I just got a doozy! Wanted to post in case anyone find their way here by searching for info. Of course, there IS a legitimate (but slooow paying) company called "Mystique", but this isn't it!!!

Here's the email:

---------------------------

Mystique Shopper LLC™ is presently accepting a "limited" number of Applications.

Position Title: Secret Shopper

Availability: Open

Start Date: Immediate

Commission: $150.00 Per Survey

OUR BUSINESS: To help small and medium-sized companies understand conditions at retail by providing high-quality information through customer feedback surveys, outlet survey and other data gathering techniques.

You will be hired to conduct an all expenses paid surveys and evaluation exercises on behalf of Mystique Shopper LLC™. As our "Client" posing as a regular shopper, you will expected to perform specific tasks such as purchasing a product or using a service.

We presently have a couple of outstanding contracts, which means you will be directed to outlets, firms and corporate bodies (near your location) and then report on your experience.

PLEASE NOTE: You will be provided funds in advance for any upcoming survey via Checks to cover expenses.

You do not require any special skills for this position, however in order to apply for this job you MUST ensure you have access to your E-mails two (2) times a day and must READ and RESPOND to all notifications within 18-24hrs.

CLIENT APPLICATION: Please fill out the Application form below to officially apply for the opening:

Full Name:
Address Line 1:
Address Line 2:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Home Phone Number:
Cell / Mobile Phone Number:.......For Sms Updates.....
Have you had any previous expertise in surveys or mystery shopping positions:

Data Privacy
We Collect personal information solely for internal use in hiring, paying, and assigning assignments to mystery shoppers. Names, email addresses, addresses, phone numbers, and other personal information are Never Released or Sold to third parties.

Mystique Shopper LLC™
P.O. Box 121001, Clermont, Florida 34712
Contact Point: mystiqueshopperllc@gmail.com
Mystique Shopper LLC™ © 2006-2010 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The information contained in this e-mail, and any attachment, is confidential and is intended solely for the use of the intended recipient. Access, copying or re-use of the e-mail or any attachment, or any information contained therein, by any other person is not authorized. If you are not the intended recipient please return the e-mail to the sender and delete it from your computer.

WOW...there getting ballsier, but the info. required still smells scam.

I received that one, too. The ones that use legitimate companies' names are extra sneaky!

My quick scan of the email showed they wanted information sent to a gmail address. Warning flags went up, especially since mystique has a company email address, not something out on the web.

Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My quick scan of the email showed they wanted
> information sent to a gmail address. Warning
> flags went up, especially since mystique has a
> company email address, not something out on the
> web.


And of course, the numero uno warning flag:

"PLEASE NOTE: You will be provided funds in advance for any upcoming survey via Checks to cover expenses."

Yes, like a fake money order!!!

The email address where I received this isn't even one I use for mystery shopping. (That was the FIRST clue!)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2011 04:29AM by nicelytwicely.

Frankly I didn't read it closely enough to even note that, though it is such an integral part of the scams I assumed it would be there. My eyes just flitted down to the signature area and spotted the gmail address.

When I saw the $150 I started laughing. A company offering $150 to a shopper that they have no relationship with?

If anyone knows a real company that does that, i'd love to know!

Scams make me laugh. Sometimes I write back and ask silly questions for fun.

Monarch, you'll enjoy the scam baiter site. =) [www.thescambaiter.com]

The Infidels! Thanks for the heads up.

Mystique Shopper used to do valet parks in Boston, usually forgot to pay me but through persistance finally got paid. The other thing you posted is an obvious scam as you know no shop will pay $150. I get 2 or 3 cookie cutter emails every week with the same body u posted. Those Nigerians are busier than ever.

I have done FL credit union shops for them in the past (oniste visits & phone call shops) and although their pay is as slow as Service Sleuth's (3 months) I've not had a problem. But I have not received payment for March shops which should have been paid June 20th. Has anyone else been paid for March shops? Any feedback is appreciated! Thanks.

I have received emails in the past from scheduling companies looking for MSers
to shop entire shopping malls or outlet malls. They tout a total payment of
$150. In addition they reimburse a couple bucks for a small purchases at the food court or food stands in the mall. I have never seen the entire instructions for one of these shops but its sounds like there is a lot of paperwork, purchases, and receipts to handle.

still waiting to get paid from April

My May shop was not edited until June. I don't expect my check until September.

I'm still waiting to get paid for 1 shop in early April and 1 from early June.

Still waiting to get paid from April. The owner, John, said I should have received payment already and he would check into it. That was earlier this month and nothing since. Are they an MSPA company?

deleted

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2013 08:30PM by Pooch5210.

I regret not checking here first. This company is a scam. Every other company I have worked for has paid me except them. Every time I call I get not answer. They have my status listed as paid but nothing is in my account. If anyone knows a way to actually reach the company please let me know. They need to be reported. This is shameful.

I am still waiting for pay for a shop done on 3/26. They show it as paid on 8/10/2013 via PayPal. Of course it has not been received. I also did a shop on 6/4 and that has not been paid. The company does not answer their phone and does not reply to email messages.

Whoever the shopper was that said she spoke with John, I would like to know how she even got thru to him????

I've no idea if this phone number is current, but on an email I got long ago, when investigating my own late payment, it has 888-750-SHOP. I don't recall ever calling, only emailing: John@MystiqueShopper.com.

I've done one shop for this company in total, because of payment problems. I did get paid after multiple emails, but who has time to chase these things down?

Anyone have updates for unpaid shops?

Contact the Florida Attorney General's office and report them for fraud. And contact your own State Attorney General's office too. Make a complaint on the BBB website as well. You won't get your money back but at least authorities will be alerted that someone using this Florida address is scamming people.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2013 07:41AM by nycrocks.

I doubt Nigerians are writing these scam emails, because the English is too good. There's always misspelled words and grammatical errors when they're the scam instigators.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2013 07:51AM by nycrocks.

The $150 Mall Shop is legitimate.

You have to visit multiple restaurants and shops in a large shopping mall in your area. They give you 2 weeks to do it.

(Not saying the above letter of OP is legitimate, it appears to be a cut and paste of the real site)

They conveniently steal all the trademarks, real address and body of the site.

longPAdriver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have received emails in the past from scheduling
> companies looking for MSers
> to shop entire shopping malls or outlet malls.
> They tout a total payment of
> $150. In addition they reimburse a couple bucks
> for a small purchases at the food court or food
> stands in the mall. I have never seen the entire
> instructions for one of these shops but its sounds
> like there is a lot of paperwork, purchases, and
> receipts to handle.


I have looked into this one-I was going to be in the area shopping anyway, so thought I would snag some cash. Whoops, 2 visits on two different weekends, 5 stores each (same five both weekends) Very intense interactions, names, items, returns, food purchase, pictures, and a medium sized book for paperwork. It may not have been too bad If I lived near to the mall, but it is 45 miles one way through the wonderful construction on the interstate, so about 1 1/2 hours one way, barring the usual accidents. Too complicated/ time consuming for me.

A $150 shop for Mystique? Oh, my... It's hard enough getting a $17.00 payment out of them!

I use to conduct a lot of shops for Mystique Shopper and never noticed there was a problem not receiving my payments when they showed paid on the Mystique Shopper’s Log. Recently, I have shops showing paid to PP on my Shopper Log but the fees are not showing in my PP account. I plan to recheck my old accounts too; I don’t know how often this has been happening.

longPAdriver Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have received emails in the past from scheduling
> companies looking for MSers
> to shop entire shopping malls or outlet malls.
> They tout a total payment of
> $150. In addition they reimburse a couple bucks
> for a small purchases at the food court or food
> stands in the mall. I have never seen the entire
> instructions for one of these shops but its sounds
> like there is a lot of paperwork, purchases, and
> receipts to handle.

I did one of these "high paying" shops a few years ago. It was a HUGE amount of work! The end pay was great (over $200), but it only paid $5 per store. You had to spend 15 minutes and ask a list of silly questions at each store. The email said that each shop was only 6 questions. What they do not tell you is that there were several questions that were not numbered, each of the 6 questions had several parts (a-f) and there were a couple narratives. There was an additional 100+ question report that covered the entire mall. After completeing the shops, I gave them feedback about their dishonest representation of the amount of work the reports took. I keep getting offers for these, but I wouldn't do them again unless they ofered a reasonable fee per store.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/08/2013 05:36PM by 5ineveryroom.

I did that "whole mall" shop last month - holy cow! 35 $5 shops in one weekend. Physically exhausted doesn't quite describe it. And then, the questions and further details lasted 2 weeks. It's all good, though. I find each different type of shop I complete makes it easier and faster to do the familiar ones.

I am new with mystery shopping. I have only signed up a month ago and I have worked for the one company lots so far helping them complete the shops. The information I received from a friend who done this for some time sent me her file of all the companys she had dealt with in the past. So my main question here is this, how did the scammers get your email to send this? So far, I have only gotten mail from the companies I have signed up for.

Thank you, want to prepare myself