Mystery Shopping Scam

yes i recieved a letter included an enclosed check for 3,485.00 and i am supposed to call this #, but can’t seem to get a hold of anyone to activate this check for mystery shopping. I think it is a scam, i am supposed to wire them $150.00 and spend $250.00 at walmart, target, or jc penny, keep the reciepts and fax them. then they a supposed to tell me what to do with the rest of the money. the check looks real. i tried searching for this conpany online but had no luck as i was told it is a scam. i even checked in with the bbb and they have no recollection of them in the system.

Trust me, it’s a scam. And yeah, the checks look real – so real that they fool banks all the time.

My husband was a banker for Wells Fargo. After he accepted one of those mystery shopper checks from his customer, Wells Fargo fired him. So he’s now unemployed, our family is in financial disaster, and his customer is on the hook for $3,500.

You can visit my blog to find lots of links I’ve collected on this scam … please, burn that check before it burns you!

It’s so unfortunate that people fall victim to these shameful scams. My heart goes out to those who have suffered financially for the gain of these con artists. There are many legitimate and respectable mystery shopping companies out there. As Judge Judy often says, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

I am a victim of a mystery shopping scam. I received a letter along with a check for $4,850.00. In the letter it stated that I was suspost to us part of the money to shop, part of it was for a sign on bonus and the rest was to be sent back to them in a money gram as part of the mystery shopping to rate the service of the money gram. At the time I received this scam I was unemployed with 4 children. So to me it was a answered prayer. I should have looked further into this but I was so excited to have found a job, I didnt put two and two together. To make along story short. I was arrested for Uttery of a Fraudulant Item and am now faceing up to 5 years in prision. So I have been reading everyones story and have yet to come accross anyone like myself that has actually beening charged with a crime. So, STAY AWAY FROM MYSTERY SHOPPING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I also received a check just like Andrea. The same exact amount and instructions. I spoke with my sister in New Jersey (I am in Florida) and she found your web site. I new something wasn’t right with this. Thank you for your help. I to am an unemployed single parent. This would not have helped my situation in any way. Thank you.

I too, received a letter with a check in the amount of $4,315.00. , with a letter of instruction for “secret shopper” I was to wire x amount from a w/union to a agent, and then visit a retail store such as Walmart, etc.. spend $95.00 and I could keep 300.00.. thankfully, for sites such as these I didn’t fall for it.. by the way the name of the company is Retail Tracking Market Research …and they are out of New York..

Thank you so much Janet. Two days ago, I recieved a letter from a company called Market Research Partners. There was a check for $4,335. I was to wire $3,700 to one of four listed people, using $200 to pay for this, keep $300, and use $95 for my next ‘assignment.” I don’t have alot of money, so this would have hurt me severely.

I RECEIVED ON ON FEB 17/2009
AND IT WAS FOR 3,800 AND I WENT TO DEPOSIT INTO MY ACCOUNT AND THEN I GOOGLED IT AND FOUND OUT THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY IN CANADA AND MUST REALLY HATE AMERICANS B/C THIS IS REALLY EVIL TO DO TO SOMEONE. I CALLED MY BANK AND I STOPPED THE DEPOSIT BUT I HAD ALREADY SPENT THE AVAILABLE 100.00 TO ME IN THE ACCOUNT AND IT CAUSED MAJOR OVERDRAFT FEES; BUT I ONLY OWE THE BANK LIKE 300.00 FOR THIS MISTAKE. I DNT FEEL LIKE THIS IS RITE FOR ME TO B PUNISHED THROUGH MY BANK B/ I NEITHER THEY KNEW THAT THE CASHIERS CHECK WAS A SET UP TO DESTROY PEOPLE LIKE YALL AND MYSELF. IN THESE HARD ECONOMIC TIMES THAT IS A VERY DISRESPECTFUL; EVIL AND COLD-HEARTED THING TO DO. U DEFINITELY DESERVE EVERYTHING THAT EVER HAPPENS TO YA AND TO BURN IN HELL WITH KEROSENE AND GASOLINE THONGS ON FOREVA!!!! NOW I HAVE TO TRY TO WORK THINGS OUT FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS SO FRADULENT WORDS CANNOT EXPRESSZ HOW PISSED OFF I HAVE BEEN FOR THE LAST 2 DAYS. EVEN THOUGH I DID NOT GET ARRESTED OR ANY CHARGES BUT THIS MONEY WAS ALMOST DEPOSITED INTO MY CHECKING ACCOUNT THAT I PAY ALL MY BILLS OUT OF. I SPOKE WITH SEVERAL BANK REPS AND EVEN WENT DOWN TO THE BANK WITH DOCUMENTATION OF THESE CANADIAN BITCHES PAPERWORK OF FRADULENT PART-TIME JOB BULL-SHIT. IM REALLY MAD AT THIS TIME. AND WHOM EVA IS DOING THIS IS SMARTER THAN THE AVERAGE GENIUS. USING CELL PHONES FAKE ASS PAPER WORK AND NUSIANCE TO DESTROY AMERICANS. I WOULD CERTAINLY BEAT AND KNOCK THE DIGESTIVE TRACK OUT OF WHO EVA THESE PEOPLE ARE.

[...] A while back I warned people about a Mystery Shopping Scam [...]

I recieved a check for $3,962.00 yesterday and called the bank listed on the check to verify funds because I was looking at the check and the lines on the check looked crooked and the “micro print” signature line was solid, the bank just called and said that they could not find the check in their database and assumed it to be fake. Thank God I checked into it first. I have turned all the information over to the local police and they will forward it to the FBI and Secret Service.

I was contacted through email and all seemed legit. The company’s name that they used was SEA Consultants, Inc.

Fishy, Fishy, Fishy!! And what a shame people can actually get away with ripping people off like that.

Good luck and don’t get scammed!! Do your research!!

I am a victim of the mystery shopper scam. At first my fiance and I thought it was legit and carried out the process with what looked like an actual money gram. Along with the pressure of completing the assignment and needing to put food on the table I proceeded to my bank.
Within one day I recieved a response from “Paul Mystery Shoppers inc” (sure) that said what a wonderful job I had done and I would be rewarded with another transaction. That check never came. The tip off was the last e-mail on a Sunday. It was very personal asking me about my church attendance and calling me eloquent. No other personal info was given to this “buisness aside from email, address, and name…..(So, what about my church attendance?) Not to mention the broken english and bad punctuation.
I’m at a loss and if anyone can help I’m in need of legal advice. I don’t believe the bank should have cash these in the first place without sufficient funds. Now I am held responsible and I’m the victim…..Is there anyone to help me?

I received a 3500 dollar check today for mystery
shopping. I became suspicious about it so I started researching the company. I found nothing. I would like to know weather this is legit or not. The
check is from Lusardi M Marketing Logistics which is a Division of Lusardi Construction Co. I called the phone number on the letter and got someone whom I had a hard time understanding his attempt to speak english. He informs me to deposit the check on monday and to call a co- coordinator on Wednesday. I too am in need of this money but at the same time very cautious.
Can anyone help me?

My husband got a check for $3500 in the mail today with a letter from Lusardi M Marketing Logistics before we did anything with it I googled the name and it came up as a scam. Sure glad they have sites like this available today. Was sceptic but hey he’s out of a job and we need the money. Without this site we might have been taken in. Thanks

Thank god for Google and posts like this! These companies have scammed so many people!

Any real mystery shopper job, does not pre-pay! I did it for years before I started the business I am now with and you spend YOUR MONEY to make the purchases and they send you a check back for what you spent plus your earnings!

I recieved a check for 3975 dollars in the mail today. Instantly I called my mom, because I am only 17. The letter that came with the check had multiple misspellings. My mom told me to check it out I am so glad I did because my family would be up a creek without a paddle

I received a check for $3,888.16 yesterday. We are in a financial bind too and with hardly no food or diapers, I thought this was an answer to my prayers. But I decided to do some research on it first. As I sit here looking at this “check” and with really bad credit already I actually thought about going thru with this, regardless of what it would do to my credit. But then I saw that one person might be jailed for fraud and with 5 kids I know I cannot afford to risk that. I will take this to my bank and then perhaps call the FBI. The name of the check is A&J Manufacturing L.L.C and it was sent from Sea Island, Ga. The check has a Suntrust Bank logo on it. The enclosed letter explaining the steps needed to be taken was from Sage Consumer Survey Sampling and they are supposedly located in Houston Texas. Why is the check from Ga but the company from Texas? That made me suspicious enough. I am glad that it is Sunday and no banks or open or I might have fallen for a terrible scam that would have cost me more than just money.

I got one of these checks from Direct Marketing. I Google mapped their supposed address in Florida. Does not exist. I looked closer and many things did not add up. They scammer used a legitimate company with a web site (CLS Group), but mispelled it CLS Croup, located in Oklahoma! The letter was mailed from Cananda! What a joke.

I am sure glad I saw this cause I just got a check for a mystery shopper 4 3,888. I have 5 kids to support I could really not afford this scam

Like some of you, I too received a check in the mail on May 2, 2009, for $3,996.00 from a company called “Barkley & Co. Monitoring and Research Services.” Since I was looking for part-time work, I also thought that this was an answer to my prayers and said “Thank YOU, JESUS” when I saw the check. After I deposit the check I called the company which was on that Monday morning and talked to someone named “Jennifer Bell” but her accent was more of oriental. She immediately asked me for the number of the check and the Rep. ID number. Then, she stated my name and address. And, I confirmed it. To make a long story short, after I was told me to deposit the chack, she told me to call back in a couple of days when the funds were availbale so that she can continue to instruct me on the assignment. But, when the couple of days came, my bank account was frozen and permanently closed because the check was fraudulent. This particular copy is supposed to be located at 1525 Madison Drive, Ste. 1000 in Saint Laurent, PQuebec H4L 3L3.

In the NAME of my LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, I bind this spirit of scam and decree that the satan and his financial demons are already exposed in JESUS NAME!!! And, I decree that everyone (those thieves) that has been scamming us, others, and myself is already found and has to pay us NOW seven-fold in the NAME OF JESUS (Proverbs 6:30-31)!!! Because, The devil is a liar and JESUS is the MESSIAH!!!

As a result, GOD is already working things out for our good because satan has already lost the battle when JESUS took ALL of his power from him!!!

I have talked to an attorney who instructed me to called the Attorney General’s Office for my state (Illinois) and report what had happened along with getting in touch with the Department of Banks and Institutions to report the scam to them. I have already talked to a representative in the Attorney General’s Office who told me to send them copies of all the information that I received from the fraudulent company. Also, the attorney that I spoke to is willing to assist me until I am able to pay the amount for his services. So, for those of you who are still victims and have suffered from this scam, find you an attorney or use the information above that I’ve listed to exposed the devil and his demonic forces in JESUS NAME!!! GOD BLESS!!!

My sister received a letter yesterday from a so-called company called Preservation Solution Inc. located at 1163 Stratford Ave Bronx, NY 10472. Enclosed was a check for $3440.00. The instructions said it was for mystery shopping. And, my sister should deposit the money in her account. and then take the funds to either Money Gram or Western Union and transfer the money to one of four training agents who have only a city and state listed. She was to be compensated $300 for the first weeks pay. $2820 was for the wire tranfer. $170 for the money gram or westerunion fees. and $150 was for her to mystery shop at Walmart, sears, kmart, home depost, victoria secret etc. And, she could keep the merchandise. Of course you can’t find these people. I googled the location. What looked suspicious to me is that the check came from a bank called TCF Bank in Minneapolis, MN, the letter was signed from New York, and the postmark had Canada on it.

I knew it had to be a scam so I went Internet surfing and I saw to many similiarities to some of the above mentioned scams.

Beware!

Well, how about this one? My son applied for a job posting on CRAIGSLIST (you already know the ending, right?) for a “mystery shopper.” (My wife used to do report editing from home for another MS service, so there are legit ones). Anyhow, a check arrives in a FedEx overnight mailer, which cost someone about $12-15 to send. $2,500 check, signed by a real person with a pen. No instructions, no explanation, no communication of any sort included with it. The issuing party’s name on the check was unknown to us, address(es) on check and return address are 2 different states, area code for a phone number on the mailer is for yet a 3rd state. I take it to local the bank branch of the institution it’s drawn on and, instead of cashing it, take it to the manager and ask if the routing and account #s on the check actually exist at this bank. She says they’re legit, but that she wouldn’t pay the check based on what she could see on her screen. No further information. So she’s sending the check to their fraud/security unit to have it checked out. I’m not falling for this.

DON’T FALL FOR THOSE “SECRET SHOPPER” SCAMS, THEY’RE EVERYWHERE!…EVEN ON CRAIGSLIST…!!!

I too have fallen victim to this terrible scam. I was sent an email from someone from Kelley Office Systems who in turn sent me a check totaling $1,873.62 by the way of FedEx. I was to do the mystery shopping assignment that involves the evaluation of any Western Union. By cashing the check, I was to keep $250 as my wage and use the remaining money to carry out the survey by sending the remaining amount to an address in Houston, Texas. I too am unemployed. However, I didn’t research this until after I deposited the check. I never did carry out the money wiring through Western Union. I’m going to contact the bank and explain to them that this was a scam! I don’t want to go to jail for this either!