CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Getting paid to go shopping sounds like a dream job. Often times the money is offered up front and the person can cash in before even lifting a finger.
There’s only one problem: it’s a scam. And people keep falling for it.
Anyone who has ever considered a part-time job as a so-called mystery shopper has probably listened to a devil on one shoulder.
“If you're getting a check in the mail and you haven't done any work yet, that's a good sign," said Robert Pike.
And an angel, on the other.
“Beware of anything that says it’s easy money,” said Musette Henley. “There is no such thing.”
For Henley, the pitch proved irresistible and it came with a $1,500 check. He was asked to buy a few items and evaluate the customer service. She was given a check to deposit and was told to take out her fee and then return the money that was left over.
“They were so insistent and they kept reminding you, reminding you rather, don’t use your money. Only use their check,” Henley said.
And the job had to be done “immediately.” That should have been a red flag.
“The urgency of receiving more prompts, the consumer to react right away, and that’s what the suspects want,” said US Postal Inspector Lee Jones. “They want you to react right away and wire them the money so that they can get what they are looking for.”
Robert Pike almost fell for it too. He received a priority mail check for $985. He was told to keep $200 for himself and spend $20.
"I was supposed to go to Walmart," Pike said.
He was supposed to then report back on his shopping experience.
"The courtesy of the clerks, the cleanliness of the place," Pike explained.
After that, Pike was asked to evaluate Western Union. He was supposed to wire the remaining money to a charity in Georgia.
For both Henley and Pike, the original check they received was counterfeit. The scammers were hoping they’d send back the money before the bank figured out those checks were worthless.
Then guess who’s on the hook?
"You are responsible for the checks that you deposit,” explained Sheryl Reichert, Better Business Bureau. “So if you deposit a check that is bad, your bank will come after you for the money."
For Pike and Henley, it was another lesson in Consumer 101. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
“Now I know that I have to be cautious and change my perspective about people and things when something like this happens you’re not trusting anymore,” Henley said.
Just because it looks like a real check, it doesn’t mean it’s money in the bank.
“If you do not know the source, do not react to the source. Prevention is the best tool in fighting fake check scams,” said Jones.
Anyone who suspects a check is a phony should have it examined by the bank before cashing it or depositing it. The bank can usually tell if the source of the check is legitimate.