Newest Scam Using KSS

@mannasue wrote:

It really is mystery shoppers. Recently my daughter received an email from a KSS scheduler that she thought was legit as they have been emailing each other from time to time. She has done a fair amount of mystery shopping. She spoke with someone she trusted in another state who does lots of mystery shopping and felt like the company was a good one. She has now been scammed for thousands of dollars and trying to deal with it!

That email was not legit. It was NOT from KSS. If you look at the "from" address, you will see that it is spoofed and off just a bit. KSS is a legitimate company with legitimate opportunities, and we have posted warnings about this on all of our social media pages.

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Yes, Lori, we know that it was not legit. But the scammer used his name, with as she realized too late, was a newly made up email address. KSS needs to put this on the front of their website just like MarketForce does.

Wow..Ughh Lori..you're one of my favorite companies..sorry this is happening to you. Honestly, at first glance; if I wouldnt have already mystery shopped quite a bit already; This scam seems pretty legit until they start talking about 200 dollar gift cards. Anyone have a number to call in New Delhi so we can call them over and over until they get annoyed and shut down. I have no solution to give Lori, but I hope it resolves itself soon.

Shopping Idaho and Oregon/Idaho border region.

Well Lorri is actually the owner of a scheduling company that schedules for multiple MSCs. But I too like her operation.

@mannasue wrote:

Yes, Lori, we know that it was not legit. But the scammer used his name, with as she realized too late, was a newly made up email address. KSS needs to put this on the front of their website just like MarketForce does.

It is on our login page for shoppers on Sassie and on our facebook page. I really really tried to warn people as soon as I found out. I feel terribly that people are getting scammed, but it legit has nothing to do with us and outside of posting over and over again on social media and our job board, I'm not sure what else I can do.

@Lorri Kern KSS wrote:

@mannasue wrote:

Yes, Lori, we know that it was not legit. But the scammer used his name, with as she realized too late, was a newly made up email address. KSS needs to put this on the front of their website just like MarketForce does.

It is on our login page for shoppers on Sassie and on our facebook page. I really really tried to warn people as soon as I found out. I feel terribly that people are getting scammed, but it legit has nothing to do with us and outside of posting over and over again on social media and our job board, I'm not sure what else I can do.

Have you contacted CVS or Walgreens to notify them to perhaps, put a warning letter near the display?

I was scammed big time by this as well! what got me was the email address was from a legitimate KSS email and I do tons of shops for KSS! I also verified Kim's name on linkedin and I saw her on KSS' website. How the hell can this have happened?!

@sheikh wrote:

I was scammed big time by this as well! what got me was the email address was from a legitimate KSS email and I do tons of shops for KSS! I also verified Kim's name on linkedin and I saw her on KSS' website. How the hell can this have happened?!

If you look closely at the email address, it is NOT from KSSKimM@kernscheduling.com They are spoofing the email address. It has extra characters in it

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/18/2019 09:19PM by Lorri Kern KSS.

They also change the display name of their email accounts to legit email addresses. It will LOOK like it's coming from a real MSC email address until you hover over the display name to see the actual email (or click on it, or use "reply all", depending on email client). For example, my display name is set as Christine W., but you will see christinew@shoppersview.com if you click through to the actual email address. It's very tricky of them.

Administrative Manager for Shoppers' View
p: 800.264.5677 | e: christinew@shoppersview.com | w: www.shoppersview.com

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/20/2019 01:49AM by ShoppersViewChristine.

Back like 10 or 15 years ago, another company did actually shop Walgreen's.

I remember. It paid like $10 I think. The associate and pharmacist were supposed to say "Be Well" or they failed. I thought it was pretty stupid so I didn't do more than a couple of them.

@msmsmshopper wrote:

Back like 10 or 15 years ago, another company did actually shop Walgreen's.

I knew it was phony when they said it was for Mf and they didn't want the bathrooms checked.

@2stepps wrote:

I knew it was phony when they said it was for Mf and they didn't want the bathrooms checked.

And they also didn’t want to know if the cashier was wearing glasses.

Delete for redundancy.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/22/2019 04:49PM by Lethe2779.

I've been MS for years and I fell for it, which says something about me lol. Moral of the story, check the sender, dont reply to emails asking for your information without asking for more information, and check the forums first.

Edit: Also, if it helps anyone, my scam email came from Sabrina Boone • info@telus.net, with a reply-to ksssabrina@kernschedulings.com. It initially asked for my name and phone number, but then replied, in a completely mismatched font, asking me to fill out an agreement asking for a birthdate and SSN, which were big red flags(on top of the other flags I noticed after my hasty reply).

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/22/2019 04:49PM by Lethe2779.

It’s still going on so I thought I would post here to alert others who might not read old posts. I just got an emailed supposedly from Kimberly Motl. The unmasked email address was office@kernschedulings.com which I know is not their legitimate email. Exact same scenario as reported in this thread. There has to be a way to stop these guys! They even used KSS’s real physical address in Boston.

@ wrote:

There has to be a way to stop these guys!

Let us know when you find the illusive way! Law enforcement will reward you too!

It actually is NOT our physical address in Boston. We moved offices over a year ago. I'm about to take it off the website and NOT post our new one til these scams stop. Ugh.

I received a new email today also. It does look like the real thing..at first glance. When I clicked on the details, the email came from an aol and a yahoo address. They also listed kernscheduling as kernschedulings.com with an "s." Be careful with this.

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

@Lethe2779 wrote:

I've been MS for years and I fell for it, which says something about me lol. Moral of the story, check the sender, dont reply to emails asking for your information without asking for more information, and check the forums first.
Edit: Also, if it helps anyone, my scam email came from Sabrina Boone • info@telus.net, with a reply-to ksssabrina@kernschedulings.com. It initially asked for my name and phone number, but then replied, in a completely mismatched font, asking me to fill out an agreement asking for a birthdate and SSN, which were big red flags(on top of the other flags I noticed after my hasty reply).

Sabrina Boone hasn't worked for KSS in more than 10 years. They are digging deep!

I just received another one today. I a smart enough to just delete but I swill admit it is the most real looking best scam one I have seen. The big tip off was Kern nor any other scheduling company schedules for Market Force as far as I know and if your sending me a personal form email you would not need my name and address. I feel bad for Lorri and Kern but have no other ideas on how to help.

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

People who are not seasoned shoppers will not know that Kern doesn't schedule for Marketforce, or have any other ideas on how mystery shopping really works. And it's just awful all the way around, since some seasoned shoppers who trust KSS are falling for this BS too.

i agree. Each of us as independent contractors is responsible for protecting ourself and our business from unscrupulous scammers and others wanting to steal from us, I too feel for Lori and her gang in being caught up in this mess!

I got the same email and I knew right away that it was a fake email as well.

I just received a priority mail envelope with a “cashier’s check” and instructions from “Secret Shopper” to buy gift cards. I went to the post office and they couldn’t help. Suggested I go to the State Police. The police told me to ignore it that they had a bunch of them and they were too hard to solve. Crazy!

The shredder is a wonderful tool,lgeiger!

I have to admit that the email looked very legit. I did not pay attention and sent my phone number and name. I was approved to do the job!. After I read the instructions, I knew immediately it was MAY BE a scam? I looked carefully, and the address was @gmail. Yes, that was a scam. The problem is that I have done shops that require to buy something very expensive and get reimbursed for that. Even Marketforce had a shop that I went in a technology store and bought a third party item that was about $250, full reimbursement, no fee. I had to buy gift cards for other shops in the ~$150, but from the store itself. Also had to buy ~$20-$50 worth of gift cards from specific stores/banking institutions that were sold at cvs, gas stations, and supermarkets, both for the financial institution because they were checking whether the store associates were trained in doing it, and for an investment fund that they were measuring something that I do not know. Also, sometimes MS companies have projects that need to be done in 4 days and they sent targeted emails to few shoppers that have worked with them for a long time. Just always need to be careful! But clearly a shopper database was hacked because it came to an email that I only use for mystery shopping.

I got it too but it's for CVS. I love how they threw in Marketforce as well.

Ditto, I received my email yesterday. A different email address of Kimberly Motl <ksskimm@kernschedulings.com> and an updated subject line of "Walgreens and CVS Survey (Kss scheduling Int)". Thanks for all of the eagle-eyed first responders that informed us early to be aware!

I received the email on June 25 from Sabrina Boone.
The email shows up as: mailing@telus.net but when you hit ‘reply’ it shows up as: ksssabrina@kernschedulings.com

Subject: CVS and Walgreens Store Survey!

KSS International Inc. got contracted for a survey from Market Force Information Inc.

Shopper pay: $30

Requirements – You are required to purchase Ebay Gift Card($200) at your nearest CVS and Walgreens.At the store you will be required to observe the following;

• Were the employees friendly and courteous?

• Did you receive prompt service?

• Was the merchandise displayed neatly?

• Was it easy to use the service?

Your report will include pictures of in-store card display,pictures of gift card purchased and receipt,fill out online survey.

Total reimbursement-$230

If interested please reply with:

Location of interest: (You can self select 3 CVS and 3 Walgreens Stores)
Full name
Phone number

Due Date-10th July 2019

Thanks!

Sabrina Boone

Contracted by KSS International Inc.
KSS International, Inc
41 West Street FL 6
Boston, MA 02111

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/2019 05:41PM by pmpst8.

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