Mystery shoppers are a popular target for scam artists. With so much of our work being done via the internet and the mail, there is very little face-to-face contact between mystery shoppers and their employers. Most mystery shoppers acknowledge that this arrangement can make them easy prey to scam artists. However, even the most savvy mystery shopper can fall victim to a conniving scam artist.
Building Trust. Mystery shoppers by nature are typically very cautious about signing up to work with new providers. With the large network with mystery shoppers communicating online via the industry forums and with legitimate providers posted on a list with the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (www.mysteryshop.org), it’s typically fairly easy to determine before you sign up to work with a new company if they are legitimate or not. After you have signed up with a provider and completed an assignment or two, a certain level of trust is built. At this point, mystery shoppers typically let their guard down and don’t scrutinize their new provider as thoroughly.
Taking Advantage Of The Relationship. Yet the latest scam artist preying on mystery shoppers takes advantage of this trust. After a few legitimate assignments have been completed – or even months worth of legitimate assignments, this scam artist then moves into high gear. The scam involves a fairly well-known con, where the provider mails the mystery shopper a large check and asks the mystery shopper to deposit the check into his or her own account. Then the mystery shopper wires the money to another account. The “assignment” is to actually check on the service of the wiring company (in this case, Western Union). However, after the funds have been wired, the check that was deposited to cover the wire bounces. The end result is a mystery shopper that is out hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
What To Watch For. Unfortunately, either multiple scam artists are using this same tactic, or there is one scam artists working under various company names. So it is not safe to simply watch out for XYZ company. In fact, these scam artists don’t just make up company names to work under, but they use legitimate companies’ names. These are company names that are reputable and trusted in the mystery shopping industry, and the list likely includes some of the providers that you currently work with.
Instead of looking for a specific name, instead keep your eyes open for any large bank transfers. This is one of the most common cons and it can take on various forms, but in many cases the most recent cons involve a mystery shopper depositing a large check into their account. If you get your hands on one of these large checks and are in doubt, you can check it out by phoning the bank the check was written from and asking them if the account has enough cash for this check to clear. Most banks can give you a yes or no. If doubt looms or you believe you have been contacted by a scam artist, contact the Better Business Bureau and your state’s Attorney General’s Office immediately. It is also helpful to post your experiences online at the mystery shopping forums to get the word out to your fellow mystery shoppers immediately.
As you get into a routine with a provider, you may let your guard down and work on assignments without questioning them. With mystery shopping, it is best to keep your guard up against scams at all times, regardless of how long you have been working with that provider.
It happened to me. I called the bank, they told me there was no such number.
Now I received another one and this person told me to deposit the check into my bank account and wait until it clears. I don’t see what the scam would be on this one. The email came a couple of days ago, I have yet to receive the check.
The sad part is nothing is being done to these con-artists. You call the Attorney General’s office and the reply you get is “It’s a scam, don’t cash the check.” Writing bad checks is fraud. These con-artists should have to pay for their scams, even if their checks aren’t being cashed. C’mon, it doesn’t take a Rocket Scientist to nab these people. The Fed’s want nothing to do with it…they feel it’s a waste of their time. Paleeeeze!!! I bet if these people had 1 finger removed for every bad check they sent the problem would soon erode….lol. And, the same for those foreigners that claim to be in the hospital, doctor only gave them a few months to live, they have all this money they want to will to you, yadidadidaaa….. They are robbing innocent US people’s bank accounts! And how about them ones who are posing to be with the FBI! And the ones that pretend to be an overseas business selling to the US and they need a controller to cash the US checks then wire them the monies less 10%….c’mon lets be for real…There needs to be a stop to this! What has this world come to? It’s down right nitrotious in the world today….I want to be a Private Investigator to help nab these “JERKS”!
Anthony, the one that told you to deposit the check into your bank account and wait until it clears is wanting your bank account information…they will get that information when that check clears and they receive the canceled check back…your account number will be on the back of the check giving them full access to your account… DON’T deposit the check!
i have received 4 money orders in the amount of 950.00 each, i took 2 to the post office, and the manager said bring the other 2 whenever, they looked real, but they wernt, of course, i never tried to cash them, they wante me to wire money by western union, i was to keep 200.00, bah/humbug
I received a check for almost 4,000 dollars. I called the number provided by the mystery shopping company and started to ask questions and the person hung up on me. Then I investigated the bank the check was written on and found that no such bank existed. I called the police and let them know of the incident. Shopper beware, especially when large sums of money are involved. Fortunately, I have had several years of shopping experience and knew to investigate and ask questions. Great article. Thank you!
Thank you for this article. My very first shop consisted of a check for $2500.00 arriving in the mail. You guessed it! I was to deposit it into my bank account and wire $2000.00 to my “cousin” in another province. I was a bit uncomfortable with the whole thing so I took the check to my bank ank had them check on it. They thought it was legit so I made the deposit, wired the money, and… got a call from my bank that the check was a fraud. I reported it to all the appropriate folk and was told that they would do their best but that these people generally change names, addresses and other contact info every day or so making them all but impossible to catch.
My policy now is not to expend more than $50.00 dollars on any shop, and never…NEVER to deposit any large check! I’ve had 2 since then but I didn’t bite.
It seems to me that any deposit amount could be a scam. One could be lulled into a false sense of security by performing deposit shops in smaller denominations. Are there ANY legitimate bank deposit shops out there?
Thank you for the information on mystery shopping scams. Because of the information I received from your site on mystery shopping scams I was able to save one of my friends from falling into the scam. My other friend had fallen for the scam before she talked to me. I had the reassure them that there are some very good mystery shopping businesses out there.