Perhaps the best way to know where to locate legitimate mystery shopping jobs is to first know where not to look. Many professional shoppers agree that newspaper advertisements and/or unsolicited e-mails should be avoided or, at the very least, used only with great caution as many are assumed to be questionable.

The best way to find a legitimate mystery shopping opportunity is through a reputable online company. Many businesses are currently hiring mystery shoppers and, like many, they realize that the best place to advertise is online. Like all work at home opportunities, a legitimate mystery shopping job can often be found through the best form of advertising available to anyone - word of mouth. Whether it's a referral from a friend or family member or an independent, third-party review from an organization that is offering their opinion on a company and its services, you can often gain valuable insight with the click of a mouse.

Because the internet is full of opportunities, including those relating to mystery shopping, it can often be difficult to find the best company to fit your needs. If you are curious as to a company's track record, you can always check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) online to learn if a business has had any complaints filed within the last 36 months, how many years it has been in existence and whether or not the track record is satisfactory according to the BBB's standards.

In addition to the aforementioned methods, anyone interested in becoming a mystery shopper should be cautious of a company that promises a job or a specific income. The financial rewards that are received are often representative of the amount of time and effort that you put into a career, which is the case with mystery shopping. The more jobs that you accept and the longer you work, the more money you will earn. Any company that promises you wealth overnight is simply not being realistic and is, consequently, a company that you may not want to do business with.

As a mystery shopper, you will learn to evaluate a business. If you have what it takes to be a candidate for this type of work, then you should also be able to evaluate a company before you sign up to shop for them. Are their statements and advertisements realistic or do they seem too good to be true? Does the company have a positive reputation with others and have they been in business for a significant amount of time? If you are to be a professional shopper, evaluating companies will become a way of life and there's no better time to begin assessing a business than now. If you choose wisely, you could be trading in your 9 to 5 job for a shopping cart and a ton of perks.