Confero Blog

Confero, Inc. Adds Communications Manager

by Confero Inc.

CARY, N.C. —Elaine Buxton, president of Confero, Inc., (www.conferoinc.com), a national customer experience measurement firm, has announced that Katie Bean has been named communications manager. In this position, Bean will handle communications with the firm’s shopper community as well as the community at large, maintaining Confero’s presence on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, she will be responsible for client education and survey design. Bean began as an intern at Confero and has more than four years of industry experience. A native of North Carolina, Bean earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history along with her N.C. Teaching Certification from N.C. State University. She resides in Cary and stays involved with the community through coaching softball at both Green Hope High School and Apex Parks and Recreation.

Confero, Inc. offers customer service mystery shopping evaluations, customer brand support services, customer satisfaction research,

Confero Profiled in Triangle Business Journal

by Confero Inc.

Cary, NC — October 2, 2009 Confero Inc. was profiled in the Business Journal’s “Sales and Marketing: Sales Stories” section this week. Click here to read the full article entitled: Using Metrics to Help Retail Shops Sell More”.

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Confero Reiterates Consumer Warning of Scam Artist Posing as Confero Recruiter in Fake Checks Scam

by Confero Inc.

Update….
Many consumers have received checks in the mail along with a letter on official-looking Confero letterhead. These are fake.

Confero does not send checks to shoppers as payment to shoppers.

Confero does not issue certified checks for shoppers to use during mystery shops.

Confero does not shop Western Union or Moneygram.

Also, add the names Melissa Cole and Timothy Reeds to the list of fake Confero scheduler names being used.

Most of the fake checks we have been made aware of are drawn on BBVA or Compass Bank. Confero does not have an account with those banks. THE CHECKS ARE FAKE. DO NOT CASH THEM. Click here to see BBVA Bank’s consumer alert about the scam.

As discussed in earlier posts, we have received requests from would-be mystery shoppers asking that we validate the employment of Robert Preston, Micheal Thomforde, James Clayton, Paula Moore, Carlos Burnett, Chris Jordan and now Alexander Hopkins. None of these persons work for Confero. These are made-up names used in official-looking email messages from people trying to scam unsuspecting consumers. Sometimes, the scam emails have been spoofed to look like the message is from Confero and to hide the true origin of the email. Other times, the sender simply pastes the Confero name or website into his or her email message. Either way, these scammers are attempting to fool consumers into thinking they are dealing with Confero.

Persons interested in legitimate mystery shopping may visit the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) website for information about ethical, legitimate mystery shopping companies. Confero is a member of the MSPA. To register your interest to mystery shop for Confero,please visit the Shoppers’ Center tab above for complete details.

If you have fallen victim to this scam, or if you have been contacted by any of these scammers, please file a complaint with

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Refer a Friend and You Could Win $50! List updated October 30, 2009

by Confero Inc.

Updated 10/30/09.
We are pleased to announce our newest Shopper Hot Spots areas.

These are areas in which we need to recruit additional mystery shoppers for a variety of reasons:

We need shoppers who live near the locations being shopped, especially in this time of high gas prices!
Shoppers are rotated so several shoppers are needed in each location being shopped, even in small-town markets!
We may have new programs starting in an area.

Current Hot Spots….

These are the cities in which we need shoppers NOW and we would appreciate your referrals. At the end of each month, we will draw the name of one lucky referrer who will receive a $50 bonus from Confero (to qualify, your referred friend must have successfully completed a mystery shop).

We will announce the winners here each month (in such a way that identities are kept secret!)

Just click on a city below

We welcome all referrals, but only those for the cities below will qualify for the monthly drawing.

AK – Fairbanks
AZ – Flagstaff
AZ – Payson
AZ – Show Low
AZ – Snowflake
CA – Arroyo Grande
CA – Atascadero
CA – Cathedral City
CA – Coachella
CA – Desert Hot Springs
CA – Goleta
CA – Indio
CA – Lompoc
CA – Palm Desert
CA – Pasa Robles
CA – San Luis Obispo
CA – Santa Maria
CA – Twenty-nine Palms
CA – Yucca Valley
GA – Barnesville
GA – Blairsville
GA – Blue Ridge
GA – Cartersville
GA – Chatsworth
GA – Clarkesville
GA – Clayton
GA – Cleveland
GA – Dacula
GA – Eatonton
GA – Elberton
GA – Ellijay
GA – Forsyth
GA – Gainesville
GA – Gray
GA – Greensboro
GA – Hiawassee
GA – Hogansville
GA – Jackson
GA – Jasper
GA – Louisville
GA – Madison
GA – Monticello
GA- Rockmart
GA – Summerville
GA – Thomaston
GA – Toccoa
GA – Trenton
GA – Washington
GA – Woodbury
ID – Ammon
ID – Idaho Falls
ID – Twin Falls
IL – Dixon
IL – Freeport
IL – Litchfield
IL – Vandalia
IN – Jasper
KY – Bedford
KY – Owenton
MD – Brentwood
MT – Bozeman
MT – Missoula
NC – Ahoskie
NC – Albemarle
NC – Banner Elk
NC – Boone
NC – Bryson City
NC – Burnsville
NC – Cashiers
NC – Charlotte
NC – Denton
NC – Dobson
NC – Elkin
NC – Etowah
NC – Greenville
NC – Lake Lure
NC – Lenoir
NC – Lumberton
NC – Marion
NC – Marshall
NC – Mooresville
NC – Murfreesboro
NC – Newland
NC – Robbins
NC – Robbinsville
NC – Scotland Neck
NC – Shelby
NC – Sparta
NC – Spruce Pine
NC – Statesville
NC – Sylva
NC – Warrenton
NC – West Jefferson
NC – Wilksboro
NC – Wilson
NM – Albuquerque
NM – Farmington
NM – Las Cruces
NM – Santa Fe
NY – Bayshore
NY – Corona
NY – Glen Cove
NY – Hempstead
NY – Lindenhurst
OH – Tiffin
OK – Bixby
OK – Broken Arrow
OK – Tulsa
OR -Albany
OR – Corvallis
SC – Abbeville
SC – Clinton
SC – North Myrtle Beach
TN – Clinton
TN -Elizabethton
TN – Greenville
TN – Jasper
TN – Morristown
TN – New Tazewell
VA – Charlottesville
VA – Culpepper
VA – Dumfries
VA – Front Royal
VA – Harrisonburg
VA – Lynchburg
VA – Marion
VA – Norton
VA – Stuart
WA – Hermiston
WA – Kennewick
WA – Liberty Lake
WA – Pasco
WA – Richland
WA – Walla Walla
WI – Weston
WV – Glenville

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

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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