Trust & verification
A report is only worth the proof behind it.
Mystery shopping has a credibility problem. Here is every check that runs before a report reaches you.
The business never picks the shopper
You set a profile — age range, language, solo or couple, local or traveller — and the platform assigns. You see a shopper ID and tier on the report, never a name or a photo. This is the single most important rule: the moment a business can choose a named person, anonymity is gone.
GPS check-in and check-out
The shopper checks in through the app on arrival and out on leaving, and both positions are matched against your location's map pin. The distance is printed on the report. Anything beyond 300 metres raises a flag the reviewer must clear.
In-app camera only
Key photos cannot be chosen from a gallery — they are captured in the app. EXIF timestamp, coordinates and device are retained and shown to you alongside each image, so you can see when and where each shot was taken.
Receipt matching
The receipt total is recorded and checked against the visit date, time and the reimbursement cap. A visit with no receipt where one is required cannot be submitted.
Minimum time on site
Each template carries a minimum duration. A 'full dine-in visit' logged in eleven minutes is flagged automatically, because nobody evaluates five sections of service in eleven minutes.
Conflict and repeat checks
Shoppers declare no relationship to the business before claiming, and the platform blocks anyone who has already visited that location. Familiar faces stop being mystery shoppers.
Human review before release
Every report is read by a Mysterly reviewer who sees the proof, the flags and the writing. They can approve and release, send it back to the shopper for edits, or reject it — in which case nobody gets paid and the job is reposted.
Disputes
If something still looks wrong, you can open a dispute within 7 days. We re-check the evidence, and if the report was wrong we credit you up to the full visit price — use it to book the visit again, or withdraw it.
Privacy
What we do not do.
No recording where the law is unclear
Video is supported, but only where the consent rules for that country or state clearly allow it. Where they are unverified, recording is refused rather than assumed.
No photos of staff faces
Shoppers are instructed to photograph the premises, the product and the receipt — never identifiable people.
No shopper identity sharing
Names, photos and contact details never reach the business, during or after the visit.