Car Dealership Shop. Salary: less than $500

After taking a car on a test drive and spending close to an hour evaluating a salesman at your first mystery shop, he catches you sitting in your car filling out the secret shopper questionnaire. You really should've driven down the street before doing this. Now you're busted before you've even gotten out of first gear. Bummer city.

Fast-Food Shop. Salary: $5000

You spend twenty minutes in line at a busy fast-food shop in a sketchy neighborhood. You lay out ten bucks and order a bunch of food you normally don't even like but have to try because it's in the instructions. The meal makes you feel queasy, and you wonder if maybe you have food poisoning, when you realize your car is no longer where you parked it. It's been stolen. Worst shop ever.

Jewelry Store Shop. Salary: $14,000

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to schedule an engagement ring jewelry store shop the week after you broke up with your boyfriend. Now you have to pretend to be madly in love while trying on rings and making up stories using real ones from your recent past. At least the wedding gown shop isn't until next week.

Oil Change Shop. Salary: $16,000

Your car hasn't had an oil change in over a year, so you are thrilled when you get the chance to not only get it done, but also have it paid for. Sure, it's only an extra five bucks on top of the reimbursement, but you get free coffee and doughnuts too. All in all, not a bad deal.

Tropical Cruise Ship Shop. Salary: $18,000+

You can't believe your luck. After working as a successful mystery shopper for years, you finally get the cherry gig—shopping a cruise line. The service, by the way, is top notch. Everything is first class. You didn't even have to lay out the money for the cruise—the shopper company comped everything for you up front.