The MSPA is
committed to maintaining the integrity of the mystery shopping
industry and will continue to denounce the practices of
fraudulent and deceptive companies that use mystery shopping as
a cover to take advantage of people.
John Swinburn, Executive Director, MSPA
"Mystery Shop Link is not and has never been affiliated with the
MSPA, and the MSPA does not support the practices of which the
company has been accused," the association said Wednsday.
The FTC filed deceptive practices and contempt charges against
Mystery Shop Link on March 22, which promised consumers hundreds
of dollars in income for conducting mystery shopping exercises.
According to the FTC, consumers were charged a $99.95 fee for
training and to obtain mystery shopping job opportunities. In
reality, those who paid the fee had no advantage over others
interested in the same opportunities who accessed the
information for free, according to the FTC.
The MSPA has cooperated with the FTC in its investigation of
Mystery Shop Link and encourages the FTC to continue
investigating all mystery shopping-related scams.
The MSPA’s 200 member companies around the globe are required to
follow a strict code of ethics that prohibits them from charging
mystery shoppers a fee or misleading applicants on actual
mystery shopping assignment opportunities.
“The MSPA is committed to maintaining the integrity of the
mystery shopping industry and will continue to denounce the
practices of fraudulent and deceptive companies that use mystery
shopping as a cover to take advantage of people,” said John
Swinburn, Executive Director, MSPA.
