Did you get an offer to be a secret shopper for a well-known company? It might come as text, email, or letter inviting you to work on a ‘research project starting soon in your area.’ Several people who got offers to be secret shoppers for grocery stores, like Whole Foods, thought they were scams, and wrote to the FTC to warn others. They were right — the offers are scams — and now we’re extending the warning.
People spotted signs of a fake check scam in the bogus Whole Foods secret shopper offer (which was from a scammer, not really Whole Foods). That’s when someone sends you a check and convinces you to deposit it and quickly send them money. In this scam, the recruiter would send shoppers a check for more than $2,000 and they would:
- Cash or deposit the check immediately
- Buy gift cards with most of the money
- Keep about $450 as their pay
- Scratch the coating off the gift cards to show the PIN codes
- Send pictures of the cards’ front and back (with the codes) to the recruiter
If anyone ever tells you to deposit a check, withdraw money, and send it to someone, that’s a scam. When the check later turns out to be fake, the bank will want the money back. And if anyone tells you to go buy gift cards and share the PIN numbers, that’s a scam, too. Once the scammer has the PIN, they also have all the money from the cards.
So, if you get an offer like this, don’t respond. Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you already cashed a fake check and sent money to a scammer, find out how to report to gift card, wire transfer and money order businesses. Read more in How to Spot, Avoid and Report Fake Check Scams.
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In reply to I have the fake check by Try2bfly
In reply to I just got 2 checks yesterday by D~Nice
In reply to I have the fake check by Try2bfly
In reply to I got one about advertising by 1Locolobo
In reply to I went thru same experience , by Annee
In reply to you aren't alone,when it by taptap
You can help law enforcement by reporting this to the FTC at www.FTC.gov/Complaint. The information you give goes into a secure database that the FTC and other law enforcement agencies use for investigations. You can choose whether or not to give your name and other personal information. Thank you.
In reply to I got one about advertising by 1Locolobo
In reply to I just got another one but it by julietoast
You are responsible for the checks you cash or deposit, even if you don’t know they’re fake. It can take weeks for a bank to discover that a check was a forgery. Until the bank confirms that the funds from the check were deposited into your account, you are responsible for any money you withdraw against that check. You can read more about Fake Checks in this FTC article.
In reply to You are responsible for the by FTC Staff
In reply to Should we report it when we by kat
You can report the details to the FTC at www.FTC.gov/Complaint. The information you give goes into a secure database that the FTC and other law enforcement agencies use for investigations.
If you get a check and letter through the mail, you can take it all to your local post office and ask them to forward it to the Postal Inspectors.
In reply to I have received 3 different by Ralph johnson
In reply to I have a question what if you by Kassie
This happened to my girlfriend's mother a few months ago. She received a check in the amount of $950.00 and asked me if this looked legit. I told her almost certainly not. Guess how much one must steal from someone in California in order for it to be deemed a felony, rather than a misdemeanor? Answer: any amount over $950.00 !!!
In reply to I just got a check for $1950 by Jrbro
In reply to I did get a text message for by JPMiami
In reply to I just got a Text saying that by ojosverdes
In reply to The below was texted from. +1 by Bvalbval
In reply to I just received the same by Lvnv
In reply to Lvnv, on April 9, 2021, I by MelA
In reply to The below was texted from. +1 by Bvalbval
Pagination