A retiree works as a ‘mysterious buyer’ or spy in stores to verify that the reception in the premises is adequate or that its employees fulfill their functions correctly. With this activity, which has been practicing more than 13 years in the Lille (France) region, it earns between 150 and 200 euros per month, which complement its 1,500 euros pension. He is one of those retirees who seeks extra job to complement his pension.
Alain, 73, observes and analyzes a notebook everything you see in the halls of a trade, at the counter of a jewelry store or in the parking lot of a concessionaire. Although this pensioner does not work for those brands, but its mysterious missions are commissioned for the Qualivox platform, according to an interview with the media Emploi Le Figaro. It is a service that allows companies to verify the quality of their reception or compliance with the procedures by their employees in real situations. There are many supermarkets that are installing new anti -fraud measures to avoid losses due to theft or bad praxis of their own employees.
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This septuagenarian discreet, which runs through the Lille region playing spy for stores, is neither researcher nor inspector. Moreover, before I worked for the hospitality, among other works. After being a hotelier and restorer, he worked as a quality auditor for a hotel chain in the United States, until at 60 he was isolated when his old company decided not to work more with external suppliers, everything happened overnight.
“At that age, finding work is an impossible mission. Recruiters consider you too old, too qualified, or both,” recalls Alain.
But that was not all, to top it up his professional history had a 44 -quarter deficit, so he could not collect any benefit. Without work or subsidies, he refuses to change to a assistance. “I wasn’t ready to start weaving,” he explains. But one day, luckily, he discovered works as a spy in an offer on the Internet.
More than 13 years working as a spy
After 13 years, this retiree is still an authentic “surprise visitor.” From the hand of your company, Qualivox, or platforms like Smice, he chooses the missions he wants to do as he suits or wants. “It is fully compatible with my lifestyle. I select nearby missions or organize a tour to group several visits.” Sometimes it even moves to Dieppe, leaving from Lille. Transportation expenses (gasoline, tolls) are included in the “shared cost” offered by Qualivox.
Depending on the time that each commission takes, the platform announces compensation of 20, 30 or 40 euros.
“It is not a salary itself, but a reimbursement of expenses. And I make my own calculations: if the expenses exceed what they offer me, I reject it,” Alain explains.
Each mission ends with a detailed report that must be filled, evaluating everything: from cleaning the parking to the waiting time in the welcome or the general environment. Nothing is left to chance. And discretion is key: the idea is to go unnoticed. “If a seller remembers you, it means that you have failed in the mission,” Alain insists. Sometimes I even have to make the purchase: “They give me a list of the purchase to do in a supermarket. I respect an expense limit, I reimburse my money and stay with the products.” Thanks to that, sometimes it manages to reduce food spending.
“For a while, my son was a student. He made several missions a week and always had water packages at home.”
Win up to 200 euros per month in addition to your pension
Of course, not all experiences are positive. “Sometimes I have regretted accepting a mission upon arrival. In those cases, I notice that it was not very pleasant or a bit boring and I do not do it again,” he confesses. But in general, this activity allows you to stay active and in contact with the world. “It gives me a purpose. Retirement is fine, but you can’t get stuck,” he says.
Today, this activity allows you to add between 150 and 200 euros net per month, thanks to about twenty missions, which are added to your 1,500 euros pension. “It’s not how we live, but it puts butter to spinach, and sometimes also vegetables,” he jokes. “Anyone can participate. You just have to read the instructions, be discreet, observe and report what is seen,” he summarizes.