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CONSUMERS OF MYSTERY SHOPPING SCAM Firm Urges: Beware of Quick Cash Offers Findlay, OH - February 13, 2009 - A sophisticated mystery shopping scam continues to spread across the country, conning consumers out of millions of dollars, according to Corporate Research International (CRI), an Ohio-based mystery-shopping and consumer satisfaction firm. The scam involves letters to consumers offering a mystery shopping job to evaluate one or more leading money wire services. The letter is accompanied by a cashier's check for several thousand dollars with instructions to cash the check at a local bank and then wire the cash to a designated location in Canada. The consumer is directed to keep several hundred dollars as payment for evaluations the service received from the money wire service. The cashier's check ultimately bounces and the consumer is left liable for the funds. If you have received a letter instructing you to deposit a check for a large amount of money in order to begin a mystery shopping job, you are a target of this scam. Please write "void" across the check and deliver the check, letter and enclosed materials to your local law enforcement office. If you have already deposited the check, alert your bank that you have deposited an invalid check. If you have already deposited the check and wired money to the location instructed by the letter and/or someone you spoke to on the phone, please contact your local law enforcement office. ***CRI is providing this solely as information for the public's benefit; however, we take no responsibility for any negative consequences that may occur due to the checks received being deposited/cashed or for any legal fees that the consumer may incur to recoup funds through the legal system.*** |
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