There are real companies but they almost never advertise online as most agencies have more people registered with them than they can find work for. It's not a job, it's more like a hobby. You have to spend your own money upfront, normally only get paid $10-20 per shop and would be lucky to get more than 4 assigments in a year, and that's if you are in a big city.

Many legitimate companies are members of the MSPA. You can search on their website for agencies near you http://www.mysteryshop.org/searchmspa/se¦

Also look in your yellow pages under Market Researh as most mystery shopping is conducted through market research agencies who also conduct focus groups - which pay a lot more than mystery shopping. I've made $50-75 cash doing focus groups, you get paid after the session, while with mystery shopping you always have to spend your own money on the shop then it takes about a month to get reimbursed as well as get your $10-20 fee.

Most of the jobs you see online are scams, either wanting you to pay them upfront (not legit) or wanting to involve you with money laundering by having you deposit checks/money orders and wire money to a third party through Moneygram or Western Union. Real mystery shopping would NEVER operate in that way.

They have them, but are just scams which will take your money.

Companies pay their own employees to go to other locations and investigate the quality of the products and services. Rarely would they pay strangers to do it.

Yes, there really are mystery shoppers. And yes, if you see the job listed online, it probably is a scam.

Companies do hire mystery shoppers to check out their retail establishments and restaurants. Your chances of finding them on the internet, though, is somewhere between slim and none.

They DO exist, but not over the internet. Legit mystery shopper companies have actual employees who do that sort of work.