Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Employment frauds typically prey upon people whose desire to secure lucrative work blinds them to the scams being run on them. The promise of easy-to-perform labor that pays very well often appears to be the answer to their prayers, despite the potential financial ruin that can result.

Secret Shopper Scams
A common form of the employment scam is the “Secret Shopper” job posting. These ads claim eas work, short hours, and lots of money to be made from merely visiting stores each day to make purchases. According to these scams the applicant will be working on behalf of manufacturers and retailers who are interested in knowing more about how products are displayed and marketed in stores. Those hired will be making purchases from specific retailers, afterward turning in reports about their experiences and collecting a big paycheck for their efforts.

The Secret Shopper Scam Example
Someone who answers a secret shopper ad is sent an employment packet which typically contains a variety of items, including a training assignment and a cashier’s check made out for a large amount of money, normally a few thousand dollars. The assignment explains that the “shopper” is to pose as an ordinary bank customer, cash the check at a bank, then wire the funds they receive, from the teller to an address that has been supplied in the information package. The “shopper” will be entitled to a small portion of the monies for themselves. The “shopper” will also be told it is imperative they complete the task within one to two days, or they will not be paid for their work ever again.

The pressure put upon them to get the check cashed and the monies shipped off quickly works to keep the “shopper” from discovering that the check they were given is counterfeit. Once this information comes to light, the “shopper” is left with an outstanding debt to the bank for the value of the counterfeit money order and that small amount they were allowed to keep.

The Secret Shopper Scam Prevention Tips
1. Remember that anyone can place a newspaper or Internet ad. Do not confuse the appearance of such ads in reputable forums as proof of their legitimacy.

2. Do not be lulled into a false sense of security by official-sounding corporate names. The scammers do their homework and count on this.

3. Don’t pay a company to hire you, not even if such payment is represented as your buying necessary training materials or certifications.

4. Be wary of companies that ask you to disburse money from your own pocket for the goods you buy as their secret shopper.

5. Do not wire money to strangers or to firms that have supposedly hired you. Remember wiring cash is exactly that. Once it is sent it is gone forever.

6. If you have questions about legitimacy of a job listing, contact your Better Business Bureau or Federal Trade Commission.

In our current economic times, it is important for each of us to be cautious of any offer that is seems too good to be true. As it has been said many times before, “Nothing is for free”.