Posted by jojo_MN on 2/8/12 10:53am
Msg #411131

Secret Shopper

Have any of you been approached to be a Secret Shopper recently? I replied to one last week. (I know there are legit ones out there and it was late at night.) Anyway, I got two money orders sent certified mail two days later totaling $1900--which I am NOT cashing. As soon as I received them, I immediately did an internet search on them.

The scheme is you are supposed to deposit them in your checking account and get this--buy something totally $10 from any store of your choice and sent them a report about your experience there. THEN, you keep $200 for yourself and deduct $40 for Western Union charges to send the remainder of the money ($1650)to the next unsuspecting person so they can do the same. I am supposed to send money via Western Union to the Philippines.

I contacted the person on the return address label. He had over $800 charged to his USPS account credit card in the past few weeks (the delivery costs $17.75 so most people would think it is very official looking).

Also, I tried to contact the person that bought the cashiers checks, but can't find her information anywhere to give her a "heads up".

I copied all correspondence and am going directly to the FBI.

Reply by ToniK on 2/8/12 11:35am
Msg #411133

Ive done quite a few secret shopper stuff but what you just described is clearly a scam. I dont even know how people get caught up in this stuff.

I know of one incident where my information was used to purchase merchandise in the UK on a stolen credit card. I got the email about the purchase and where its being shipped to, not my credit card nor my address but just used my name. Reported to FBI cuz I dont need it coming back to haunt me if someone does claim the credit card was stolen.

Gotta be careful on this stuff. I dont do any mystery shops that require things to be shipped to me or I have to ship something back.

Reply by Pro Mobile Notary on 2/8/12 11:49am
Msg #411137

The FBI is well aware of this scam.

Here is how the scam works. They get you to believe them and deposit their money order. You then send them a money order only to find out a few days later that the money order you deposited bounced because it was a forgery.

I am impressed that you did not fall for the scam. Kudos!

Reply by MW/VA on 2/8/12 2:00pm
Msg #411160

You have to be really careful with these. Many are scams!

IMO the old rule applies, "if it sounds too good to be true, run!!!!"

Reply by jojo_MN on 2/8/12 2:06pm
Msg #411161

Re: You have to be really careful with these. Many are scams!

Unfortunately, all I did was reply to the email that I received with my contact information. Big mistake. There are legit companies out there. I did not sign any contracts. Yesterday I just received a USPS Express envelope with the two checks and instructions to send an email to get further instructions. It wasn't a "too good to be true" situation in my case.

Too bad people fall for this scam or it wouldn't be happening.

Reply by MW/VA on 2/8/12 7:55pm
Msg #411196

It's a shame that so many scams exist. Thanks for the

warning on this one. :-)

Reply by LKT/CA on 2/8/12 7:34pm
Msg #411194

Definite Scam

I have received those too - four figure <fake> cashier's check....Who else but scammers will send someone a cashier's check where the pay for the alleged job is $XXX, yet the check itself is nearly ten times that? Unbelievable!!! And what's really sad - people fall for it.

Reply by Teri Davis Newman on 2/9/12 2:00pm
Msg #411252

Good for you!
I like to cost the scammers a lot of money and I never ever open the FedEx packs so that the FBI can get fingerprints. I then string them along for the fun of it to waste their time and money--I use a fake name to have them mail the docs and stall them--while the FBI gets the envelope the day it arrives.