- Report: #974739
Complaint Review: LS Optimal Reports Inc. - LaVergne Tennessee
Reported By:
Tiffany -
Fort Sill, Oklahoma, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
LS Optimal Reports Inc.
14-5 Ingram Blvd LaVergne, 37086 Tennessee, United States of America
Phone:
865-329-6820
Web:
www.optimalreportsinc.com
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
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LS Optimal Reports Inc. - Consumer Service Evaluator / Secret Shopper LaVergne, Tennessee
I received a cover letter and check for $1,799.55 from the company LS Optimal Reports Inc. Both the check and cover letter address me by my name, physical address (which is different from my mailing address) and my cell phone number. The cover letter states
"This is to inform you that based on the previous survey by our affiliate Consumer Survey Specialists you indicated your interests in an additional income on a part time bases, you are hereby selected to participate in a paid Mystery Shoppers program as one of the Research Personnel selected under this program. You will be working as a Consumer Service Evaluator of some selected merchant outlets and service probviders."
The spelling and grammar is verbatim from the letter, making that my first red flag. It continues to detail instructions for depositing the check, withdrawing $350 as my first week's pay and then completing Survey Assignment #1 and #2. The letter states that I must first activate my check by visiting their website and entering the username and password they have provided.
I searched Google for hours trying to find anything regarding this company, their address, phone number...anything! The only reference I was able to find was another Ripoff Report made 3 years ago, mentioning the same details with a different company name.
I decided to contact the bank named on the check to find out if this check was even valid. The bank listed is Bank of America Customer Connection. The representative I spoke with looked up the account number on the check and verified that it is a true account...however, when I mentioned the cover letter and directions to cash this check, he quickly advised that I needed to bring this check into a BoA branch so they could investigate further. Although the representative could not tell me any details about the account, he did say the account was personal, not business, and that I should not cash it unless I had an elderly relative who wrote it out on their death bed. *Hint hint...nudge nudge*.
I did sign into their website www.optimalreportsinc.com using the username and password provided. The information there was about the same as on the cover letter. It gives the option to generate Assignment #1 and #2.
Steps:
1. Deposit Check into regular bank account (saving or checking, check purpose: PAYROLL)
2. Funds should be available between 12-24 hours.
3. Deduct your participation pay: $350.00
4. Withdraw balance money to do assigned assignment.(Proceed to next step immediatelly).
5. Generate your assignment break down (Locate store to evaluate)
6. COMPLETE EVALUATION FORM WITH INFORMATION OBTAINED AFTER EVALUATION
IMPORTANT NOTICE, READ BEFORE YOU GENERATE ASSIGNMENT: Money provided for shopping/evaluation must be available in hand before generating assignment, assignment generated and not completed same day will automatically disqualify you from the ongoing program.
I have not generated either assignment, and I have no intentions of depositing this check. I assume that assignment #1 would be something about sending the remaining balance via Western Union. My bank would take a few weeks to realize the check is fake, I would be charged the fees, my account would be closed and my banking history forever tarnished with the word "FRAUD".
Thank goodness for my good sense of "too good to be true...is too good to be true". I hope others who receive this letter do research so as not to fall victim to this obvious scam.
"This is to inform you that based on the previous survey by our affiliate Consumer Survey Specialists you indicated your interests in an additional income on a part time bases, you are hereby selected to participate in a paid Mystery Shoppers program as one of the Research Personnel selected under this program. You will be working as a Consumer Service Evaluator of some selected merchant outlets and service probviders."
The spelling and grammar is verbatim from the letter, making that my first red flag. It continues to detail instructions for depositing the check, withdrawing $350 as my first week's pay and then completing Survey Assignment #1 and #2. The letter states that I must first activate my check by visiting their website and entering the username and password they have provided.
I searched Google for hours trying to find anything regarding this company, their address, phone number...anything! The only reference I was able to find was another Ripoff Report made 3 years ago, mentioning the same details with a different company name.
I decided to contact the bank named on the check to find out if this check was even valid. The bank listed is Bank of America Customer Connection. The representative I spoke with looked up the account number on the check and verified that it is a true account...however, when I mentioned the cover letter and directions to cash this check, he quickly advised that I needed to bring this check into a BoA branch so they could investigate further. Although the representative could not tell me any details about the account, he did say the account was personal, not business, and that I should not cash it unless I had an elderly relative who wrote it out on their death bed. *Hint hint...nudge nudge*.
I did sign into their website www.optimalreportsinc.com using the username and password provided. The information there was about the same as on the cover letter. It gives the option to generate Assignment #1 and #2.
Steps:
1. Deposit Check into regular bank account (saving or checking, check purpose: PAYROLL)
2. Funds should be available between 12-24 hours.
3. Deduct your participation pay: $350.00
4. Withdraw balance money to do assigned assignment.(Proceed to next step immediatelly).
5. Generate your assignment break down (Locate store to evaluate)
6. COMPLETE EVALUATION FORM WITH INFORMATION OBTAINED AFTER EVALUATION
IMPORTANT NOTICE, READ BEFORE YOU GENERATE ASSIGNMENT: Money provided for shopping/evaluation must be available in hand before generating assignment, assignment generated and not completed same day will automatically disqualify you from the ongoing program.
I have not generated either assignment, and I have no intentions of depositing this check. I assume that assignment #1 would be something about sending the remaining balance via Western Union. My bank would take a few weeks to realize the check is fake, I would be charged the fees, my account would be closed and my banking history forever tarnished with the word "FRAUD".
Thank goodness for my good sense of "too good to be true...is too good to be true". I hope others who receive this letter do research so as not to fall victim to this obvious scam.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Tiffany M.
Fort Sill,Oklahoma,
United States of America
Don't wait for your bank!
#2Author of original report
Thu, November 29, 2012
You should NEVER withdraw the funds after depositing a check unless you are 100% sure that the person who wrote the check has the funds to cover it. You, the depositor, are responsible for any deposit or withdraw from your account, and it is YOU that your bank will come after when they discover the fraudulent check. The excuse "I didn't know" will not fly. If you don't know who the check is from...DO NOT DEPOSIT IT! And if you do...DO NOT WITHDRAW the funds until the bank has cleared the check (this is different than when a bank makes the funds available).
Let your bank know about the scam being run. Most likely, your bank will asses fee's that the money you withdrew will not cover...if you can get a head of it, it is possible that they will work with you. Take them the cover letter and a print out of the assignment. Be aware that your bank has the right to close your account and/or freeze all transactions in and out of your account.
You should also contact the Federal Trade Commission https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ to inform them about the scam.
Please contact the National Check Fraud Hotline at 843-571-2143 M-F 8am-6pm EST.
fatman
west farmington,Ohio,
United States of America
scammed
#3Consumer Comment
Thu, November 29, 2012
I also recieved this letter from Optimal Reports Inc. telling me I was selected to be a Mystery Shopper and to deposit the check they sent me and keep $350.00 for a participation pay for the first week.
I did go to the bank and cash t check however I did not check the assignment until a few minutes ago and yes! you guessed it, I was suppose to send a certain amount within 10 min. To one person, then send a different amount to another person.
Its funny though how both of these people had the same last name as me coincidence ? not at all because the money was going to spain. and I know we dont have family members living there. So now I will just hang on to the money until my bank calls me. I am so glad I listen to my instincts and didn't go to the next step. HAHA Optimal Reports you lose.
