When a husband and wife received an unexpected check for almost $2,000 their excitement quickly turned to skepticism.
The check, which seemed to be addressed from Walmart, asked them to register the check and deposit it into their bank account, using some of the money for a mystery shopping job, according to a report by business and finance publication, Kiplinger.
Walmart issued a warning about this “Mystery Shopper Scam.” It’s when someone is hired to act like a customer, but all-the-while they’re evaluating services at a business to report later.
“Walmart does NOT utilize these services,” said a statement from Walmart. “Walmart will NEVER mail you a check and ask that you deposit it in order to purchase an item or service and keep the remainder of the amount as payment for services.”
How it works:
The scammer may send a letter or an email, or possibly post in a newspaper or online message board describing this seemingly ideal way to make extra money. It would likely be described as a paid, stay-at-home job where people help evaluate retail stores.
When someone responds to the letter or posting, the victim gets an “employment packet” which has a training assignment, a list of products to buy, and a phony cashier’s check.
The “training assignment” is where the scammer gets their money- the victim deposits the check into their bank account, takes out the amount provided for a salary and the amount used to buy the products, and then wires the remainder of the check to a given address. After the money is wired, the fake check bounces, leaving the victim responsible for refunding the bank the amount of the check.
How to protect yourself:
Do not respond to unsolicited emails or mail asking you to be a mystery shopper or secret shopper. Never deposit a strange check received through the mail from a “mystery shopping” company.
“No legitimate business will pay in advance and ask you to send back a portion of the money,” read the statement from Walmart.
Also, verify any job solicitations you receive when posting your resume to an online job site, don’t click on website ads offering free gift cards, and if it sounds too good to believe, it is.
Below is an example of what a scam letter may look like —
