Free Mystery Shopping Jobs

do NOT send that Western Union transfer. Sit on the funds for at least three months, or, better yet — run.

banks do not discover that the “Cashier’s Checks” these scams use are forged for 6 to 10 weeks [or more] after you deposit them. Then the bank asks you to refund the full amount [4880] no matter what you’ve done in the meantime.

This is a TOTAL scam

Initially your bank will cash the check because of your account history with them. Then the bank will present the check through regular channels to get paid. It can take 2 weeks to 2 months for it to bounce. Then the bank will come back to you asking you to make 100% restitution. The “36 hour time limit for your assignment” is to try an defraud you as quickly as possible.

The fact that you mention “$2700 Western Union transfer” in your purposes for the money tells me this is a common advance fee scam probably originating in Nigeria.

A mystery shopper is normally someone who visits a store and notes prices and service level. It is *not* someone who goes out and buys product.

If you found this “job offer” on monster.com, tell the website about the ad so they can pull it.

Don’t fall for it. You received a check, deposit it, wire money to the swindlers, and a while later the bank will inform you that the check was fake and you owe them the money you took out of your account. It may take the bank many days to discover the check is no good. This scam is designed to delay the bank’s finding out. A cashier’s check is credited to your account right away, but that does not mean the money is yours if the check is bad.

If this was legitimate, they would not send you a large check and ask you to refund large amounts. They would only pay when you perform a service. Don’t fall for this scam.

Yes. It’s a scam.
1. Legitimate businesses do not send money by cashier’s check with instructions to return some of it to them by Western Union. They just keep the part that they are supposed to have in the end and send you only what you are supposed to keep or spend.
2. Even if the check clears and appears to be 100% in your account, the bank will remove the money from your account if it later learns that the check was stolen or forged.
3. All of these are scams. Not some. In all cases, the check is forged or counterfeit, the bank removes the money from your account, you do not get to keep the money that you thought was for you, and you lose whatever money you sent by Western Union and/or spent. In some cases, but not all, you get arrested.

Mystery Shopping itself is not a scam. Contrary to what other answers say, a majority of the time you are there to purchase something. However, you are reimbursed for this purchase afterwards. You provide the receipts to them as proof you actually did the job. Now, they also do not pay a whole lot. The average is under $20 with most in the 10$ or less range. So anyone who is going to pay you much more than that for a “shop” is probably a scam.

Now, as to what you have..it is a SCAM. Those check’s are NO good. If you attempt to cash them they will eventually be determined to be counterfit and you will owe the money back. It takes anywhere from about 7 to 21 days for it to get back to you, and by that time you would usually send the money thinking it was good. Also, note that these companies have gotten so bold that they will actually use the name of a legitimate MS company as a cover. So the people think they actually were scammed by the legitimate company, when it is in fact someone else.

Take that check to your bank and have them check the validity – not for my sake but for yours. I already know it’s a scam! You might also want to notify your local law enforcement. They may wish to try to chase this down before it gets out of hand!
There are mystery shopping jobs that pay, but not the kind of cash your talking about – and NOT upfront!

If you already put the money in your bank, expect to get some bounced check fees coming sooner or later. You did not mention the name of the firm, so enter that name in a google search and then type [scam]. See what comes up from there.
~jennifer
Helping others create additional income from home one step at a time.

Short Answer:

100% Guaranteed SCAM!