Author: Admin

As a reputable company with 24 years in business, we are always concerned about scams involving mystery shopping. An NBC Today Show segment discussed the mystery shopping scam that typically plays out like this: the consumer receives an unsolicited email from what looks to be a mystery shopping company. The consumer replies with personal information and accepts a “mystery shop” assignment from the bogus company. This consumer soon 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 $900-2000 with shoppers enticed into performing the shop by being allowed to keep anwhere 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.

If you have fallen victim to this scam, or if you have been contacted by any of these scammers, please file a complaint with the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

A recent experience in Orlando International Airport clearly reminded me why the phrase “no problem” could easily be associated with the phrase “no service.’
I had just placed an order at a quick service restaurant, and was handed my order in a bag, along with a cup to fill at a self-service station. At this point in the transaction, I said, “Thank you.” The efficient employee then said, “No problem.”

We have recently received requests asking that we validate the employment of Robert Preston, Micheal Thomforde, James Clayton, Paula Moore, Carlos Burnett and now Chris Jordan.

None of these persons work for Confero. This is a scam.

They are offering the chance to perform Western Union shops where shoppers receive money orders in excess of $800. The shopper is then asked to try to send the check to someone, while retaining $200 for their time involved in conducting the shop and answering a survey. The money orders prove to be forged and the shopper is personally responsible for covering the amount of the checks. Previously, they had sent emails from Gmail or hotmail accounts. More recently, they have begun to send emails that appear to be from Confero using frontdesk@conferoinc.com or info@conferoemployment.us in the From line of the email. When shoppers attempt to reply, a Gmail address appears.

Please do not give any personal information to anyone via email. You may register through a secure server on our website if you wish to become a shopper with Confero. Please forward any correspondence you receive from anyone claiming to be a recruiter with Confero to us at info@conferoinc.com. Thank you for assisting us as we try to identify and stop these people. This scam is being run using the good names of multiple mystery shopping companies. Almost all of the emails share a similar format.

Confero is a Charter member of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA), which urges consumers who receive these offers to file a report by contacting the following:

Confero, Inc. Recognized As Top Business By DiversityBusiness.com CARY, N.C. March 11, 2009. Elaine Buxton, president of Confero, Inc., (www.conferoinc.com), has announced that the firm has been selected as one of the Top 100 Women-Owned Businesses in North Carolina for 2008 by DiversityBusiness.com. DiversityBusiness.com conducted its ninth annual survey of more than 650,000 businesses in […]

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