Fake Check Scam News

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.

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Confero and Better Business Bureau (BBB) Release Mystery Shopping Scam Video

Nov 24, 2009 by Confero Inc.

As a reputable company with 24 years in business, we are always concerned about scams involving mystery shopping. The scam typically plays out like this: the consumer receives a certified check from the bogus mystery shopping company, along with an "assignment" to deposit the check and then send funds via Western Union or Moneygram to a person designated on the assignment. The idea is that Western Union or Moneygram are being "mystery shopped" and the mystery shopper can keep a portion of the check amount. Usually, the certified check amounts are $900-5,000 with shoppers enticed into performing the shop by being allowed to keep anywhere from $300 to $900. Eventually, what happens is that the consumer is notified by his or her bank that the certified check was not good. The full amount of the check is then charged back to the consumer's checking account, leaving the consumer owing the money back to the bank.

Unfortunately, in many scams, the names of real, legitimate mystery shopping companies are used to entice unwitting consumers. Confero was one such legitimate company whose name was forged to be used by a scammer. Confero's President, Elaine Buxton, sat down with the Better Business Bureau of Eastern North Carolina’s Communication and Public Relations Specialist, Courtney Smith on November 18, 2009 to discuss ongoing scams in the mystery shopping industry.

In this video, Elaine discusses the most common mystery shopping scam and what consumers should know about it:

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