Shopper Needed Check Fraud Scam
Scammers continue to exploit job seekers, but the "Shopper Needed" scam isn't just enlisting innocent folks into illegal money laundering activities. The scam is also exploiting the good name of JM Ridgway, a legitimate professional shopper service. Bear that in mind when reading the copy below - though the scammers use the name Ridgway, it is not affiliated in any way with the real JM Ridgway company.
The shopper-needed scam sends the 'new hire' a check for a few hundred dollars, instructing them to cash the check and take their portion, then forward on the remaining funds to the "employer". Of course, the check is bogus, it will bounce eventually, and you - the victim - will be liable for the funds you spent from the check, plus the amount you forwarded on, plus any service fees or fines that result. And never assume that because a bank releases funds after 5 days, that the check has actually cleared. That grace period has no bearing on whether the check is good.
Following is a copy of one of the email sent by the shopper-needed criminals:
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From: MYSTERY SHOPPER
Subject: Job Opening: Shopper Needed!!!
Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 7:15 PM
Ridgway Shopper® is accepting applications for qualified individuals to become mystery shoppers. It's fun and rewarding, and you choose when and where you want to shop. You are never obligated to accept an assignment. There is no charge to become a shopper and you do not need previous experience. After you sign up, you will have access to training materials via e-mail, fax or postal mail.
ABOUT US
Ridgway Shopper® is the premier mystery shopping company, serving clients across America and Canada with over 500,000 shoppers available and ready to help businesses better serve their customers. Continual investment in the latest internet and communication technologies coupled with over 16 years of know-how means working with Ridgway Shopper® is a satisfying and rewarding experience.
Secret shopping as seen on ABC NEWS, NBC NEWS, L.A..TIMES. Stores and organizations such as The Gap, Walmart,Money Gram, Pizza Hut, and Bank. One amongst many others pay for Secret Shoppers to shop in their establishments and report their experiences. On top of being paid for shopping you are also allowed to keep purchases for free. Ridgway Shopper® NEVER charge
fees to the shopper. Training, tips for improvement, and shopping opportunities are provided free to registered shoppers. Mystery shoppers are either paid a pre-arranged fee for a particular shop, a reimbursement for a purchase or a combination of both.Ridgway Shopper® has available for immediate assignment an inspection of the customer service of any walmart in your area. You are to shop secretly and invest just $10. This fee will be paid upfront. During this shop you will visit the location and make several observations as regards the customer service.
You will be required to interact with the shop clerk.
The assignment will pay $300.00/ Assignment
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This is a classic 'if it sounds to good to be true" tale. It goes without saying that any promise of easy money should be viewed with skepticism. It pays to be suspicious. It doesn't pay to be a victim of a shopper-needed scam.
That rings so true!
If it looks too good to be true it probably is.
It’s too bad people are so desperate to make money that many will fall for scams like without checking out the company first.
You should always make sure they are registered with the MSPA.
OMG! ok I am a single working mother who of course is always on the prowl for a little side hustle. I went to craigslist and found this ad about being a secret shopper… I was so excited when I got the acceptence letter for the opportunity to join their team. I figured it would be good extra side money and its flexible to my schedule. WOW was I wrong.. you know what got me thinking this was a scam is when I got the check.. I couldnt believe the ck came 2 days after signing up online… This check looks soooo real too I was so excited and out of the $3700 sent to me I only had to cash and send $3000 and the rest was mine!! RED FLAG… I was like OOOOH NO! something aint right! So I looked at the check and noitced the bank address which is very leigit looking but when I called the bank……Exactly… I then started looking online about scams and by golly I came across this!! Glad I didnt go for it!! Damn that checks looks so nice with my name on it though! LOLOL j/k I turned it into the police..
I received a check and didn’t even fill anything out. They’re using craigslist to cull people for their scam.
BEWARE – I too almost got scammed. Once I smelled something fishy about the company I emailed through Craigslist, I told them not to contact me again. They said they would issue a check to me, and I again told them NOT to send me anything. Today I got a check in the mail – It was sent Fedex, and the info on the envelope was a PO Box in massachusettes. The check was for $3800 that said “Pension Financial Services” on a JP Morgan Chase account. No other info, statement explaining what check was for. Nothing. Clearly a scam. I am reporting this to MA and NY Better Business Bureaus or Fraud departments.
Well this must be the latest in the scams for mystery shoppers, mine involves a western Union/moneygram location, and a drestaurant/grocery store. Same $300 that everybody else talks about, I almost went for it and then decided to check it out and see what I could find, and found this site, thanks for keeping me safe!!
I wouldn’t say that it’s a matter of being “desperate” it’s just that times are extremely hard and the money is much needed for people who cannot get any luck, call backs or jobs landed from the hundreds of interviews they go on.
In reference to the actual scam, I actually just received a check via fedex from a company for almost $1000. The thing that initially raised a red flag for me was the fact that he asked me to let him know IF and when the check clears in my bank account. If the funds are supposed to be for me then I should be able to cash and spend it any way I want possibly at a check cash etc.
Still I am very glad that I researched ALL the information on the BBB sites, Google and other business directory sites as well. There was no valisd or verifiable contact info. Oh well, I’d much rather make “and keep” legit anyway?!
its still being done “Dennis Jerry” says he is a supervisor there 2 apparently for Douglas Lloyd in Ripley WV (the guy who recieves the $3,050.00 the check was mailed from Fairfield IA by Mitik T. Sonto
THIS IS A SCAM JUST TRIED RIPING MY GIRLFRIEND OFF FOR 3000 DOLLARS BANK CASHED FRAUDULENT MONEY ORDERS FBI NOW INVOLVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got a mail with exactly the same wordings. I was about to respond but then I decided to check the company’s credebility. I goggled the company’s name and thank god for it. I got to know the scam before getting trapped .
I’ve been recently been a victim of this scam.someone send me a check for $1450 to be a mystery shopper.I deposited it into my bank account and was able to withdraw the funds.but after a day or 2 the check bounced now I owe the bank money for the fake check.
Does the name Thomas McAllister sound familiar for this secret shopper scam?
Thomas McAllister is exactly who I was just scamed from. I waited for the check to clear but apparently didn’t wait long enough. What do you do and who do I call?
Thomas McAllister, yeah thats him. I got an e-mail out of the middle of no where about the mistery shopper. I firgured that they must have gotten my e-mail address from something like this site. I have looked into it in the past. I filled out the “application” and my that my assignment would be a walmart, then a western union. I e-mailed him back asking for further information. I kept getting this automatic e-mailes but nothing directly. So I did not do anything. Like everyone else, I got a check for about $2500. Held on to it for a couple of days. It seemed strange. Then here comes another e-mail saying that I can keep my part and had to western union the rest. I deposited the check and my bank told me that it will be a few days. Then I received another e-mail saying you should have gotten the check and it should have cleared and gave me another name to western union it to. Then the check bounced. Thank God that my bank was smart enough to wait 6 days or I would have been next. I want this Bastard punished. I only own the bank the bounced check fee and not the full 2500 bucks. If anyone knows what to do from here please let me know. I still have all the e-mails!!!
My mother in law is currently doing the same secret shopper deal from Thomas Macallister. My wife told her that we felt it was all a scam, but her mother says she has done several checks over a few weeks andnothing has bounced yet. Is it possible for the checks to take several weeks to bounce, or could what she is doing being truly legit? She is already into the deal for like 7 or 8K and I don’t have a good feeling about it all.
Any advice would be great.
Thanks
It can take several weeks for the checks to bounce. Because banks will release funds after 5-10 days, victims mistakenly assume the check is good. That is not necessarily the case; there are just legal limits imposed on how long a bank can put the funds on hold. I would strongly encourage her to speak with someone at the bank about this or contact her local FBI office.
Matt,
Yes, it does take several weeks in some cases. Please tell her to research him. It is a scam and the worst part is she will be liable for all that money and he may never get caught. He will be walking away with all that money free and clear. She could investigated by the FBI and all. My bank has contacted the FBI about have and the froze my accounts for the investigation.
rob,
ya somebody is using my previous address(Fairfield, IA) and sent money order , cashiers check and i dont know what else they are sending.ITS A SCAM ,i receive calls from people asking me why i sent them the check.hope the FBI get to the bottom of this soon.