per assignment. No one pays in advance, and most companies these days use PayPal or direct deposit. There is a check scam going on though where scammers use the names of legitimate companies to try to fool people by sending them fake checks in the mail, then they usually text them to buy iPhones, gift cards, or complete money wire transfers after depositing the fake check. About 10 days later the bank realizes the check is fake and the person who got scammed is in serious trouble.