Comments on: Are Banks Helping Mystery Shopper Scammers?

By: Cathy Stucker

Cathy Stucker — Mon, 30 May 2011 19:39:26 +0000

Ultimately, the legal responsibility is yours. However, banks seem to have little interest in helping their customers avoid these frauds because they carry none of the risk.

Although it is unlikely that a bank employee can spot a forged check just by looking at it (the forgeries are usually very good) they do a disservice by not giving correct information to their customers. For example, they need to make it clearer that just because they have given you the cash it does not mean that the check has “cleared’ and it is not an assurance that the check is valid.

If you want to fight the bank on this, you might try going to the media. Having a reporter calling them about this might make them more willing to deal.

By: Ian G. Mowbray

Ian G. Mowbray — Mon, 30 May 2011 14:41:25 +0000

I totally got one of these not only did I get it, but I did not find out that it was a scam until after going through everything. They do rush you, and now I’m dealing with the bank. I have no idea what I’m going to do as far as this overdrawn amount of $2,500.00 I figured when I took the check to the bank that they would catchit as a fraudulent check. They are telling me that it is all my responsibility, but it took them 30 min’s to even cash it. I’ve gotten excuses such as if I came inside they would have been able to recognize and tell me about the scam, that they made the funds available because of good customer history even though I only had $40 in my account. I find this all ridiculous, and will be this upcoming week going into the bank and complaining that it is not just my responsibility but a 50/50 and that they should be able to assist me in dealing with this fraud. If you guys have any advice for me I would appreciate it very much!

By: poems629

poems629 — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 03:48:41 +0000

Thanks for the swift response. We will like to bring to your notice that you will be receiving your first assignment soon. As soon as it’s dispatched you will be notified immediately on the courier service as well as tracking details.

Please make sure you check your Emails regularly for updates from us.

You will be doing a survey on two prominent companies in your area.

The 1st is a Western Union Location

The 2nd a Restaurant

There have been reports about laps in the services of their Management and some of their staffs, complaints were based on reports customers forwarded anonymously and Phone calls which were also made to the head office.

The Western union location was reported for evaluation for the following reasons:

I) Customers has reported their money missing

ii) Slow services

iii) Unbalanced transfer charges

The 2nd company was reported to be rendering

(I) Poor services

(ii) Rudeness to customers

(iii) Excess charge

(iii) Late opening time and Closing before time.

Your Secret Evaluation would be

1) To make a transfer of fund from this western union location to our Mystery shopper, and the funds would be picked up by another mystery shopper at the exact location which a customer reported her funds missing.

2) You would have to record the time at which you go to the location and how many minutes it took you to get service.

3) You would be sent a check in the amount of $1650 and also for the duty. As soon as you receive the check, you would cash in at your bank, and deduct your $300.00, and use the rest of the money for the services.

4) Upon receiving the funds, the locations address would be forwarded to you, and also the Name and address of whom the Mystery shoppers transfer would be made to. You would have to keep a comprehensive report on every activity you carry out.

5) You would also provide me with the name of the cashier that attended to you.

I congratulate you in anticipation of your success.

Yours Sincerely

Johnson Russell

Zagat Survey LLC

By: margo281

margo281 — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:10:06 +0000

Here is a follow up on the first post. I am a bit disappointed to the response from local law enforcement, I took the information in to the police and their response was “Did you cash the check?” to which I responded, “No, absolutely not” and he shrugged and said, “Well then no crime has occurred”
Hmm, guess crime does pay! I hate the fact that this can go on and this scammer can continue this until he gets another bite on his scam!

By: superseller4

superseller4 — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 04:26:33 +0000

Beaware everybody. The following is an email in a series of suspicious emails which I recently received :

Hello xxxxxxxx,

Season Greetings to you.I am writing to let you know that the payment for your first assignment has been mailed to you via UPS.the payment is in from of Money Orders as you are to cash the Money Orders at your Bank and proceed with the following procedures :

Your Evaluation would be ;

1) To make a transfer of fund from any of the Western Union location provided to you in the last email to another Mystery shopper, And the funds would be picked up by another mystery shopper at the exact location where a customer reported her funds missing.

2) You would have to record the time at which you go to the location and how many minutes it took you to get service.

3) You have been sent a check which would cover your payment of $400 and also for the duty. As soon as you receive the check, you
would cash in at your bank, and deduct your $400.00, and use the rest of the money for the services.

4) You would have to keep a comprehensive report on every activity you carry out.

5) You would also provide me with the name of the cashier that attended to you.
Here are the details where you are to send the western union to:

Name : Gary Franklin
Address: 154 Upper Berkeley Street,
City: London
Zip Code: W1H 7QR
Country: United Kingdom

Get back to us with the MTCN (10 digit) given to you at the western union location including the total amount sent after deduction of charges, SENDERS NAME and ADDRESS

Yours Sincerely
Mark Benson.
Zagat Survey, LLC.

By: superseller4

superseller4 — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 01:59:07 +0000

Thank you Ms. Stucker for your comments on my previous posting. Incidentally, just yesterday I received by UPS, three legitimate-looking MoneyGram money orders, each in the amount of $850.00, made out to my name. As soon as I can decipher the poorly handwritten return address, I’m going to send them back, or perhaps I’ll just discard them in the shredder. Why should I have to pay a penny to return someone’s scam attempt?

By: Cathy Stucker

Cathy Stucker — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:09:37 +0000

@crawdaddydoo92, let us know what your bank says about teller training. I think that many of these scam losses could be avoided if the banks gave good information to their customers. Some people will not ask the questions, but when they do they should get correct information.

@superseller4, this is definitely a scam. However, it is not from “Zagat Survey.” The scammer is trying to look legitimate by using a familiar name. The best thing to do is just hit “delete.”

I wrote about a similar email I received here: http://www.MysteryShoppersManual.com/another-mystery-shopper-scam

By: superseller4

superseller4 — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 11:26:17 +0000

The following is an email I received from “Zagat Survey, LLC” earlier in the month. Because it sounded “phishy”, I did not act on it:

Hello Mystery Shopper:

This is the Shopper’s Guide you are to go through and we wants you to run a survey on two prominent companies in your area.

The 1st is a Western Union Location
The 2nd a Restaurant

YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT WILL BE A WESTERN UNION LOCATION WITH THE LOCATION ADDRESSES BELOW.

There have been reports about laps in the services of their Management and some of their staffs,Their complains are based on reports which their customers forwarded anonymously and Phone calls which were also made to the head office.

The below Western union locations were reported for evaluation for the following reasons:
I) Customers have reported their money missing
ii) Slow services
iii) Unbalanced transfer charges

The 2nd company was reported to be rendering
(I) Poor services
(ii) Rudeness to customers
(iii) Excess charge
(iii) Late opening time and Closing before time.

Your First Secret Evaluation would be
1) To make a transfer of funds from this western union location to our Mystery shopper, And the funds would be picked up by another mystery shopper at another location where a customer reported her funds missing.We will want you to go to any of the below western union locations to carry out the assignment.

2) You would have to record the time at which you go to the location and how many minutes it took you to get service.

3) You would be sent a check/Money order which would cover your payment of $400 and also for the duty. As soon as you receive the check/money order, you should cash in at your bank, and deduct your $400.00, and use the rest of the money for the services.

5) You would also provide me with the name of the cashier that attended to you.

Please send me a reply so that the check/Money order sent out to you ASAP

Yours Sincerely
Mark Benson.
Zagat Survey, LLC

By: crawdaddydoo92

crawdaddydoo92 — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:35:50 +0000

I’ve become fairly good friends with the manager at the branch of Bank of America I go to. I plan to talk with him and see what the tellers are trained to say. From what I remember they just say when the funds will be available.

@margo281, congrats on cathing this before it caugh you and good luck with your case, I hope you can take at least one fish out of this pond of scammers.

By: Cathy Stucker

Cathy Stucker — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:34:35 +0000

Those are exactly the kinds of things that should tip off potential victims. Good for you, for not falling for this.