Can I really earn money by shopping?

Ellen says: My friend Marielle loves to shop, so I wasn't surprised when she found a way to get paid for it-by signing up to be a mystery shopper. It sounds fun, but I always thought secret shopping business were scams.

Plenty of mystery shopping jobs are legit but beware of business that take your money up front and provide opportunities in return. for example, steer clear of any company that requires you to pay for certification or charges an application fee. Also, never pay for a list of retailers that needs mystery shoppers-- that information is available for free at mysteryshop.org. This site also lets you search for a jobs in your area and sign up with business that never charge a fee.