Getting caught up in a scam may be something you never thought would happen to you, but it happens to many, and they don’t even know they are being scammed.
I recently received a text message about a Secret Shopper opportunity. Being semi-retired, I thought this would be a fun opportunity to make a little extra cash.
I received a Priority Mail envelope containing a cashier’s check in the amount of $2,350, and an instruction sheet. The sheet indicated that Posted Jobs Inc. is a commercial audit firm based in the "United States of America" with a "specialty in the audit of commercial service centers where services are being rendered to the average population."
It went on to say that their services "are backed up with cutting-edge professionalism developed over the past 33 years." It also noted that "this assignment was approved by Wal-Mart." Numerous typos and punctuation errors were found up to this point in the letter.
Upon receipt of the mailed envelope, I was to text the following information: Agency number/ First Name/ Assignment Batch/Date to (501) 800-9053. I was to deposit the check and deduct my "upfront payment of $350" while taking "$2,000 to 1st Wal-Mart store to purchase two (2) Apple gift cards worth $500 each." I was then to "proceed to the 2nd Wal-Mart store with the $1,000 balance to purchase Two more (2) Apple gift cards of $500 each." Once gift cards were purchased, I was to "scratch each of the cards to reveal its 16-digit code as well as 4-digit pin code, take a picture of each and send to your coordinator via MMS" to phone numbers provided above.
It was emphasized to "remain as discreet as possible, they should not have any idea that you are conducting a survey."
OK, there is no free lunch, and money does not magically appear in the mailbox. This is fraud.
If I would have deposited the check, it would have bounced. If I had purchased the cards and sent the scammer the PIN codes, they would have taken the money immediately, and I would have been out $2,000 of my own money.
I reported to the BBB and through the Federal Trade Commission online.
How to tell if it's a scam
I write these things to you because I hear of so many scams where honest good people are being hurt by these internet trolls. Let me give you a little information.
A check in the mail with instructions for you to buy something is fraud.
A person who identifies themselves as military personnel telling you they need cash for medical needs is fraud, contacting you on Facebook telling you their family needs help, please send money is fraud. If someone says they are in the military, special forces, etc. saying they need anything from you, this is fraud. They don’t need supplies, they are not under investigation, their family is not hurt, and they don’t need medical care.
This is all to pull on heartstrings and to wire money to some agent in another state, and it is just easy money for them, and they don’t care that you may be 85 years old just with enough money to buy food, they will take all you have.
If someone you have never met, but somehow have an “online” relationship with tells you they need money, this is fraud.
I had someone contact me through Facebook stating they knew me from college. About a month later, a hurricane hit Houston, Texas, and his family were trapped and hurt, please send money. Yeah – no. While there was a hurricane, this was just fraud. He stole the identity of someone I did know in college and was an internet troll from who knows where watching the news and capitalizing on the compassion of others hoping to make a buck.
Scammers watch the news, they have all day long to do nothing but dream of new ideas to break the law, to take advantage of compassion, and to hurt people on purpose. If you want to give to hurricane relief, give to your local church or the American Red Cross. If you want to help deployed military, work through the local base to make that happen.
Use caution. Never give out your personal information over the phone or the internet. Stop posting so much to social media making yourself a target. Report anything that is strange. There is a good chance it is fraud.