I just received my first assignment with a cashiers check in the amount of $2300 with instructions. I am kind of suspicious I need to know if this is real and do you get a check before the assignment.

It is most definitely not a real shop. Do not cash the check! It will end up bouncing and you will be responsible.

Liz

No no no......NO. Never ever cash a large check from someone you don't know for work that has not yet been done. Don't fall victim to scammers.

Mystery shopping companies do NOT pay in advance for work. Why in the world would someone send a large check to some stranger in advance of them doing any work? Would you ever pay a housepainter before they did the work? How about a landscaping guy? NO WAY. The check is fake. If you deposit it, your bank might not know right away that the check is fake, not until they send it to the bank it was drawn upon, and then about 10 days later you will be out a lot of money and also possibly be in trouble with the law for passing a fake check. Mystery shopping companies require you to do the work first and you get paid around 3-5 weeks later, usually. DO NOT DEPOSIT THE CHECK.

Unfortunately, scams disguised as mystery shopping are out there. Here's what to look for to prevent becoming a victim of such scams and what you can do if you have already been victimized.

What mystery shopping scams look like:
• Emails/ads/letters/text messages/phone calls asking you to cash a money order/check, wire it back, and keep a large fee ($300-$1000) for yourself. Any company that sends you a check in the mail before you do an assignment for them is fraudulent. They will often say it is for a mystery shopping opportunity at Wal-Mart, MoneyGram, or Western Union.
• Emails/ads/letters/text messages/phone calls promising great deals and lucrative opportunities in mystery shopping but require a registration fee or subscription. Many times, these jobs do not exist, but if the job is legitimate, it can be found for free elsewhere. Real companies pay you to complete these projects, not the other way around.
• These "companies" often use names that are similar to existing reputable companies. They do everything they can to appear legitimate (e.g., create fake copies of webpages, use email addresses similar to the company's email address, copy the company's logo/letterhead).

How to prevent becoming a victim:
• Never cash or deposit a money order/check that is issued before completion of an assignment or issued with an expectation to wire some or all of it back.
• Never pay anyone to mystery shop or for mystery shopping information.
• Research the company. Is it part of the MSPA [www.mspa-na.org/]? Are they listed with the Better Business Bureau [www.bbb.org]? Ask about it on [www.mysteryshopforum.com].
• Sign up with legitimate companies. Some places you can find them at include:
o [www.mysteryshopforum.com]
o www.prestomap.com
o [www.mspa-na.org]
o www.jobslinger.com

What to can do if you are a victim or believe you have received a fake check with a "mystery shopping" offer:
• Contact your local (non-emergency) number for the police.
• Report to the FTC at 877-382-4357 or www.ftc.gov.
• File a complaint with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center www.ic3.gov.
• If you are in Canada, report to the Canadian PhoneBusters at 888-495-8501.

Edited for typo.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/01/2018 01:53AM by ShoppersViewChristine.

SCAM! SCAM! SCAM! DO NOT HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH THIS COMPANY, DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY INFORMATION, BRING THE CHECK TO THE POLICE STATION, NOTIFY THE REAL COMPANY.

don;t answer it,. it is a scam. Most of all mystery shops are freer and do not wire money. To be sure check www.mspa.org to find out if the company is legit. Alaways!

Here's another thing that I have noticed. If the scam company does have a website. there will be no evidence on the website that they are looking for clients. If there is a website link in the email they send you,do not click directly on the link because if they are scammers they might be downloading viruses, too.