Confero Warning about Fake Check & Money Transfer Scams: Updated 11/2/09

Nov 02, 2009 by Confero Inc.

*Updated: 11/2/09 *

Please take a few minutes to watch these videos recently release by the Federal Trade Commission. David Vladeck, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection explains several money transfer scams, including The Grandparent Scam, The Counterfeit Check Scam and the Mystery Shopper Scam.

Be sure to read our other Consumer Alerts regarding Fake Checks and other scams affecting the mystery shopping industry.

As a reminder, CONFERO DOES NOT ISSUE CHECKS TO SHOPPERS. Shoppers are paid electronically.

CONFERO DOES NOT DO ANY MYSTERY SHOPPING WORK FOR MONEYGRAM OR WESTERN UNION.
CONFERO NEVER ASKS SHOPPERS TO WIRE TRANSFER MONEY.

Consumers who receive a letter postmarked from Canada, containing a check, letter and report sheet, are encouraged to follow the reporting instructions we have provided in previous consumer alerts.

Confero has been active in trying to get these scams shut down. Many legitimate mystery shopping companies have been hit with this scam. Our President, Elaine Buxton, presented a summary of these scams to the Mystery Shopping Providers Association conference on October 9, 2009. We appreciate everyone who has called us about these and we are doing all we can to shut them down.

Tagged: confero, mystery shopping, mystery shopping providers association, elaine buxton, scam, consumer alert, fake check scam

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sad, i guess everyone is cash hungry these days. I live by the old adage that “If it seems too good to be true then it probably is”.

Philip Ancell
Monday, October 26, 2009

I received a letter in the mail on 10/27/09 in it was a check from your company for 2880 and a person to contact . thank goodness i did call the person . But some thing did not sound right so i got onto your web site and looked into it further. and low and behold it is a fake check ... I do have the letter and the check and the contact info if you would like to have it . But since then I have joined your mystery shopping team . and I am happy that I got the real deal ...  thank you for your time.  sincerely Renata

renata
Thursday, October 29, 2009

I received a letter and a check that was allegedly from your company.  I called the number and was convinced something was not quite right about this deal.  I have the letter and the check and I will send them to you if you wish.

Sincerely

Sandra Coplien

Sandra Coplien
Tuesday, November 24, 2009

I received a letter and a check for $2880.00.  It stated I must call to activate the check. Kevin Jones was the coordinator.

Delinda Peters
Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Please add the names Melissa Hillman and Kevin Jones to your list. I received a check over the holiday weekend for $2880 to wire money. It’s scary that there are so many scams out there taking advantage of people at the most stressful time.

Sharon Black
Friday, December 04, 2009

I received the same letter and check for $2880.00 and was scammed! I was also unsure so I checked the BBB of the US and Canada and there was an A+ rating so I went with that…and here I am $2480.00 less in my bank account. It really irritates me that people can get away with this! My bank cleared the check and everything…but about 5 days later there was a chargeback on my account. What else is there to say…I’m just so mad!

Stephanie
Friday, December 18, 2009

I just received a check for 2940.00 and my coordinator was Kevin Jones. I still have the letter and check if you want it, I cant believe how believable this scam is. I called and he activated the check and assured that I need to wait for it to clear before I used the money; which made me believe it was true. I was going to deposit the check tomorrow, but then I got on this website. Good thing! I wouldn’t even be able to be a mystery shopper anyway because I’m ONLY 17. It sounds like a great job though.

John
Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Elaine:  Yes, I have also been a victim of this unscrupulous horrible people/man, Kevin Jones.  I received the check back in November or so of last year.  I was out of a job and was happy to received the check, I thought “God has Blessed Me” finally.  I figured Wow this is good money just for shopping, because the letter stated that once that assignment was completed I would be receiving my next assignment,  WOW!  I figured it’s a Citi Bank Check so this can’t possibly be fake.

I then proceeded to call Mr. Kevin Jones, who had a very heavy Nigerian/African accent.  He assured me that the check was not a fake and to deposit immediately. Go immediately to Citi Bank.  I told him that I preferred to deposit to my C.U. bank, but he insisted that I go to Citi and not to wait.  His urgency made me very suspicious.  Then everything seemed fishy to me.  So I Goggled “Confero” and saw that the 800 # was different from the 800# in letter if had received. 

I called the number on the Confero website and a really nice lady answered.  She told me to take the check to the Police department, that it was fake.  I they are working on tracking these people.  I still have the check and letter, because I never took it to the Police.  She proceeded to tell me how your system worked and I signed up.

•  I have not been on any assignments yet, but “today I received a Census” assignment that pays only $8.00.  Is the assignment legit!! 

Ana,  Milpitas, CA

Anita C Petit
Friday, March 05, 2010





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