A family member answered an online ad for a Mystery Shopper. A letter came a few days later via priority mail with a check for $1,495.49 with instructions to deposit the check into the bank. Upon perusing the materials and reading the letter I discovered quite a few red flags.
For starters, the check, the letter and the mailing label were all printed on the same paper using the same printer (the printer window has a spot on it that transfers to every printed document.). Therefore, there is no way the check is authentic. Second, the sender requested that they be notified as soon as the funds were available via text message only. Third, the bulk of the funds (1,218.00) were to be sent to someone in another country. The list goes on.
While the concept of a Mystery Shopper may be legitimate, this particular sender is not legit. There is no official company name or address for this employer -- only a telephone number and a email address.
These scammers prey on innocents who are merely trying to earn an honest living. People please be aware. Scammers are getting more and more creative everyday! I emplore you to do your research before you give out your personal information or accept /send any money to anyone.