Getting paid to shop sounds like a dream job? Especially if you are looking for a part-time job or a part-time job. But imagine that you receive a letter and check in the post with the promise of an easy pay day. Sounds a little too good to be true, but the secret shopper scam is targeting North Texans once again.
NBC 5 responds and explains what you should know before cashing this check.
North Texans Trey Letcher and John Waldowski both reached out to NBC 5 Responds to warn others of a known but compelling scam.
“I didn’t expect anything from the post, ”says Letcher, who lives in Plano.
Letcher received this check and the letter that promised a quick buck.
“There is a check for $ 1,950 in the mail in the envelope that came with priority mail, and I’m taking $ 400 of that check for my services and using the rest of the money to buy gift cards,” said Letcher.
He said it didn’t sound right.
“I’ve fallen for one of these in the past, and it ends up with the money that is suddenly deposited with a bank whose accounts are frozen,” Letcher said.
How it works:
The scammers want you to leave their check. It looks real and the money may even show up in your checking account. Then they want you to go out and buy gift cards and then text messages or send photos of the gift cards that have numbers on the card. In this case, you will be promised a bonus if you complete this task within three to five hours. But here’s the problem: it could take days or weeks for your bank to confirm the check is a counterfeit. By then, the money you spent on the gift cards will have long been used up.
“I just felt like I didn’t want to go this route again, so I called you guys,” said John Waldowski of Fort Worth.
He received a similar offer.
“I got a text message congratulating me on my new job for being hired as a secret shopper for Whole Foods, which was really shocking since I hadn’t applied for a job,” said Waldowski. “Then two days later I received my package in the mail with my letter explaining to me how I should carry out my secret shopper duties.”
Waldowski said he knew it wasn’t legitimate.
“I was able to sniff it out right away. It’s a rip off, ”said Waldowski.
“The best you can do is not cash this check. It’s not real. And you’ll be hooked for that money, ”said Eva Velasquez, President and CEO of ID Theft and Resource Center.
While this scam isn’t new, their data shows a 250% increase in complaints about classified buyer fraud just in the last month.
“It was a gold mine for cheaters and the bad actors. And I think the mystery shopper scam is experiencing a resurgence because so many people are looking for work. And it just seems like really easy money, ”said Velasquez.
So both Letcher and Waldowski wanted to get the word out.
“I think it’s just terrible that given our current circumstances and what’s going on with COVID and other things, a lot of people have no work,” said Waldowski.
What to do?
If you get a check out of the blue, don’t have it cashed, even if it looks legitimate. Read the letter and do not ignore warnings such as grammatical or spelling mistakes. The scam will pressure you to act quickly and take the time to tell a friend or family member about it. Most importantly, take your time and report it.
“If it came in the mail, be sure to report it to the postal inspector. If they can see a pattern and trace it back to the person taking part in that activity, those are some pretty strict regulations and they come with pretty harsh penalties and fines, ”Velasquez said.
Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission said identity theft had increased more than 2000%.
Scammers are looking for all kinds of ways to steal your information and money.
NBC 5 Responds is committed to researching your concerns and getting your money back. Our goal is to give you answers and, if possible, solutions and a solution. Call us at 844-5RESPND (844-573-7763) or fill out our customer complaint form.
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