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In today's daily living, it is hard not to come across someone or something attempting to get your attention. While many of these are legitimately attempting to solicit your attention, there are always those that are scams or operating under fraudulent pretences.
Unfortunately, the lure of the exciting Mystery Shopping assignments and evaluations has created the opportunity for individuals to falsely represent themselves. To help you familiarize yourself with how the industry works and how to recognize a legitimate operator, we have attached a few links below to some materials that have been prepared to assist you:
2) US Federal Trade Commission
2017 SQM SHOP INC. Is Not Sensors Quality Management Inc.
Starting in the fall of 2017, emails have been circulating that offer local evaluation positions to mystery shop organizations like Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Rite Aid and Wal Green stores across the USA.
This solicitation email, from an individual claiming to be “Sean Horton”, offers a position to be a Brand Assessor working for Sensors Quality Management Inc, as part of the local research team.
The message includes a link taking you to an off-site application form that is not part of SQM.
This is a scam. Do not respond to this message.
How To Avoid Signing Up To A Mystery Shopping Scam!
It has come to our attention that in recent times, a money-wiring scam has begun to circulate in both the United States and Canada, whereby an individual or organization is unlawfully using both the Sensors Quality Management Inc. and SQM company names, to lure new victims.
This scam involves someone identifying themselves in emails, text messages, and on Craigslist advertisements, as “Neil Hudson”, though there are likely other names being used. This person is unknown to SQM and is NOT an authorized representative of the company.
It is an all too common money-wiring fraud whereby a cashier’s cheque for a large amount of money (typically over $1,000.00) is sent via FedEx (or other couriers) to the victim’s home, with instructions to cash it and “Mystery Shop” Western Union (or other money wiring services). Typically you are asked to wire the majority of the cheque amount to an overseas individual and keep $200.00 to $300.00 as your "Shopper" fee.
If you have received emails or text messages from “Neil Hudson” or anyone else instructing you to cash a cheque as part of a Mystery Shopping project, DO NOT RESPOND. If you have received a cashier’s cheque, as described above, DO NOT CASH IT. The cheque may look as it is from a recognizable bank, however, it is almost certainly a fake. If you cash this cheque your bank will give you the cash right away, but once they realize they cashed a fictitious cheque (usually one or two weeks after the fact) they will hold YOU accountable for the entire amount of the cheque, resulting in you being out of pocket whatever amount you wired overseas...
PLEASE NOTE, that Sensors Quality Management Inc. (SQM) would never send you money prior to completing an assignment. We are also not aware of any reputable company that would ask for you to send money back. Typically Mystery Shoppers are reimbursed for small purchases (i.e. clothes, restaurant meals, etc.) as well as a nominal Shopper fee, which is paid after the assignment has been completed, and expense reports submitted.
While the typical rule of thumb is "if it's too good to be true, it probably is" typically applies to most fraudulent activities, we urge you to educate yourself, your family, and friends about such scams and frauds by visiting the site www.fakechecks.org or contacting your local police.
Should you wish to confirm whether an assignment is truly from Sensors Quality Management Inc. (SQM), please contact our Field Resources Department, at 416-444-4491 or email us at
SQM US
It has come to our attention that in recent times, a new scam involving the SQM name has begun to circulate in both the United States and Canada.
A series of telephone calls coming from a number that has the call display name of "SQM US" has begun to circulate. The caller will use a variety of names, however, the number displayed is often 208-758-0625. Should you attempt to call back this number, you will get a message indicating that the number does not accept inbound calls. To our knowledge, there is no legitimate Mystery Shopping firm operating under this name. Furthermore, this organization is not Sensors Quality Management Inc. (SQM).
Should you wish to contact Sensors Quality Management Inc. (SQM), please contact our Field Resources Department, at 416-444-4491 or email us at sqm@sqm.ca.