As a secret shopper, you should always try to be inconspicuous. Although many people believe that mystery shoppers are there to be difficult customers, in fact we want to be typical customers who will not stand out or draw attention to ourselves. Our job is to blend in and do not do anything that would make us memorable.

Despite your best efforts, it is possible that you will be spotted as the mystery shopper. It may be because of something you or a companion does, or it may just be that the shop requirements are such that it becomes clear that you are the mystery shopper. In more than 15 years of secret shopping, I have never been identified as the shopper, but it is wise to be prepared.

Here are some things to think about in case you are outed as a secret shopper.

First, if you are asked, “Are you the mystery shopper?” the best answer is, “What’s that?” Most people do not know about mystery shopping, so acting as though you do not know what a mystery shopper is would be your best course of action. Play dumb. You may even want to rehearse this a bit, so that you respond appropriately if you are ever asked.

The next question is whether you should continue the shop or just wrap things up and get out of there. That depends on the circumstances. If you have just arrived, it might be best to just abort the shop and leave at your first opportunity. If you are near the end of the shop, you may want to finish the scenario and get all of the information you would need for a report so you can do the report if needed. If this is a hard to fill shop they may not be able to find someone else to do it and they can not send you back in again after you have already raised suspicion, so getting all of the information needed for the report would be the best course of action.

Contact your scheduler as soon as possible after you leave the client location to ask what you should do. The scheduler may tell you to go ahead and do the report or they may cancel the shop. If the company is good to shoppers, and you were not spotted because of something you did, they may offer to pay you some or all of your promised fee even if they have to cancel.

What if you think you were identified as the shopper, even though they didn’t say anything? It may be that you are just hyper-aware and a little paranoid. You see or hear something and assume it means that they know you are mystery shopping them, but they may have no idea. One question to ask yourself if how they did on the report. If you think you were spotted, but they didn’t do many of the things they are supposed to do, chances are you imagined it. (Or they are really, really stupid.)

If you believe you were spotted, then it would be a good idea to take yourself out of the rotation for that location, at least for a while. And think about how you can do a better job at being an undercover customer to avoid detection on future shops.

There are a few simple things secret shoppers can do to avoid being identified. Here are three rules to follow to make sure no one knows that you are the mystery shopper.

Don’t stand out. That means looking and acting like a normal customer. Dress appropriately so you look like other customers. Do not cause a scene or be demanding. Although many people believe it is the job of a secret shopper to make life difficult for employees, that is not the case. We want to be typical and unmemorable. Do your best to blend in with other customers.

Do not tell anyone—even your friends—that you are a secret shopper. The more people who know about your secret shopping adventures, the more likely you are to run in to one of them while you are doing an assignment. Even a well-meaning friend may accidentally out you by joking to an employee, “You’d better watch out—she’s a secret shopper!” while you are talking with an employee. She didn’t mean to blow your cover, she just didn’t think. The problem is that you have been made as the secret shopper, and the shop is now invalid. That means you do not get paid, and it may even affect your ability to get future assignments from that company. There are very few people who need to know that you are a secret shopper. They are the only ones who should know.

Make observations discreetly. When you need to make notes, make sure you can not be observed. Remember that there are cameras everywhere, so even if there are no employees nearby, you may still be seen. Don’t stare at name tags when trying to get employees’ names. Do not take the report form in with you, or talk about mystery shopping with your companions.

Keeping your shopper identity secret is simple, when you follow these three rules.

If they do read them, why would clients allow that? Doesn’t it make mystery shopping less valuable if the employees know exactly what was reported?

Many client companies do share mystery shop reports with the staff who were shopped. There are good reasons to do so.

One way mystery shop report data is used is to provide feedback to employees. The shop report lets them know how they did—where they performed well and how they could improve. The specific data in a mystery shop report can help employees to improve their performance or get positive reinforcement for doing a great job.

If the mystery shopping company or the client is concerned about the shopper being identified, they may remove identifying data that would make it clear who the shopper was. However, most of the time there is probably enough information (such as the date and time of the shop visit) that the employees could possibly know who the shopper was—especially if they have access to video surveillance tapes and can identify the transaction.

Does this mean that if you return to a location the employees will spot you as the mystery shopper. Possibly, but probably not. If you are concerned about that possibility, consider changing your appearance slightly on future visits. Nothing extreme—just style your hair a little differently, wear glasses instead of contacts, or other minor tweaks.

We may think we have been “made” when in fact we haven’t. That is just a part of the paranoia that comes with secret shopping, especially when you are new. Something to keep in mind: If they know I am the shopper, why do they not get a perfect score?

At times, both of you will be contracted and paid by the mystery shopping company. However, most of the time one person is the secret shopper and the other is along for the ride. If your companion is not an “official” mystery shopper, it is your responsibility to make sure that he or she knows what they need to do to help you get a complete and accurate evaluation—and they definitely need to know what not to do, so they do not affect the integrity of the shop.

Your companion’s error could cause the shop report not to be accepted by the client. That means you would not be paid, and you might even be barred from future assignments.

Here is how to make sure anyone with you on a mystery shop knows exactly what to, and what not to do.

Start by choosing your companion wisely. If your best friend is prone to blurting things without thinking, she is probably not a good choice. She is likely to give away the fact that you are the mystery shopper. Someone who is not good at following directions, or who may resent being told what to do, is also not a good choice.

Your companion must be someone who is willing and able to follow directions, and who will be discreet. They must understand that they can not talk about the mystery shop with anyone else: before, during or after the shop.

Train your companion on the shop requirements. Restaurant shops often require that you take someone along. On most restaurant shops your companion would need to know if there are things that must be ordered (or that should not be ordered), if there is an amount of time you must spend in the restaurant, any limits on alcohol consumption and other requirements. They also need to understand that the server is required to suggest certain things (such as appetizers, coffee, dessert, etc.) and they should not ask for those items before the server has had an opportunity to make a suggestion.

Because most shops require that you order different items, my husband and I usually plan our order before we get to the restaurant. If it is an unfamiliar place, we download the menu from the restaurant web site so we can study it ahead of time. That way we can focus on the observations and timings we need, and not trying to make up our minds about entrees.

For other types of shops, you may need to make sure your companion understands the scenario. For example, on a new home shop there may be required answers to questions about why you are in the market for a new home, your budget, how long before you expect to buy, etc. You need to be on the same page.

A retail shop may require that the salesperson explain the provisions and cost of the extended warranty plans to you. If you companion says something such as, “You don’t have to waste your time on that. Those things are rip-offs,” they may keep the employee from properly doing his job.

The best thing is usually for them to allow you to take the lead. That means in asking or responding to questions, deciding when it is time to go, paying, etc. If they are not comfortable allowing you to do so, they should not accompany you on mystery shops.

Let them know how they can help. Can they help you out by getting names? Checking the other rest room? Counting the number of checkout lanes that are open? If there is something they can do to assist you with the shop, let them know what it is and how to do it.

Teach them about general mystery shopping procedures. It may seem silly to ask how late they are open on the weekend when you saw a large sign announcing the hours on the door. Or to ask about the sauce on the special when you know you are ordering something else. But these may be requirements of the shop. Advise your companion that they should not jump in with answers or comments or interrupt your conversations with staff, as you are doing your job.

Stress the importance of confidentiality. They are not to talk about mystery shopping, or discuss any aspect of the evaluation, while on the shop. That means they are also not to ask you questions in the middle of the shop about what they are allowed to buy or do.

And confidentiality extends to the next day at work, the family party or anywhere else. They should not talk about the specifics of the shop or the fact that you are a mystery shopper with anyone other than you.

All information is on a “need to know” basis. Do not offer more information about the client, the shop requirements or the report than your companion needs to know. They do not need to know every question that you will be answering or “how they did” on the shop. They definitely do not need to know how much you are being paid.

If you are allowed to take your children on shops, you may want to keep them completely in the dark. Small children have been known to let secrets slip, and the fact that Mommy is doing a mystery shop is a big, juicy secret.

Prepare your companion effectively to guarantee that your shop goes smoothly. My husband has accompanied me on mystery shops for more than 14 years, and we have never had a problem. That is because I go over all of the requirements with him just before the shop so he knows what is expected. If something unusual comes up, he lets me handle it. We are a well-oiled, mystery shopping machine!

For one thing, your friends may “out” you during a shop, intentionally or unintentionally. Imagine you are in the middle of an assignment, talking to a salesperson, when your neighbor walks up to say hello. You politely chat for just a moment, then return to the business at hand, saying to your friend, “I’m kind of rushed today, but let’s get together for lunch next week.” Suddenly, a light bulb goes on over her head as she realizes what you are up to. But instead of saying, “Sure. See you later,” she blurts, “Oh, you must be doing one of your mystery shops. I’ll let you get back to work.”

She didn’t mean any harm, she just didn’t think. But now your cover has been blown and you might as well end the shop right there. And forget about ever coming back to this store once they know that you are a mystery shopper.

Being outed in the middle of a shop is only one way being indiscreet about your profession can come back to haunt you. Read on for more, including tips on how to deal with curious friends and family.

Another problem arises when everyone wants to know how they can get this sweet job and start getting paid to go to the mall and out to dinner. We know that mystery shopping is not that easy, but they don’t. Although most of the people who claim an interest in mystery shopping will never follow up (or will not continue once they find out it involves actual work) you may not want to encourage anyone who could become competition for mystery shopper jobs, especially if you are in an area where jobs are not plentiful.

Of course, if they do not know that you are a mystery shopper, they will not ask you how they can become one, too, so that solves the problem before it can even become a possibility. The fewer people who know about what you do, the better.

The best strategy is not to tell anyone, even your best friend, that you are a mystery shopper. If she knows, you do not know who else she will tell. If you have a full time job and do a little secret shopping on the side, you do not need to tell anyone about it.

If you spend a lot of time shopping, or have no discernible income other than from shopping, you may need to have an answer when people ask about your job. Keep it simple. “I do retail audits,” is one possible response. Or, “I work in market research.” Most people’s eyes glaze over when they hear words like audit and research, so they will not ask a lot of questions after that. Just the opposite of when they hear the words “mystery shopper.” If they do ask more questions, simply say that you are not allowed to talk about your clients due to confidentiality, and leave it at that.

There are times when you have to tell others what you do. For example, if someone accompanies you on a restaurant shop, they need to know if about any ordering requirements (such as no alcohol, or that you should share an appetizer). And they have to be aware of what they should do–and not do–so that they do not affect the integrity of the shop.

When you must have someone with you, choose someone who can be trusted not to talk about the shop and who will take the shop requirements seriously. When my husband accompanies me on restaurant shops, he is thoroughly prepared to assist me on the shop and not to do anything that will sabotage the assignment. He knows how important it is that we do the mystery shop correctly, and that he maintain confidentiality both during and after the shop. That means no talking about the mystery shop the next day at work.

Perhaps you told a lot of people about your secret life as a secret shopper, and now wish you hadn’t. You can not put the genie back in the bottle, but you can downplay it. You may not be comfortable saying that you are no longer mystery shopping if, in fact, you are. However, you can give an answer such as, “Oh, there is not anything of interest happening there. That dress is lovely. Where did you get it?” Continue to brush aside questions and turn the conversation back to their favorite subject, themselves.

It has been said that discretion is the better part of valor. It is certainly an important part of mystery shopping.