GREENSBORO, N.C. — Shop and get paid for it? It sounds too good to be true from the start, but there are real jobs out there for secret or mystery shoppers.
Unfortunately, folks in the Triad are getting a letter claiming to offer a mystery shopper job at "Whole Foods". It's similar to a scam letter found on ScamPulse.com
A Whole Foods logo is used at the top, their logo is used behind all the info. The letter comes with a check for $1,950. You're supposed to make a commission of $400. The instructions tell you to deposit the check and deduct your payment of $400. If you do the shopping within 24 hours, you can get $200 more on the next assignment. The job includes going to one or two stores and buying Apple gift cards worth $1,500 and then sharing the numbers on the back of the cards by texting a number.
"If you're offered any employment opportunity that involves receiving a check upfront that you're supposed to deposit and then go spend money from, it is a scam, guaranteed," said Lechelle Yates of the Better Business Bureau.
While this letter used the Whole Foods logo, any company could be used by a scammer. And if you're thinking you can cash the check and it ends up not being good, the bank will take care of it, you're wrong.
"We have the impression that once a check is deposited and the money appears in our account the check is good but it can take several weeks to wind its way through the banking system and be detected as fake and once that happens you're on the hook for the money —not the bank and certainly not the scammer and in this case, it's 1,500 that's a lot of money," said Yates.
Everyone wants an easy side hustle to make a little money, but this one only makes money for the scammer.
"There are legitimate secret shopper jobs out there. but go to the BBB and see if your company is listed and look at the ratings and reviews and accredited. If you're interested in finding one, that's where I would start in finding one," said Yates.