Secret Shopper
Complaint 37090 Details

I applied online for a LEGITIMATE job as a Mystery Shopper. A short time later, I received an email that appeared to be from the same company (although I was a bit suspicious at the sender URL) so I filled out the information (AGAIN) and waited for a reply. It came, in the form of a "do your homework" kind of request asking for my nearest WalMart and Western Union... I complied. "Roy Adams" stated that I would soon be receiving a delivery with my assignment instructions and funds necessary to complete the task.

Today, nearly a MONTH later, I received a "Restricted" phone call alerting me to a FedEx delivery between 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. with my assignment for "Secret Shopper". The caller was a foreign man, stating his name as Roy Adams (same as in the email I had received to "Confirm" my assignment). He spoke broken English and I asked him to repeat the instructions, which he did. I immediately suspected scam, but decided to continue the process "to see" how it would play out. He closed the call with "God Bless You". (Yeah, right! How many legit companies use that?!).

About 1/2 hour after the FedEx was delivered, I saw another call come in on call waiting, but did not get it in time. I decided to do some more homework on this because I believe the original website I applied with IS legit which has caused me confusion. It is here in MN, where I live and can be verified. I entered the name of the person sending the USPS Money Orders (each in the amount of $895.75) and found other stories similar to mine. The names were changed, but the address was the very same. HOORAY FOR CLUES!!! The phone number listed on the "instruction sheet" (which, by the way, is broken English as well... who writes "your[space]self" not to mention other odd typos).

The names on my letter/instruction were:
Paul Duran
202 W 1st
LA, CA 90012
PHONE: 213/437-6139

Recipient:
Earnestine Duran
2434 w. ave
Los Angeles, CA 90065
USA

THANK YOU for posting and allowing updates immediately - this has helped me to see and avoid the scam! Glad to NOT have wasted my day running all over town for this "mystery shopper" task. We shall see if he tries to call again! I will be reporting this to the local and state authorities in hopes of alerting others in our area!

By the way - the LEGIT company, states they will notify you with an ID and password to log in to the company site when you are approved/accepted/hired. NOWHERE in this scam was I given the information to go back online and fill out a report as one of their contractors.