MYSTERY SHOPPER SCAM

MYSTERY SHOPPER SCAM

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Police warn of ‘mystery shopper’ scam

Culpeper police are warning residents to avoid a “mystery shopper” scam.

According to Capt. Ricky Pinksaw, several residents have contacted police, and at least one person fell victim last month.

In that case, police say a 34-year-old Culpeper woman received an envelope with a Canadian postmark. Inside was a check and instructions on how to undergo training to become a part-time mystery shopper.

The letter included a New York City address and phone and fax numbers.

Also included was a $3,880 check from an out-of-state bank made payable to the victim.

The letter instructed the victim to cash the check, then spend $100 shopping at several name brand stores.

It also instructed her to keep $300 as her “salary” before transferring the rest of the money by wire back to the company.

Detective Wayne Hickman, investigating the incident, said the problem arises when the check bounces. Because it’s counterfeit, the victim is left liable for the entire check amount.

Further adding to the confusion, the bank listed is real but the account isn’t.

“This makes people far more susceptible to a scam of this type,” Hickman said.

All the recent scam letters had a Canadian postmark and telephone area codes different from the supposed office locations identified in the letters.

“Hopefully, citizen awareness will warn people that you don’t get something for nothing,” Pinksaw said. “It’s a vicious cycle with the bad guy trying to get money and the citizen trying to get money.”