The "MysteryShoppersCorps" unsolicited email message below, which claims the recipients can earn $500 per week by becoming an online mystery shopper, is just one of the many phishing email messages sent by cybercriminals or online scammers to trick their potential victims into sending them their personal information. Therefore, recipients of unsolicited email messages like the one below, which ask for personal information, are asked to delete them and not follow the instructions in them.
Sample of the "MysteryShoppersCorps" Scam
Job Opening
meghamcx@atl.wsu.edu
ms.manager1@aol.com;meghanmc@vetmed.wsu.edu
Congratulations..
You're selected as ms agent candidatee.
We work out what our online retailers need from you, the agent MS. You will work out to
find what our online retailers need from you. We match the online retailer with the
agent(you) best suited to the task. We have a diverse range of shoppers, so we will do the
best to make them happy. And you can get-$500 a week or more for your hard-work.
Follow the easy steps below and you can become part of our team
1. Name :___
2 Your Address :___
3. Citys / States / Countrys :___
4. Zip Codes :___
5. Phones :___
6. Ages : .___
7. Gender :___
8. E-Mail :___
Unfortunately, we can only take on a limited number of applicants, so not everyone will be
accepted. If you are accepted, congratulations and welcome to our company.
Thank you for your participation and being here with us. We will soon give more
information to your email, once you reply this letter and have registered.,
Kind regards,
Raffaele Spano
MysteryShoppersCorps®
Scammers steal personal information from potential victims using bogus emails like the one above. Once they are in possession of their potential victims' personal information, the scammers will contact them and attempt to scam them or sell their information to other scammers.
Victims of these scams usually blame their banks, utility companies, ISPs or even the government, claiming they sold their information to the highest bidder, when in fact they were the ones who unknowingly gave the scammers their information when they fell for their phishing scams.
This is why online users are asked to be careful of messages which ask for personal information, especially the ones that promise quick money with little or no work. Scammers use the promise of quick money and get rich schemes to help lure potential victims into their traps.
Many of the mystery shopping scams that we have come across usually send potential victims fraudulent checks (cheque) and ask them to deposit them. The scammers will then ask the potential victims to take their share of the money from the fraudulent checks and send the balance to them. But, the checks will bounce and the potential victims will be responsible for paying the cost for processing the checks and paying back the money they have sent to the scammers; they may even get arrested.
Persons who have received the same checks are asked not to deposit them and report them to the police, and those who have already done so are asked to contact their banks immediately and let them know that they may have been a victim of the online mystery shopper scam.
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