Victim Location 93924
Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order
I remember seeing an ad on the Internet for a secret shopper that promised to pay well, and filled out the form. I had actually forgotten about it, until I received a Priority Mail Envelope with a check for $2,468.65, and instructions to deposit the check, then go to a local store near me like Walgreens, Target, CVS… Once I was there, I was to purchase a variety of denominations of Ebay gift cards that total $2,000.00. After I have the cards, I’m supposed to peel the silver scratch-off area on the card. Then I am supposed to take a front & back photo of the card with my phone, then keep the cards for a future assignment. Then they wanted me to take a survey about the store the cards were purchased from, various questions about my experience. Then send a complete report via text and email, also with my phone. They advise to keep everything associated with these transactions secret to the bank, the store I shopped at, or any one else.
I felt suspicious of this whole thing so I looked it up on the Internet and low and behold, almost exactly the same type of scam showed up!
Don’t fall for it! I’m glad I didn’t! Other people have reported that after the check clears, they do the deed with the promise that they would get to keep the $468.65 as payment for participation. What happens a few days later is the bank finds out it is a fake check, the scammers got the Ebay Gift Card numbers, and you are out $2000.00! Plus the $468.65, if you were to spend it on anything else!