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Unfortunately we are now beginning to experience more and more scams through the internet preying on unsuspected citizens.
Most recently a new employment scam has surfaced through the internet looking for “Mystery Shoppers”.
This employment fraud promises easy-to-perform work that pays very well, requires no previous experience, offers free training, and seems to be the answer to the prayers of the unemployed or the housewife looking for extra income. These ads on the internet or in newspapers claim that money can be made by working on behalf of a variety of major retailers of consumer products by merely visiting selective major stores each day such as Best Buy, Sears, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Home Depot, and JC Penney’s. You are to make specific purchases, turn in reports, and send Money Orders or wire transfers back to the company.
The way the scam works is you answer a Mystery Shopper ad and you are then sent a “Packet” which typically contains a variety of items including a training assignment and a “Cashier’s Check” or “Company Check” made out to you in a large amount of money which is typically a few thousand dollars.
The Mystery Shoppers first “assignment “is to pose as an ordinary bank or Wal-Mart customer in which you are to rate this local business. The shopper is instructed to cash this company check, keep your “Probationary Training Pay” (let’s say $400.00), keep out Money Gram or Western Union Fees, keep $100.00 of “Mystery Shopping Money” and obtain a Money Order or Western Union Transaction send the remainder of the money to the company as a “Test” on rating the bank or employees service.
They then have you continue the scam by taking your $100.00 bonus and continue shopping at Wal-Mart writing down every detail as you shop for products. You then get to keep whatever you purchase as your “bonus” and send in your report to the company usually through an e-mail report.
Once you complete this task they then “overnight” you your second assignment changing stores and locations now giving you a $200.00 shopping bonus. They keep you so wrapped up in details of your shopping purchases and reports that you pay no attention to checking into anything else, as you are now making $400.00 to $500.00 a day in your “new Mystery Shopping job”.
Everything seems to be going great until your bank or credit union contacts you about the Fraudulent checks that you have been cashing and basically sending your “own money” to the false company which of course can never be found or contacted.
If you think something like this can never happen to you, think again as it happens in different variations all the time where we must try to protect ourselves.
Trust me there are reputable mystery shopping companies out there however you should never have to pay a fee or use your own money to work for them.
HOW TO AVOID FALLING VICTIM TO THE “SECRET SHOPPER” SCAMS:
- Remember that anyone can place a Newspaper or On-Line ad.
- Do not confuse the appearance of such solicitations if they appear in reputable forums with proof that the web-site or job search service has approved these companies.
- Do not be pulled into a false sense of security by “Official-sounding” corporate names. Some scam artists operate under business names that can be confused with reputable firms. Others choose impressive sounding names.
- Never pay a company to hire you, not even if the payment is presented as your buying necessary training materials, obtaining required certification, or registering with databases.
- Be wary of companies that ask you to disburse money from your own pocket for goods to buy as their secret shopper.
- Never wire money to strangers or to firms that have supposedly hired you.
- Never wire money to someone you do not know. Remember that a charge on a credit card can be disputed, a money order or wire transfer once it is cashed is gone forever.
- If you have questions about the legitimacy of a job listing, contact you’re Better Business Bureau, you’re state or local consumer agency, or the Federal Trade Commission.
Finally I can never say it enough. “If it sounds too good to be true……”
Sgt. Chris Yagelski
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