Avoid secret shopper scams

#Middlebury #Seniors

Old scams don’t go away, and one of the scams that has come around again is the secret shopper scam. Most people like shopping, and if someone offers payment for it, many of us will try it. After all, it sounds like fun.

Secret shoppers often are hired by legitimate companies to visit one of their stores and make a purchase. Afterward you make a report on things like cleanliness, pricing, employee attitude and more. In response you might get either a free gift or a cash payment.

When it comes to scams, however, you’re given the payment first. You’ll be sent a check and will be told to cash it, and then go shopping immediately. You’ll likely be told to “test” the service at the Western Union desk, or whatever location will transfer money. You’ll be instructed to test the system by sending the money you’ve just received when you cashed the check. What you won’t find out for a long time is that the check you cashed is no good. You used your own money to send a wire transfer, and you’ll never get that money back.

Or you might be told to use the cash to buy a handful of gift cards. Again the check will bounce and you’ll end up out of pocket for all that money.

Warnings: If you’re ever asked to cash a check and send someone else the money, it’s a scam. Don’t ever pay to sign up as a secret shopper, even to buy a so-called directory. And don’t fall for the certification fraud – you don’t need a certificate to do secret shopping.

If you’re interested in having a legitimate part-time job as a secret shopper, go online to mysteryshop.org to search their database of legitimate companies. Read more at the www.consumer.ftc.gov website about secret shopping scams.

(c) 2018 King Features Synd. Inc.