One of our readers at SmartSecurityPeople.com just recently informed us of a Mystery Shopper Scam that they received. Here is their message:
Just wanted you to be aware of mystery shopper check that come in the mail. I received one the other day and will tell you the check looks very real. The company was Manpower (Walmart, Bestbuy, etc). I decided to call the number to see what they had to say. I was told to go to the bank and cash the check and call them back immediately, then I would be told where to wire the money gram. The check was for 2995.00, I was to get 200.00 for doing the mission after I sent 2285.00 to where ever. It is sad because many people need money and it (check) looks very real. What alerted me was a hand written envelope (any child could of done better) with a Canadian stamp, the letter was from Wisconsin, and the check was on an Arkansas bank. I gave it to the local bank to give to the Fraud Unit. So beware of easy money.
This type of scam has been around for a long while and is nothing new. However, this is the first time we have heard it being introduced under the disguise of a Mystery Shopper Program.
How Does It Work?
The scammer will send you a check that for all intents and purposes appears to be real. However, the check is usually a really good fake and the account numbers on it don’t match up to anything. Usually the 9 digit bank routing number and bank name will be valid but the checking account number will be bogus.
When you cash the check at your bank, they have no easy way of instantly verifying the availability of the funds and will process it like any other check. By the time the check is returned for “NO ACCOUNT FOUND”, which can sometimes take up to a week, you have already left with the cash, gave a portion of it to the scammer, and kept the “fee” for yourself. The bank now comes after you and holds you responsible for making good on the check since you got the cash.
How Do You Prevent It from Happening To You?
You do just as our reader stated. You inquire about the legitimacy of the transaction and you seek the help of those in the profession(a bank in this instance) to give you guidance. Remember… if it seems to good to be true, then in most cases it is. You must be vigilant at all times and not let the stress of our depressed economy make you more susceptible to these types of scams.
We hope this information is helpful for our readers at SmartSecurityPeople.com. If you ever encounter a scam or something that even remotely looks like a scam, please fee free to share your story with us and we will be more than glad to pass it on to our readers. Knowledge is power and the more we have the better off we all will be.
