Shopper Question of the Week: “Can I Register Without Entering A Social Security Number?”

March 12, 2010

Yes, you can register as a mystery shopper without entering a Social Security Number, and there are a couple of situations when this might apply:

• CANADIAN SHOPPERS: If you’re a shopper from Canada, you won’t have a Social Security Number to enter. When you register, you should check the box marked “No U.S. SSN/Tax ID” and then type in “Canadian” as the reason you don’t have a Social Security Number.

• SHOPPERS WHO WOULD RATHER NOT PROVIDE AN SSN: If you’re uncomfortable providing your SSN during registration, you can provide it later, after you’ve decided to conduct a project for us. You can still complete the registration process, which will give you access to the Job Board and allow you to “check us out” before giving us your SSN. During registration, check the box marked “Defer: I do not want to enter a U.S. SSN/Tax ID now”.  (Keep in mind that we will need your SSN later, however, before we can pay you for any completed projects.)

• PREFER TO ENTER A TAX ID: As Independent Contractors, U.S. residents can opt to enter a Tax ID number (EIN/Employer Identification Number) instead of a Social Security Number.

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