The big caution with them is that they want your personal information that in itself would bother me, it can be a source of spam if not more. I have done surveys but will not touch this one. If you are interested in real surveys that do not need your personal info you might check out this site, she has a lot of good tips and links to some that are much more legit.
A word to the wise - Big Spot Surveys

"BigSpot.com is NOT a free paid survey company. They collect your information and claim to send you information about other free paid survey companies but in the meantime they have your personal information."

Any of those too good to be true ads on tv are usually not good, like the finally fast ad which is a horrible scam and infects your pc with malware.

Raven gave good, strong advice. A couple of those sites are already in hot water because they are scams...mystery shoppers, etc. A couple of them got busted...they used the personal info. to set up fake identities to purchase big ticket items and clean out bank accounts. They are being prosecuted but That doesn't help the trouble it caused those poor souls who were scammed though.

I actually received an unsolicited check in my postal mail from PFG Research Center for a position as a mystery shopper. The check looks real and is for several thousand dollars, but I am very skeptical that it is legitimate. Well, mainly because it was unsolicited.

Pam

I could use a check like that for my Gas Bill!

That's what I'm thinking too Zep, but I'm afraid that if I deposit it, they'll wipe out my account or something worse. I'm taking it to my bank and asking them about it.

Pam I too might consider depositing that check - right in the shredder.

You might be in an unpleasant position if you do deposit as you have acknowledged receipt of the check and accepted it as yours.

Googling PFG Research Center I found no exact match. Strange? PFG is the Principal Financial Group and listed on the stock market but I might suspect those who sent that check are not from this particular company.

Let's see:

Unsolicited check, probably from an out-of-state bank, several thousand dollars,

"Hello, I am D A Mccoy and I am the son of the deceased Finance Minister of Ambrosia and I need your help. If you send me $50.00 I will use it to unlock Ambrosia's financial accounts which were sealed in Swiss banks upon my father's dead. These funds will be used to benefit the health, education, and welfare of the needy Ambrosian children. For your heart warming assistance I will personally see that you receive several thousand dollars."

Run and hide from that check.

DA

LOL! Yep, the letter is from Canada and the check from a bank in Atlanta. It is a division of Precision Financial Group. Dang, there goes my plan for a cruise âº

Pam

Try this below. Similar but a different company.

Also, try this link from Consumers Reports:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/money/shopping/shopping-tips/mystery-shopper-scam-6-07/overview/0607_mystery_shopper_scam_ov.htm

Finally, put mystery shopper scam in Google and enjoy the reading.

RUN!

DA

Here is a link that might be useful: High Beam Research

and another good place to look for things that seem too good to be true is Snopes
http://www.snopes.com/fraud/employment/shopper.asp
there is the secret shopper check scam

It has taken me longer than I thought to get back to you----so busy depositing all that money in the bank. NOT!!! LOL!!!I really appreciate all the input here. I figured it was too good to be true and I guess I was right. As they say 'if it sounds too good to be true it probably is'. Again, thanks for your time. Guess I'll skip all that money I could be making. Take care and stay safe all. BT

Hello all, I am curious about this "Bigspot.com" my mom just recently signed up and took a survey, they asked for her phone number and mailing address, etc. What I want to know if this is a concern for my family, I don't want some scammer taking advantage of my mom's personal info for Malicious use,She only took one survey, but my question is should we be alarmed?

iheartblastbeats-
If she just gave them her address and phone number, I would say that there is not a big risk. If she gave them other info, like her Social Security number, or banking or credit card info, then I'd be concerned. Also, tell your mother not to give out any more info on the phone to them and to show you any mailings she gets. I don't know specifically about these folks, but my main concern would be whether she has signed up for charges to her credit card. You might want to get on the phone with this outfit -- with your mother on the line, too -- and find out, if you can, just what she has gotten into. Maybe it's nothing, but I'd check it out further if I were you.

kudzu9-

Thank you so much for the information, I feel better about it now, she only filled out one survey and she didn't give any information like Credit card banking and social security numbers, so I think we'll be fine. thank you so much for the advice!

-iheartblastbeats

from what I read on one of the links about them they do have a method to supposedly remove your self from their list whether it really does or not is debatable. What she will likely get is her name sold to a lot of spam mailers and that kind of junk. All the places that big spot "hooks" you up with are all freely available online with out having to give anyone your personal info which is what is so suspect of them.
If you go to this link scroll all the way to the bottom a link is provided for where to try to get removed.
The bottom line:

ravencajun-

My mom and I tried that and it said that it removed her from the list but did not send her any email confirming it.

that seems to be what others are reporting also which leads me to believe it really did nothing and they probably had shared the info with their 3rd party associates by then anyway.

If she did not give email address or anything more than name and address hopefully it will be ok just expect some junk mail.

ravencajun-

My mom and I tried that and it said that it removed her from the list but did not send her any email confirming it.