Protect Yourself from Identity Theft and Fraud
The Security Center brings you safety tips, security notices and the most current scam alerts to help protect you and your security online.
Don't Pay to Be a Mystery Shopper
In the last several months, we have seen increased activity among scammers attempting to take your money and as a trusted mystery shopping provider. If you have received a letter from a fraudulent mystery shop company, we suggest you contact one or all of the following:
- Your local police department. Ask for the Cyber Crimes department or an investigator.
- Your local FBI office or submit a tip electronically.
- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which handles complaints about deceptive or unfair business practices. To file a complaint, visit FTC Contact, call 1-877-FTC-HELP, or write to Federal Trade Commission, CRC-240, Washington, DC 20580.
Here are some of the clues that will help you identify the contact as a scam:
- You are sent 'money' in the form of a check in advance of you performing a shop. The checks are typically fraudulent and the financial institution where you deposit them may collect the deficiency from you.
- You are asked to pay money to become a shopper. Legitimate mystery shopping firms never ask for money from a shopper. A good source to consult about current scams is the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA).
- Offer includes a high payment amount for a relatively easy assignment. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is! Beware of marketers who send you a large check that you are to deposit into your account, then ask you to send a portion of the deposit back to them and claim you may keep the remaining balance as a fee for your service.