Victim Location 85749
Type of a scam Employment
Received a linkedIn message within its messenger from someone on recommending a part time work mystery shopper work opportunity provided a link which said the opportunity would be part time, pay $1500 salary and $350 per assignment and had a basic sign up area….Once I had signed up with basic name, address, email and phone. I received an email that I was accepted for the opportunity and provided the directions for my first shopping assignment. It said the following:
Greetings,
Your first assignment check of $1870.00 was posted via USPS. The envelope should arrive with your mail in the coming days. See below and also attached for your assignment guideline and commission details. Proceed with the assignment when the payment arrives.
Kindly confirm receiving this email.
[ASSIGNMENT #1 GUIDELINE]
1: Proceed to your bank or credit union to have the check deposited. Funds will be available immediately or in 24 hours.
2: Deduct USD $350 as your commission.
3: Proceed to nearest store with Walmart Money Cards, Vanilla Visa Gift Cards or Google Play Gift Cards.
(The cards are available at Walmart Stores, CVS/pharmacy, Walgreens, 7 Eleven, Best Buy, Dollar General, etc.)
4: Purchase 3 Walmart Money Cards or Vanilla Visa Gift Cards or Google Play Gift Cards at store.
(See below for Samples).
5: Go to the register and add cash of $500 to each card. $500 X 3 = $1,500
Note: If the $500 Gift Card are not available, then you may purchase/load other denominations ($100, $250, $300, $400 etc.) to total $1,500 which is required for the assignment.
6: Evaluate the quality of customer service delivery, condition and arrangement of cards at the store and fill out your observation in the Feedback Section below (Page 3).
Note: Under no circumstance should you acknowledge that you are evaluating their services as that will deter the purpose of the program. If asked if you are a mystery shopper, kindly answer NO.
AFTER PURCHASE OF CARDS
WALMART MONEY CARD & VANILLA VISA GIFT CARDS
Open the pack, remove the label in front of the cards and capture clear image of front and back of each card and email to us along with Page 3 of this document. (Phone camera accepted).
GOOGLE PLAY GIFT CARDS
Open the pack, scratch off label to reveal code at the back of the cards and capture clear image of front and back of each card and email to us along with Page 3 of this document. (Phone camera accepted)
The cards are required for the next assignment. You will also use the funds to carry out future assignments. This eliminates the need of posting you checks for other upcoming assignments. Note, do not use the cards until we instruct you to do so.
A few days later I received a check in the mail for $1,870. Around that time I was sent an email to advise them when I received the check.
Greetings,
Confirm receiving your assignment check in mail. Proceed to have your assignment completed and email us feedback report along with the
requested images of cards to enable us file your report as soon as possible.
The evaluation can be done at any nearby Walmart Stores, CVS/pharmacy, Walgreens, 7 Eleven, Best Buy, Dollar General, or any other store which Walmart Money Cards, Vanilla Visa Gift Cards or Google Play Gift Cards are available.
AFTER PURCHASE OF CARDS
WALMART MONEY CARD & VANILLA VISA GIFT CARDS
Open the pack, remove the label in front of the cards and capture clear image of front and back of each card and email to us along with Page
3 of this document. (Phone camera accepted).
GOOGLE PLAY GIFT CARDS
Open the pack, scratch off label to reveal code at the back of the cards and capture clear image of front and back of each card and email to
us along with Page 3 of this document. (Phone camera accepted)
Thank you,
Karen
Orion Research
I notified them that I had received the check and they responded:
Thanks for the update. Kindly proceed. Looking forward to receive your report.
Thank you,
Karen
I then proceeded to deposit the check and await to see when (and if) it actually cleared but was not about to buy any payment cards as they had advised until the check they had provided had fully cleared. The next day I was advised that the check failed to clear thereby exposing their scam devised to get me to buy the specified $500 visa-walmart-google cards with my own money and then have me report their numbers to them to them before their provided check had actually cleared.