Mystery or Secret Shopper Opportunity Phishing Email Scams

Online users, be aware of mystery or secret shopper email messages like the one below, which claim that the recipients have mystery or secret shopping assignments in their areas and are asked to participate. The email messages are fraudulent, therefore, recipients of the same email messages should not respond to them with their personal information or any other information that is requested by the senders. The fake email messages are being sent by scammers/cybercriminals.

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Mystery or Secret Shopper Opportunity Phishing Email Scams

The victim of this scam will be provided with a fake or counterfeit check (cheque) and is advised to cash it and then asked to use some of the proceeds to do some form of mystery shopping. Also, the victim may be asked to take part in surveys or other promotional services. But, the counterfeit check will bounce and the victim who cashes the check will be held responsible for the money lost in the transaction and any additional fees imposed by his or her bank. They may even get arrested for fraud.

Remember, never send your personal information to anyone in an email message or send money to someone who contacted you via unsolicited email messages.

The Fraudulent Mystery or Secret Shopper Email

We are a company engaged in the mystery shopper field.

Currently we are in desperate need of a secret team to evaluate the service at our branches.

to conduct business be it a restaurant, shopping store etc.
#REQUIREMENTS#
1] 16 year old or above, Can speak local language well
2] No experience needed like shopping
Jobs-pay ~
1. Most of the time you will only need to spend 20 minutes on the visit.
2. Our company will pay you $275 / each work.

Register-Form:
==============
I. Full N4me,
2. Full Address,
3. Postcode,
4. Mobile/Home number (s),
Thank you for your participation and being here with us.

Sincerely,
The MS applications team
(C) 2017 SR & I. All rights reserved.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Comments, Questions, Answers, or Reviews

Comments (Total: 8)

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August 26, 2019 at 12:32 PM by
Mystery or Secret Shopper Opportunity Phishing Email Scams
info

"From: urbanismezac@sogetel.net <urbanismezac@sogetel.net>

Sent: Sunday, August 25, 2019 7:08:29 AM

To: ms.manager1@aol.com <ms.manager1@aol.com>

Cc: urbanismezac@sogetel.net <urbanismezac@sogetel.net>

Subject: "jobs Network solutions services~

Dear Ma/Sir;

We have a customer service survey assignment in your location and

we will pay $450 / assignment.

Which would come in the form of a cashiers check for you to perform your assignment.

The job entails an Evaluation process such as visiting Wal-mart/K-mart,e.t.c

Send below information to get started If you are still Interested Applicants

are to forward :

> * name (first/last):

> * address:

> * city, state, & zip code:

> * age, gender:

> * phone:

> * e-mail:

Thank You for Your participation and being here with Us.

Sincerely,

The MS applications team

(C) 2019 SR & I. All rights reserved."

Here is another scam.

Delete

October 23, 2019 at 12:24 AM by
Mystery or Secret Shopper Opportunity Phishing Email Scams
an anonymous user from: La Center, Washington, United States

Got the same message

Delete

August 17, 2019 at 1:16 AM by
Mystery or Secret Shopper Opportunity Phishing Email Scams
info

"From: Ecare10@bellaliant.net <Ecare10@bellaliant.net>

Sent: Wednesday, August 14, 2019 10:47 PM

To: ms.manager1@aol.com <ms.manager1@aol.com>

Subject: job agreement services.

Dear Ma/Sir;

We have a customer service survey assignment in your location and we will pay $450 / assignment.

Which would come in the form of a cashiers check for you to perform your assignment.

The job entails an Evaluation process such as visiting Wal-mart/K-mart,e.t.c

Send below information to get started If you are still Interested Applicants are to forward

> * name (first/last):

> * address:

> * city, state, & zip code:

> * age, gender:

> * phone:

> * e-mail:

Thank You for Your participation and being here with Us.

Sincerely,

The MS applications team

(C) 2019 SR & I. All rights reserved."

Here is another scam.

Delete

September 19, 2018 at 10:38 AM by
Mystery or Secret Shopper Opportunity Phishing Email Scams
an anonymous user from: Vaughan, Ontario, Canada

Received this:

"On Sep 19, 2018 7:16 AM, dstoerps@greatjob.eu wrote:

Welcome To Our Program @ Secret Shoppers!

Requirements:

17 Years old or above.

Can speak local language well.

Can read and write English.

No Experience needed Like Shopping.

Job Descriptions:

You Will be Assigned to visit a shop

You Will then finish an on-line questionnaire to Share with us your customer experience.

JobPay:

Most of the time you will only need to spend 20 Minutes on the visit.

You will get $480 for each assignment.

Kindly reply providing below requested information:

1. Full Name :

2. Address :

3. State, City, Zip :

4. Phone :

5. currently job :

Thank you for your participation and being here with us.

Sincerely,

The MS applications team

(C) 2018 SR & I. All rights reserved"

Delete

May 6, 2018 at 9:33 PM by
Mystery or Secret Shopper Opportunity Phishing Email Scams
an anonymous user from: Manchester, New Hampshire, United States

ANOTHER SCAM:

"lnfotech517@unm.edu

Sun 5/6/2018, 10:05 PM

We have a customer service survey asignments your location.

We would like you to participate and complete the asignment.

We will pay $450/asignments, (available two asignments/week),

REQUlREMENT:

17 year old or above,

No experience needed like shopping.

REGISTRATION:

Fill out information below to sign-up:

Name:

Address:

Citiy:

State:

Countrie:

Zip Code:

Mobile Phone:

Once you sign-up, you will be given access to training materials.

Sincerely

RECRUlTMENT

(C) 2018 SR & I. All rights reserved."

Delete

December 5, 2017 at 10:38 PM by
Mystery or Secret Shopper Opportunity Phishing Email Scams
info

Here is another scam:

"From: Evan Ruesch

Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2017 5:19:00 PM

Subject: Offer.

Dear,

We have a Customer service survey assignment in your location for you. We will pay $300 per assignment which would come in the form of a cashiers check along with comprehensive details in regards your assignment.The job Entails an Evaluation process such as visiting Wal-mart, Western Union e.t.c. Send information below to get started If you are Interested :

Full_Name:

Full Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Phone_Cell:

Gender_Age:

Email_Address:

You can contact with your details on this email: davidmoore0912@gmail.com

Thank you for participation.

David Moore HR Manager

Customer Service Evaluation Team

The Premier Mystery Shopping Company

Copyright 2017®"

Delete

July 29, 2017 at 4:51 PM by
Mystery or Secret Shopper Opportunity Phishing Email Scams
info

Here is another scam:

-Original Message-

"From: fiestagrill020 <fiestagrill020@coe.neu.edu>

To: all <fiestagrill020@coe.neu.edu>

Sent: Fri, Jul 28, 2017 5:20 am

Subject: [Welcome to the-shopping]

We are looking for people to apply for positions in our team as a secret customer.

How it works :

Register and if you are selected, you will receive $100 for shopping at Kroger,

affiliates or at competition stores.

Send us your feedback for your Kroger shopping experience.

Your review will make a difference for providing better services and products.

Secret Shoppers are selected randomly every week and if selected,

they will be contacted via phone or email.

You will be paid with amounts between $200-400 per assignment.

You can shop any products you want at your designated store.

Provide the following details if you interested :

I. Full NAme,

2. Full Address,

3. Postcode,

4. Mobile/Home number (s),

Thank you for participation. Your response would be greatly appreciated.

We will contact you immediately as your application has been received.

Thanks,

MS-PA Manager

Customer Service"

Delete

July 6, 2017 at 12:59 PM by
Mystery or Secret Shopper Opportunity Phishing Email Scams
an anonymous user from: Akron, Ohio, United States

I could never understand how someone can cash a bogus check without making verications of the check. The check will have the banks name, account number, and routing number. Google the name of the bank: The banks address and phone number come up. Call the bank, give the check information and they will tell you whether or not the check is good.

My wife received a $3000 check from a mystery shopper. The company demanded that we hurry up and deposit the check and return the difference in proceeds.

I called the issuing bank regarding the check. Bank said the check was fraudulent.

Mystery shopper made all sorts of threats. I told them they could take it up with FBI. No money lost on our part.

Delete

Write Your Comment, Question, Answer, or Review

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

Mystery or Secret Shopper Opportunity Phishing Email Scams