Mystery Shopping scam

Here’s another scam email I received today. “Mystery Shopping,” indeed.

Date: Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:11:55 -0700
From: Richard Gras richard.gras2755@hotmail.com
Reply-to: richard.gras2755@yahoo.com
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject: Mystery Shopping JOB
User-Agent: Internet Messaging Program (IMP) H3 (4.1.6)
X-Identified-User: {2065:host193.hostmonster.com:cpanelhorde:host193.hostmonster.com} {sentby:program running on server}

Hello,

Am Richard Gras, and working for a company (Shoppers Guide Int.) that conduct
surveys and evaluates other companies which can be simply called mystery shopping.

What is Mystery Shopping…..?

A vast amount of companies are interested in knowing what their customers/clients think of their services and/or products in order to right what may be wrong and help them to improve customer service and productivity. To obtain this crucial data from a non biased view point they hire Mystery Shopping agencies/recruiters like us, who are trained market researchers, to gather the information on their behalf. We get hired to go to other peoples companies and act like customers in order to know how the staffs are handling their services in relation to their customers. This is where you come in…

Once we have a contract to do so, as a Mystery Shopper you will pose as a regular customer but will actually be collecting essential data set by the client and briefed to you. Assignments vary from restaurants to shops, banks to fitness centres, the list is endless. You would actually be directed to the company or outlet, and you would be given the funds you need to do the job (
either purchase things or require services), after which you would write a comment on the staffs activities and give a detailed record of your experience.

Examples of details you would forward to us are:

1) How long it took you to get services.
2) Smartness of the attendant
3) Customer service professionalism
4) Sometimes you might be required to upset the attendant, to see how they react to clients when they get tensed.

Sounds like fun? It is but it’s no joke, your reports are vital material, so you’ve got to be committed and be able to complete each job as specified on your worksheet by us. It is important we bring to you knowledge that our management is always on the lookout for trustworthy and reliable people to carry out assignments for us.

What qualifications or skills do I need?

You don’t need any particular qualifications to become a mystery shopper, basically anyone can do it, any age, any background. However, you must be reliable, observant, have a good memory and be able to give an accurate, unbiased view of your findings. The job also requires discretion as in effect you are akin to an undercover reporter, therefore at no time must you reveal that you are a mystery shopper during an assignment.

How much money can I earn?

You would be paid three hundred United States Dollars ($300.00) on every research information which you record for the company. You would also be given extra funds in a case whereby you are evaluating or studying the activities of a place where spending is required of you (e.g Restaurants, clothing stores, bars or a situation where by mobility is required).

What to do after an assignment is completed?

After completing an assignment you are usually required to email our representative a detailed record of your experience within a set timeframe, this is usually between 8 – 24 hours of job completion. The best thing to do is contact our representative via email with your results as soon as you can while the details are still fresh in your mind.

No commitment is made on this job, and you would have flexible hours as it suits you while you are still working at your present place of work. Our website is under repairs, as soon as the website is re-constructed the link will be forwarded to you. In the mean time, you can forward all correspondence to : (richard.gras2755@yahoo.com). If you are interested in this job, kindly send in your details such as:

FULL NAME : ……………………

FULL ADDRESS : …………………
CITY : ………………………..
STATE: ………………………..
ZIP CODE: ……………………..
PHONE NUMBER (S) : ……………..
GENDER : ………………………
AGE : …………………………

So we can look at your distance from the locations which you have to put your service, and your address would also be need for your payments.

Many Thanks.
Richard Gras
Shoppers Guide Int.
127 DEPTFORD HIGH STREET
LONDON,UNITED KINGDOM
SE18 2DG
+44-7024055460 or +44-7035903833