Victim Location 60659
Type of a scam Employment
They hacked into a connections LinkedIn account andbsent durect LinQ Quality Market Research/LinQ Research Services; "Secret Shopper" employment scam. Part time (2-3 visits) promises $1,500 monthly pay + $350 per assignment.
Webpage asks for your name, address, phone # and email address.
You will receive a text message saying you were selected, asking you to check your junk/spam folder for the email with your first assignment.
The first email explains that they will send you a check via USPS and another email with assignment details.
They send a check for over $1k, priority mail, with only a printed PNC Bank check enclosed, no formal letter. The second email that is in your junk/spam folder that has an attachment with your assignment. DO NOT OPEN OR DOWNLOAD THE ATTACHMENT!
This is all that has happened so far over the span of 5 days. Watch out, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
Victim Location 85345
Type of a scam Employment
Was sent message from a LinkedIn contact.
Link sent you to a website where you applied.
An email is then sent to confirm and then a second one is sent with information that a check is being snet.
A separate email is sent statting that you are to deposit the check, then purchase 3 gift cars in the amount of $1500. Scratch off the back of the cards and send pictures of the code in the back (this goves them access to your bank account). They say these cards are to be used later. That’s the trap.
It didn’t seem right (too good to be true) so I investigated the check components (numbers matched everything, other parts seemed wrong or off), law enforcement and other watch dog groups. Results are that the company is not connectef and this is a honeytrap. Report to law enforcement and other groups. Keep evidence as needed by them.
Victim Location 33920
Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order
I was sent a link for a part time job followed it and it sent me to a web page to apply to be a secret shopper. I did, after such all the contact has been via email from them. They don’t reply and only talk about the assignment. They sent me a fake check then said to go get gift cards worth 1500$total and send them pictures of the cards front and back. Also needed to fill out a research assessment from and send them the picture of both. Upon trying to cash the check I realized that the check was a fraud. The bank was real and the company they said they were with was real but they had no affiliation with either.
Victim Location 92651
Total money lost $1,514.95
Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order
I received what I thought was an email from a former colleague on LinkedIn, telling me they had participated in this Secret Shopper experience and thought I would have fun, too. I responded, got an email from a “Karen Henson” explaining to me the shopping process and that I had been accepted. I was send a check drawn on Bank of America for $1,860, told to purchase 3-$500 gift cards at Walmart, make a copy of the cards and email to “Karen Henson“. I deposited the check at Bank Of America, it was accepted at that time. Two days later I checked my account at BofA and saw the check was returned for insufficient funds. I then checked the balance on the gift cards and they had been used, 0 balance. Tried to speak to a Walmart representative and they were absolutely NOT helpful. Made a police report and a fraud report with Bank of America.