Bethany,
It seems like every company that I sign up for wants my social security number. I don’t feel comfortable giving it out. What should I do?
-No Soc-Sally
Oh Sally,
I know that Mystery Shopping does sound a little too good to be true, and it can feel like a scam when you’re first getting started, but, believe it or not, this is a job!
Your employer, the mystery shopping company, needs to pay you’they need to know that you’re legally authorized to work in the US, (or Canada, or wherever you’re shopping) and because of that, they need your social security number.
Even though you’re an independent contractor, if you make over $600 with any one company, they are legally required to send a 1099 form to the IRS. If they don’t have your social security number, they will get in BIG TROUBLE.
When they’re doing their taxes, they still claim you as an expense even when you don’t make more than $600 year, so if they ever get audited, and don’t have your Social Security number, once again, they will get in BIG TROUBLE.
Now, I wouldn’t just go around willy-nilly giving out your SSN to every company out there’first, of course make sure that they’re real, and if you’re submitting this information online, make sure it’s a secure site. You can see the little https:// in the address bar before the site’s name. Any company that uses Sassie or Prophet for their scheduling has a secure database, so I’d trust those as well.
If you’re really hypersensitive, you can always get a DBA (doing business as) license from your county. Some counties require that you use your social security number as your DBA. So, you might have to get an EIN, which is through the national government. You can still be a sole-prop, which means, you might not have added business and occupancy tax…check around with your local tax advisor and see what the requirements might be.
Good luck, and happy shopping!
-Bethany
