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 Post subject: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:50 pm 
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Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
If you are a victim of a secret shopper scam and you told that you would be evaluating a Western Union location I need to speak with you! I am trying to gather some information for someone.

Please email or PM me ASAP!

Thanks,

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:29 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:13 pm
Posts: 3
I was not the victim of this scam but I do know of someone who was. My friend was just separated from his wife and in desperate need of money because she took it all but while searching for a job he found this ad in the papers about a secret shopper. He responded to the ad and they sent him a check for $4,000.00. The intelligent thing he did was not put it directly into his account but tried to open a separate account for this check and he was told that the check was fake and no good. I have not had a chance to find out what ever happened but if anyone is interested I can ask. Let me know. 8)

BLUNUN


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:51 pm 
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Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
If your friend stil has any of the emails, ask him if he can post them on this message board, along with with email address the scammer was using. Others may search out that information, and then they will find his post and know it is a scam before they are hit.

Also, if you could pass this information on to your friend, that would be great.

All victims of this scam that sent the money via Western Union need to contact them at at 1-800-325-6000.

Forward any suspicious emails to spoof@westernunion.com


Other Contacts

Colorado Customers:
Entities other than FDIC insured financial institutions that conduct money transmission activities in Colorado, including the sale of money orders, transfer of funds, and other instruments for the payment of money or credit are required to be licensed by the Colorado Division of Banking pursuant to the Money Transmitters Act, Title 12, Article 52, Colorado Revised Statutes. If there are questions or concerns regarding a transaction with a licensee, please contact the Colorado Division of Banking at 303-894-7575 or by mail at:

Colorado Division of Banking
1560 Broadway, Suite 975
Denver, Colorado 80202

Consumer complaints should be in writing, providing as much detail as possible. Please include the following information:

The name of the institution and the name of any person(s) at the institution with whom the complainant has had contact. Include telephone number(s) and addresses.

A complete description of the complaint and any efforts that have been made to resolve the complaint directly with the institution.

Copies of any available documentation supporting the complaint and efforts toward resolution.

Any suggestions regarding a preferred resolution of the complaint.

Maryland Customers:
The Commissioner of Financial Regulation for the State of Maryland will accept all questions or complaints from Maryland residents regarding Western Union Financial Services, Inc. at Commissioner of Financial Regulation, Attention Complaint Unit, 500 North Calvert Street, Suite 402, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, phone 1-888-784-0136.

Texas Customers:
After first contacting Western Union Financial Services, Inc., if you still have an unresolved complaint regarding the company's money transmission or currency exchange activity, please direct your complaint to the Texas Department of Banking:

In Person or U.S. Mail: Texas Department of Banking, 2601 North Lamar Boulevard, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78705-4294

Telephone Number: 1-877-276-5554 (toll free)
Fax Number: 512-475-1313
E-mail Address: consumer.complaints@banking.state.tx.us
Website Address: http://www.banking.state.tx.us

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:58 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:13 pm
Posts: 3
I will do, I probably can't get back to you about this until next week or so. Thanks for the information.

BLUNUN


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 2:01 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:47 pm
Posts: 2
I am a teacher and received an answer to my tutoring ad on Craigslist from a Suziewong@yahoo
she asked me to tutor her daughter.. she was willing go give me the $40 an hour plus materials... she also mentioned that she would send me the money via Western Union and UPS ( tracking from one end of New York to another) and she wanted me to pay her nanny... Since i live in Vancouver Bc the money was from sender in Indiana... my question is what is the scam here? What are these people trying to get from me? If i cash the check and it is bad I am out of money but why bother? This suzie person does not gain anything? Can someone explain? I have sent a letter to the Better Business Bureau..


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:28 pm 
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Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
Quote:
my question is what is the scam here? What are these people trying to get from me?


I am going to guess that they are going to send you a cashier's check for the payment, and you already agreed that you would pay the nanny, so that money will be included in the amount of the check. So, they will then ask you to wire the money to the nanny, but they will actually be the ones picking up the money. (there is no child, so there is no nanny . . . it is all a big story)

Quote:
If i cash the check and it is bad I am out of money but why bother? This suzie person does not gain anything?


Yes she does. She gains the money that you wired. Usually a thousand dollars or more.

Here is the catch with wiring money . . . you could say that you are wiring the money to Joe Johnson in Florida, and if Suzie Smith in Texas has all of the wire transfer information (which they will ask you for) then she can pick up the money. YOU will think you are wiring the money to someone in the USA, but most likely it will be picked up by someone overseas.

Does that make sense?

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Sun Feb 01, 2009 2:11 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:47 pm
Posts: 2
thank you all for your replies and the scam with suziewongasia@yahoo... boy i think i'll just stay home


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Mon Feb 02, 2009 12:40 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 12:13 pm
Posts: 3
BTW, you can tell that Suziewongaisia was a scam. Have you ever heard of the movie "The World of Suzie Wong" That was a movie in the 1960s (I am an old movie buff) with William Holden and Nancy Kwan. She was a scam artist until she finally got caught. Be careful out there. People are always trying to get over on the nice people that is what makes it hard for us to help people when they really need it. So, if you ever get a response by Ming Lee Wong that is her pseudonym - be alert! 8)


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:05 pm 
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Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
Here is some more information on the secret shopper scam that was sent to me

http://www.consumerfed.org/pdfs/Mystery ... g_Tips.pdf

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 1:33 pm 
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Joined: Fri Apr 03, 2009 1:18 pm
Posts: 1
I have this very scam sitting here in front of me. I received it yesterday. Company is Visco Financial. They want me to train myself as a mystery shopper. training involves sending them monies through Western Union. They sent a check for $3,650.00. Company name on check is EBS Packaging.
I've been printing checks for 20 years and things aren't quite right about this one so I went looking for other possible frauds involving this type of scam.
I'll keep this on my desk if anyone wants the full info on the letter.

I never looked for a mystery shopper job so I'm not sure where they got my name. But watch these checks, they are really well done. Correct paper security marks and printed on an offset press.


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:33 am 
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Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:24 am
Posts: 1
I Have just recently recieved in the mail a check for 3,650 dollars from visco finacial. they want me to be a mystery shopper at places like walmart, home depot, j.c. pennys or a couple of hotels. as i have read the posts other have put i am assuming it is a scam. my wife deposited the check in our accout and was told that there was a 5 day hold on the check. when she told me i started to research it. the check is from union bank of califorinia. if any body has ne information about what can happen please let me know. will the bank know if the check is real or will they just let it go through then later come back and say i owe them the money??


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2009 12:19 pm 
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Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
cburks2009 wrote:
will the bank know if the check is real or will they just let it go through then later come back and say i owe them the money??


Yes, many banks WILL just let the money go through and then come back to YOU later and say that you owe them the money.

If the person who "hired" you to be a mystery shopper wants you to wire any portion of the check back to them, or on to someone else, then it is a scam.

(I blogged about this topic if you would like to read more about it . . . see blog link below)

Also, Chris Hanson and Dateline just did a segment on this topic.
(also a blog entry about this)

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 2:56 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2009 2:44 pm
Posts: 2
I replied to a craigslist job offer for a mystery shopper on 5/27/09 and i got a reply


Congratulations You have been pick as one of our Mystery?
From: Larry Adams (larry.adams74@yahoo.com)

Sent: Mon 6/01/09 4:11 PM
To: angie (email address edited out by admin - NOTE TO POSTER - NEVER post your email address online!)

Dear Applicant,
You have been considered for the post of the mystery shopper. You will
be evaluating Wal-Mart Stores and Western Union Money Transfer in your
neighborhood, kindly check out for one Wal-Mart store and one Western
Union Money Transfer agent outlet you will like to evaluate, make sure
the store and the outlet you will chose are close to your area as much
as possible , you will have to send the name and address of the two
location to us,
Please note that you are to act Cool,Calm and Confident through out the
period which you will be carrying out your survey at the store, in
order not to arouse any suspicion. you will be shopping at Wal-Mart
stores and also make a transaction at the Western Union Money Transfer,
you will write a report about the customer services , you will send
your report back to us via Email , you will have to use the following
pointers to prepare your report :
1) How long it took you to get services.

2)Ambiance/Outlook of the Shop/Outlet
3) Smartness of the attendant
4)Customer service professionalism
5)Reaction of personnel under pressure
6)Information that you think would be helpful
7)Your comments and impressions.
Payments will be mailed out to you,which you will expend in carrying
out all that will be required of you including your compensation and
Transportation fee. All Other Instructions will be sent out to you as
soon as Evaluation commences. Please reply this Email and give us the
name and address of the Wal-mart and Western Union Money Transfer
location you will be evaluating .
Thank you.
The Hiring Manager
Mr Larry Adams.

I knew right away this was not right and googled the company name he had given me Evaluation Inc. and all I got was reports of this company scamming people
I hope this helps


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:25 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jun 12, 2009 3:00 pm
Posts: 3
I got a letter in the mail a few days ago, Little more elaborate then some of the one's posted in here.

Quantum Business Consulting, INC.
P.O. Box 1500
Brooklyn, Newyork, 11210

Ref: us-can2009ms-css-2418

Dear Me

This is to inform you that based on the previous survey by our Affiliate Consumer Survey Specialists
You would like additional income on a part time bases. You've been selected to Participate in a paid Mystery Shopper program is one of the research personnel selected under this program. . Working as a Consumer Service Evaluator.....

This is a training assignment, Hands on self training designed to give you the knowledge necessary for you to effectively carry out your assignments as an experienced research personnel under this program.
Please contact your Account manager Frank Baker at 1-289-892-3521 for further instructions.

Details.

Evaluating Banks and Western Union Agencies by depositing the check and rating their competencies and customer relations by doing a fund transfer to our operation manager.

Second Shopping with 300.00 dollars at ONE of the retail stores listed below.
Wal-mart, Sears, Costco, Best buy, or Home depot.

Once your assignment has been completed you have to SCAN and E-MAIL the retail store receipts as well as any other transaction receipts for verifications purposes. Please email us at Quantumgroup@consultant.com

Funds
Salary - 850
Fund for transfer - 2,995
service fees - 140
Shopping fund - 300
Total funds - 4,285.00

Sincerely,

Rachel Nyberg
Director of Operations

At the bottom of the letter it says registered with a whole list of companies from Walmart and Mcdonalds to Blockbuster and Microsoft. There's about 18 - 20 companies on the list all with logo's.



Everything I have in bold was in bold on the letter.

I gave the check to the bank to see if anything was up with it, the check is still on hold with the bank for the next 5 days. I'll post if anything else happens with it.

The check was excellent, I mean it was exact. The only thing that could be phony on this check is the routing number. The account was real and everything with the bank was right. I will post when the bank gets back to me, they put the check on a 7 day hold 3 days ago. I'll know something on the 17th.


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 Post subject: Re: Western Union Secret Shopper Scam victims - Must Read!
PostPosted: Wed Jul 22, 2009 7:55 pm 
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Joined: Wed Jul 22, 2009 7:46 pm
Posts: 1
Here is the latest info on the mystery shopper scammer. I recieved this today. He is going by the name Mr. Mark Lawrence, in addition to the other names listed in the other blogs. The crazy thing is, he isn't smart enough to change his address or PO Box. So he is still highly identifiable. Good luck everyone and try to not get scammed. The e-mail I recieved is as follows:
Hello,

We have a job opening for the position of Mystery Shopper
officer.Would you like to work form your home and get paid weekly? We
are offering this position to all interested applicants. Please
carefully read through.GENESIS EVALUATION, INC is a well established
Evaluating Firm,We are a company that conduct surveys and evaluate
other companies. We get hired to go to other peoples companies and act
like customers in order to know how the staffs are handling their
services in relation to their customers. once we have a contract to
do, so you would be directed to the company or outlet, and you would
be given the funds you need to do the job(either purchase things or
require services), after which you would write a comment on the staffs
activities and give a detailed record of your experience.Mystery
shopping involves providing anonymous feedback to companies about the
customer experience at their locations. Companies use mystery
shopping programs
for many reasons, but all programs involve evaluating whether the
company's standards are being met.

During a typical mystery shop, a mystery shopper will make
observations at a specific store, restaurant, or other type of
location, while blending in like an average customer. They will then
report their observations to Global Evaluation through an email
contact that will be given to you or the Experience Exchange.

Examples of details you would forward to us are:

1) How long it took you to get services.
2) Smartness of the attendant
3)Customer service professionalism
4)Sometimes you might be required to upset the attendant, to see how
they react to clients when they get tensed(under pressure).Most
companies employ our assistance when people give complaints about
their services, or when they feel there are needs for them to improve
their customer service. Your Identity would be kept confidential as
the job states (secret shopper) you would be paid 10% for every survey
you carry out, and bonus on your transportation allowance, and funds
would be given to you if you have to dine as part of the duty. Your
job will be to evaluate and comment on customer service in a wide
variety of shops, stores, restaurant and services in your area. No
commitment is made on this job, and you would have flexible hours as
it suits you.If you are interested get back to us with information
below information , so that we can add your mailing address to our
Regional database.

First name.............

Middle name.............

Last name..............

Address Line 1...........

Address Line 2...............

Age...........................

City...........

State..........

Zip/Postal code.........

Nationality......

Home phone........

Cell phone..............

Email..................

YOUR PREFFERED MODE OF COMMUNICATION EITHER BY PHONE OR BY EMAIL ?

Your response to this email is needed , so that we can reconfirm your
mailing address details we have in our database.We will be updating
you as soon as the payment is being sent to you and you will be
directed as to where to have the remaining 90% of the money sent
to,after the deduction of your 10% pay on every survey you carry out
all other Instructions will be sent out to you as soon as Evaluation
will commences A swift acknowledgment of the receipt of this email
will be appreciated.

Thanks For Your Total Understanding.

Mr lawrence Mark

Human Resources Manager

STATUS OF YOUR RESUME !
N.B:Note: We will never ask you for anything more than that which we
have stated above. No bank names, No bank account number, routing
number, credit card, passwords, SSN# etc. If anyone asks for those on
our behalf,please do not give out this info.This is to ensure your
security and non involvement in cases of Identity theft.

The Genesis Evaluation Team
GENESIS EVALUATION INCORPORATION
4609 Collins Avenue
PO BOX 120921
St Louis, MO 63114
609-543-2277
Email: contact.lawrence02@yahoo.com


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