I received a letter in the mail that was in a white envelope, no return address printed on it, and the postage stamp was a Canadian stamp. Enclosed was a letter from Freeport consulting grant & investment experts in regards to "acceptance letter (secret shopper)" along with a printed check in the amount of $3,750.00.
The check that was enclosed had the name "Buffalo Launch Club." This was my first red flag that it might be a scam considering that the name on the check was different from the one on the letter.
The letter stated:
This is to inform you that based on the previous survey by our affiliate Consumer survey Specialist you indicated your interest 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 providers. This research program is a fully paid program and would be a permanent part time position for a selected few who are able to distinguish themselves in the course of this program. You are being paid $750.00 as your salary for this training assignment, additionally you will be allowed to keep whatever items you purchase any time your assignment (s) involves purchases.
You will be required to complete a paid training assignment. This is hands on self training designed to equip you with the knowledge necessary for you to effectively carry out your assignment (s) as an experienced research Personnel under this program. This assignment has been put together to be completed in two different locations.
Please call your account Manager GLENN MILLER at 1-289-982-4236 FOR INSTRUCTIONS.
First, you will be evaluating Banks and Western Union Agencies in your area as a way of rating their competencies and good Customer relations by doing a fund transfer to our Operation Manager.
Secondly you will be shopping with $300.00 provided to you for shopping at one of the retail stores listed; WAL-MART, SEARS, COSTCO, BESTBUY, or HOME DEPOT. The items you buy are your as a bonus and the funds needed to complete the transactions assignment has been arrange and enclosed with this letter. You have to scan and e-mail the retail store receipts as well as any other transaction receipts for verifications purposes.
Please contact our Account manager for instructions before depositing check in your bank account. Please don't email cover sheet. Call Account Manager after each assignment to confirm. You can also send us an e-mail [email protected].
Below is the breakdown for the attached fund:
1. Your Salary...$ 750.00
2. Required fund to be transferred...$ 2,560.00
3. Service fees...$ 140.00
4. Fund needed for shopping...$ 300.00
We appreciate your confidentiality and integrity as our "Secret Shopper" Representative. Below are possible outlets to be evaluated. Management of these companies sponsors this program to evaluate their outlet stores.
Sincerely,
(signature)
Amy Ward
Director of Operations
The grammar and spelling in this letter was the second red flag. Things being and/or needing to be capitalized. If this is a true company that can afford to send someone a $3000 check, they should be able to afford spell check.
So by now I am pretty sure it is a scam, but I am a very thorough person. I call my friend who works at my bank and ask for her assistance. She enters the routing number into her system to check if it is a legitimate account. Surprisingly enough... It was an honest routing number. The bank that the check came from however wouldn't allow her to verify funds without speaking with the account holder first.
I then go back home. The fact that the address on the letter and the address of the company on the check being in two different towns intrigues me. So I get on Yahoo Maps and calculate the distance between the two. It returns a 7 hour drive.
By now, I am all but certain that it is a scam.
I search under yahoo search for the company name listed on the check. (Buffalo Launch Club) It takes me to their website. I then locate a telephone number for this company.
When I call them, I begin to explain the reason for my calling them. I start by saying "I received a check in the mail with your company name and logo..." and before I can even finish my sentence with the lady who answered the phone, she cuts me off and says "It's fraudulent."
This has my blood almost to a boiling point at this time, so I have only one more call to make. I call the number listed in the letter and "Glenn" answers. I was not rude, or vulgar, but as I not so kindly ask him how on earth he thinks he can get away with such fraud, he hangs up on me.
Is there anything I can do legally? I am not out any money other than a few phone calls, and the gas to drive to the bank, but it irritates me to no end that people like this are sending things of this nature to people that very well may not know better than to do research before proceeding.
Any Help or advice would greatly be appreciated.
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