I answered an ad in my local newspaper for employment as a Customer Service Representative. I called the 1-800 phone number listed in the ad and was told I would be sent an Application for employment through the mail. I gave them my name and mailing address. What I received was a letter informing me I had been selected to become one of their representatives in my region.
Instructions stated that this is a try-out assignment that I was required to complete within 48 hrs. This training assgnment was to take about 2 hours to complete and was PAID training. Training pay rate @ $100.00 per hour. The aim of this training assignment was for me to familairize myself with the practical feel of what secret shopping entails. I was instructed to call the phone number indicated in the letter as soon as I received the assignment in order to validate the enclosed payment. I was to go any Wal-Mart location.
The objective of the assignment was to evaluate the effectiveness and efficency of a payment sustem called "Money Gram" which is supposedly is available at Wamart. I was to pose as a potential customer sending a Money Gram Payment to a relative of mine in Bristol, New Brunswick, Canada. The funds need to complete the transaction assignment was said to have been arranged and enclosed a Cashiers Check with the letter. For their verification of assignment completion I was to call back and provide the money-Gram Reference Code immediately after completion.
I was to keep $200.00, send the Money Gram for $2585.00 & pay $105.00 as a service charge to Money Gram. Fill out the evaluation assignment and fax the evaluation report to Global Research upon completion of the assignment. Being a retired Private Investigator, I was immediately suspious, due to the fact that I have done numerous "mystery shops" over the past 25 yrs. I was never ever paid in advance for an assignment. Also the amount being paid for the amount of work involved was way above the standard payment.
I had a feeling that this Co. Was only out to skam me. I obtained a report form from the Attorney General's office in my state and filed my complaint. Please, please, BEWARE OF THESE SCAMS! If something sounds too good to be true or if they send you a check in advance, it is probably is a scam! Also, if you will remember, I indicated that I was to be sent an APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT not a Cashier's Check for $2,890.00 and a try-out job assignment.
If you answer an ad and you get something like this in the mail, do not contact these people, do not cash the check, because it most likely will bounse and you will be responsible for cashing a hot check and responsible for paying all service charges plus paying the bank back for the amount of money they cashed the check for. You could possibly have charges filed against you by the bank, so please, please, even if you get something like this ghrough the mail, never cash the check, report it immediately to your state attorney general's office.
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