ScamVictimsUnited.com

There is strength in numbers.

Scams in Today's News:


Bookmark and Share
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 5:45 am



All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 39 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:59 am 
Offline

Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:02 am
Posts: 10
Hello everyone, I am new to this site and was recently a victim of money order fraud. While I was researching about 'victims of fraud' I ran into this site and this forum, so I thought I would share my story and try to help anyone to prevent this from happening to them. I recently applied for a few Mystery Shopper services through craigslist (surprise, surprise :roll: ) and a few people responded, one in perticular by the name of "Scott Toomey"....

Quote:
Full Scope Inc.
5601 6th Ave
Seattle, WA 98108
Email: evaluationconsult1@gmail.com
Date: November 23rd, 2008

Dear Shopper,
Full Scope Inc. surveys and conduct evaluation Programs on other companies.
Full Scope Inc Profile Introduction:
Full Scope Inc. is hired by restaurants, retail businesses and other service
businesses to help them determine how the consumer perceives the quality
of their service and product. We send shoppers anonymously into their
locations to order a meal in a restaurant, make a purchase in a retail
establishment or inquiry to a service business. The mystery shopper acts
like any normal customer.
After the visit, the shopper send in a report, question or comment about
the events that happened during the visit. The information should be
objective only and should contain only the facts about the visit.
The shopper is provided with funds for the meal or purchase up to the maximum
amount set by the client,hence you do not need to pay any amount to start,we shall be providing all the funds needed.
In some cases, the shopper is also paid a small fee for filling out the forms
and in cases where there is no reimbursement, the shopper is paid a flat
fee for completing the assignment. If you decide to become a
Full Scope Inc. shopper, you would be an independent contractor. You
would have the option to accept or decline any assignment we offer you.
However, if you do accept an assignment, you must fulfill the
requirements of the assignment according to our instructions in order to be
insured reimbursement and/or payment. Once you accept an assignment,
your report must be completed and submitted within 24 hours after the visit.
The receipt (if required) must be sent in within the same time frame, either
by fax or e-mail.
Your job will be to evaluate and comment on customer service in a wide
variety of shops, stores, restaurant and services in your area.
Requirement:
a) The mystery shopper acts like any normal customer:
b) Smartness of the attendant:
c) The quality of customer service:
d) How long it took you to get services done:
e) You might be required to upset the attendant, to see how they react to
clients when they get tensed:

This Report would be turned over to the company. Most companies employ
our assistance when people give complains about their services, or when
they feel there are needs for them to improve their customer service.
Your Identity would be kept confidential as the job states (secret shopper)
you would be paid a flat fee of $200 for every evaluation assignment and
bonus on your transportation allowance, and funds would be given to you if
you have to dine as part of the duty.
Your shopper profile Provided to us as been Accepted and Your Shoppers Tag
Profile Number is: Rep ID# GPP04609.
You would be provided with the service Location to start up with as soon as
possible.
We would like you to know that the mode of payment to receive funds from us for your services will be Payment by Money order/ Check
Kindly show more interest with a return email asap.



Regards.

Scott Toomey
Email:evaluationconsult1@gmail.com


This person sent me emails explaining what needed to be done.....

Quote:
Full Scope Inc.
5601 6th Ave
Seattle, WA 98108
Date: November 23rd, 2008

Full Scope Inc invites you to run a survey on all Western Union Agent Location
in your Area that will be assigned to you.
This assignment has been put together to be completed at a Western Union
Agent Location that will be assigned to you.
The objective of this assignment will be to evaluate the effectiveness and
efficiency of a payment system called "WESTERN UNION "which is available
in your region.
Western Union Agent location was reported for evaluation of the following
reasons:
* Slow and Poor Customer services.
* Rudeness and agents inefficiency to customers.
* High Transfer charge.
* Late opening and closing Hours.

Your Customer Service Evaluation Requirement would be:
*You will go into any "Western Union" as a potential customer.
*You are Required to make use of the Money Transfer and Money in Minutes
to make both a Western Union Money Transfer.
*You are Required to send in a detail report of the Time it took you to get the
Money Transfer made from the time of arrival at any of the Agent Location listed
to you.
* A Confirmation of the Western Union Transfer fee.
* You are required to forward back to us a detailed copy of the Western Union
Transfer Detail as soon as the assignment completed at any of the Agent Location
assigned to you.
* A scanned copy of both the Western Union Receipt is required to
be faxed back to us for confirmation.
* In the process of this evaluation assignment, please take note of the quality of
service in order to be able to fill out a fair and unbiased opinion on the Customer
Service Evaluation Tool (CSET).
The funds needed to complete this assignment have been arranged and
would be sent out to you via a UPS/FedEx Express Mail service.
Kindly email the following details to send payment for your assignment,services ,and also for our records.
Thanks.
Name in Full:
Address:
City:
State:
Zip code:
Phone#:

Regards.

Scott Toomey


The rest of the story goes as follows..they mailed me the money orders through DHL, had me cash the money orders at my bank and deduct my fee then had me go to three different Western Unions on three different days to "test" the Western Union's customer service ($8600 worth of money orders) and wanted me to send the money to a person by the name of "Michael Strong" in New York, NY. Last week someone called from my banks compliance department and told me that the Money orders were frauds and after I told them where I got the money orders from and what I thought I was doing they told me to go file a police report and that I may be held responsible for the money. I have already contacted the Police department and Western Union and am keeping in touch and staying active with my bank. I am basically a sitting duck untill all the money orders come back to see exactly how much the bank wants back (including the returned check fees). I have contacted all the credit sources and put FRAUD ALERTS on all of them just in case.

I felt sick to my stomach when I found out those money orders were fakes. I couldn't eat or sleep. I have went through a range of emotions over the past week. I have been angry at myself for falling for this nonsense. I, like a lot of people, consider myself a very responsible person that is usually aware of their surroundings and NEVER thought something like this could happen to me. I have went over and over in my mind what I wished I "would have done" and "should have done", I now see RED FLAGS when I look back on all this...I am angry at whoever these people are who think it is okay to live their lives scamming people instead of getting an honest job like the rest of us. I was angry at craigslist for having so many frauds scamming through their site, although they have an alert warning people of things of this nature (one in which I did not even notice untill all was said and done), I still feel it is very irresponsible of them to just take money from seemingly anyone and post a listing..the Police Officer I spoke to even said so many cases come in from craigslist and ebay. I was angry at my bank for not finding out quick enough and/or not being just as suspicious when I came in with some money orders for $720 a piece...I would have rather the bank just stopped me right there and not cashed them or questioned me more. I don't know, something. Now as the money orders return, my checking and savings account are debited and are now starting to get overdrawn as a result of all this...all the money that I had for my expenses are gone as a result of this. Its a mess. I guess the only thing is that I cashed them at my bank and not a check cashing place, because my bank could at least notify me and know my history...where as some check cashing places dont and could have just sent the cops to my door. :| Luckily enough I saved ALL the emails this person was sending me and all the emails I sent them talking about my "evaluation" of Western Union...I also saved all the Western Union slips and DHL packages the money orders arrived in.

I was reading this site to try to get any helpful information I could about my situation and felt compelled to register just to post this story and let people know about this. If I could help just one person to not get scammed I will be happy. I want to thank the people who started this site, its very imformative and also helps to read other peoples stories that have been through simular situations. I also have a question; I have contacted everyone including the police department, my bank, Western Union fraud department, DHL.. all the checking systems I could find and I am currently in the process of contacting the Atterney General. I was wondering if anyone else has any other suggestions on anyone else I could contact? I have seen on a few sites to contact the FBI as well. If anyone has any other suggestions or anyother helpful comments they will be greatly appreciated. Thank You.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 10:56 am 
Offline
Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
I am so sorry to hear that you have become a scam victim, but I am happy that you have found our site and that we can try to help you through the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with this . . . I know . . . I have been there too! I went through the same emotions that you talked about . . . first I was mad at myself and felt stupid, but then I realized that the "stupid" thing that I did was to trust that my bank was giving me accurate information about the check. They need to have warnings at the banks about this, and train all tellers in the difference between the check being cleared, available and honored.

I would suggest you start here
http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/resour ... _check.htm
and there is also a post in the FAQ section of this board about what to do once you become a scam victim.

I would go and open an account at another bank so that you can use that to live off of until all of this is settled. I think it is great that you have already contact the AG's office. What state do you live in?

Some victims have found help from contacting the media. It is a great way to let others know and to shed more light on the fact that there are not enough warnings out there where people need them (at the banks and at Western Union locations . . . not just on the websites)

Just by posting your story here, you may have saved someone else. I know that a LOT of people will google the name or email address of the person they are in contact with, and it will bring them right to this site and they will know it is a scam.

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 3:20 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:02 am
Posts: 10
Thank you for responding. Yes, I have already opened a new bank account with another bank (did that the day after everything happened). I live in California...and I must say that after reading some of these stories I was in shock and very unaware that things like this happen in such a frequent basis. I didn't even know about the Nigeria scams untill I started reseraching about fraud. And didn't know about the Canadian lottery scam untill the police officer told me about that.

And yes, Banks need to be more responsible in dealing with situations like this. You would think that people that deal with money, checks, money orders, ect all the time would know the difference or at the very least would start a rule that if people bring in a certain amount of money orders at a time worth a certain amount of money, they should at least call and check things out. No one at my bank barely even questioned me when I was cashing those money orders. Like I said, I just wish they would have caught things much earlier before I cashed all of them. I understand that I am the one that fell for a scam, but it just seems like sometimes banks make things that much easier for the criminals and harder for the victims...then we have to pay for the nonsense. The thing that made me feel a little bit better is that neither my bank or the Police Officer treated me like a criminal. I go to pick up my copy of my Police Report on Monday so I can take it to my Bank...and then we will go from there I guess. Although they said they will investigate it, I know the Police probably wont be able to do anything (or the FBI for that matter), because whoever that person is that is scamming is long gone off scamming another person. But I guess at least it will be reported and I can cover my butt. I think we all just wish people like this can be caught and thrown in jail.

I dont know, I was just really scared because like a lot of people, I have worked hard on being a honest person and worked on having good credit and little debt and now all of a sudden this happens. But I guess if all I have to do is pay back the money, its better then going to jail. Here I am thinking I was just earning some extra money for the holidays and end up oweing HELLA money. Im just pissed about it...and hopefully my bank will work with me on the payments (because I am not going to be able to pay all this back in one lump sum), I seen someone on here say that their bank just charged their debt of and called it a day, at this point I wouldn't even care if they did that and it went on my credit...I just want this nightmare to be over. I will check out the link you provided and see what else I can do. Thank you very much.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:26 am 
Offline
Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
pissedatscammers wrote:
And yes, Banks need to be more responsible in dealing with situations like this. You would think that people that deal with money, checks, money orders, ect all the time would know the difference or at the very least would start a rule that if people bring in a certain amount of money orders at a time worth a certain amount of money, they should at least call and check things out.


You took the words right out of my mouth!

Another thing you can do is to write to the Congress Members for your state and bring this to their attention. If we can get some of them on board, maybe we could get laws changed. And the media is always helpful if you want to get this out to other people in your area.

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:35 am 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:19 pm
Posts: 171
admin wrote:
pissedatscammers wrote:
And yes, Banks need to be more responsible in dealing with situations like this. You would think that people that deal with money, checks, money orders, ect all the time would know the difference or at the very least would start a rule that if people bring in a certain amount of money orders at a time worth a certain amount of money, they should at least call and check things out.


You took the words right out of my mouth!

Another thing you can do is to write to the Congress Members for your state and bring this to their attention. If we can get some of them on board, maybe we could get laws changed. And the media is always helpful if you want to get this out to other people in your area.


I am interested in what laws you are looking to change? If it is the availability of money, it was he consumers that had that law enacted, if every consumer had to wait until money was acually collected from the corresponding banks then the NSF fees would rise and the consumers would cry out again. This is not an easy fix as the normal consumer like to believe. Float time on checks runs into 100's of billion of dollars per day, much more than any fraud that is committed through counterfeit items.

If the responsibility of what is deposited did not fall back to depositor, therefore making them more aware of what they deposit, the banking system would collapse. Every con artist out there would open an account and try to pass counterfeits everyday, after all, everyone wants the banks to be responsible.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:25 pm 
Offline
Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
I would just like to see the banks required to use better wording like telling the customer that the money is available but the check has not been honored.

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 4:19 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:02 am
Posts: 10
I would just like the Banks to take more steps in protecting their customers against situations like this. I was doing a little research and called around to Banks to see what their proceedures are when it comes to people bringing in a certain amount of money orders worth a certain amount and Wells Fargo told me that regardless of how long the customer has been with them, if the customer has a certain amount of money orders worth a certain amount, they would call and check to make sure they were legit. The woman said that sometimes customers get offended if they call, but she said its not only to protect the banks..but to protect the customer.

Now that I look back on it, when I went into my bank...I went to the same girl twice and a guy once to cash those money orders and not either one of them questioned me...not once. I would have rather them put in a call or double checked with a manager and me just be embarrased then me having to owe thousands of dollars that I did not spend. I told the Bank manager about my concerns and first she said, "yes, but you also need to take accountibility for the fact that you cashed the money orders not knowing where they came from, or that you didn't ask them if they thought they were frauds (even though I had no clue these types of things were going on and shouldn't that also be their job as well to check, considering that THEY are a Bank that deals with these types of things everyday?)"...and I told her "Yes, and I have said plenty of times that I will take accountibility for the fact that I got SCAMMED..but your bank also needs to take accountibility for the fact that they are not taking care of their customers the way they should". She then said "Yes, your right..especially if you went to the same girl twice and she did not take time to check into it for you, we have talked to them about that". Then I was thinking to myself "So you are basically saying they didn't follow proceedures"? Interresting....

I have been at my bank for years, have never had a problem with my account when it comes to me and my responsibilies...since i've been there, there have been two times when someone had gotten ahold of my account over seas and was trying to charge things to my account, I even changed my card number and someone still got ahold of it...the bank called me and let me know about it both times..but even then, I still stayed with that bank (keep in mind this is the ONLY bank I have been a member of where things like this has happened). I told the bank manager that maybe I should have closed my account a long time ago and went to Wells Fargo, at least then I wouldn't have to worry about them protecting me from this nonsense. I have a friend that is a supervisor at a bank and she told me that she is very surprised by this and the way that the bank handled it. When the man from the compliance department called me and told me that the money orders were frauds...and I told him my story he was fine with it but he said "those money orders didn't seem suspicious to you"? I said "No". I wasn't in my right mind at that moment because if I was I would have said "No sir, the same way they weren't SUSPICIOUS to your tellers when they cashed them". Like I said, i'll take accountibility for being oblivious to these types of scams (it has taught me a huge lesson and I have passed it on to everyone I know) but the banks are just as neglagent at times..these situations happen too frequently now for them to not take extra steps in protecting their customers.

What some of the banks do is just cash whatever (checks or money orders worth thousands of dollars)...or tell people things that aren't FACT (like how long they are going to hold onto the check or whatever) and then when all hell breaks loose..they are looking at you to repay everything. I understand that they are out of money that is theirs, but so is the victim now..because they hold them responsible. I just feel like if they can have insurance for other types of frauds (like when someone gets ahold of your account or uses your card)..then why cant they have a certain type of insurance for situations like this? Why not when things like this happens and there is proof that the bank didn't follow proceedures or presented non-facts (and there is proof that the person got scammed)...why cant they also be held accountible for at least half the money that was lost? Thats a law or rule that I would like to see passed.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 5:37 pm 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:19 pm
Posts: 171
Do you have the written procedures that the teller did not follow?


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 5:41 pm 
Offline
Gold Member

Joined: Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:19 pm
Posts: 171
admin wrote:
I would just like to see the banks required to use better wording like telling the customer that the money is available but the check has not been honored.


It is not so much the wording used at banks as the funds availabilty the government outlines, yes the money is available to you before it is collected but that is what is outlined in the law itself. What I am saying is that the funds availabilty paramters, which are controled by the government must be changed, that would give the banks some flexibility to be more accurate.


So in essence the banks are following the laws that are put forth.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:32 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 1:02 am
Posts: 10
reverse wrote:
Do you have the written procedures that the teller did not follow?


No, but was told today by the Bank manager that they had went over this with thier tellers before, so why aren't they following what they are told? I also know a few people that works in the banking industry (you may work in th industry too..im not sure though, do you?), just got off the phone with one who is a supervisor at a bank..and she said while in the banks defense it would be hard to check every transaction because they get so many, that if someone comes in and has an account that usually does not see such large transactions (or comes in several times within a week with large transactions), that they ask a few questions. She said they also figure that if they ask questions, or let them know that the type of scams that have been going on..that someone that doesn't know about these things may take a step back. Like I said, I would have rather them stopped me there or asked a few questions or maybe checked things out...then me being caught up in this mess.

She also went on to say that I shouldn't feel as bad about getting scammed because if you are not someone that knows about these scams, unless they have happened to you or someone you know, you are not on the Internet looking up these types of things on a regular basis. She said that people that work for banks get this information about scams from their insurance companies and a lot of times they are ahead of everyone in knowing about these scams. I knew nothing about the "Walmart money order scam"..and as I previously stated, I will take accountibility for the fact that I got scammed, but my bank has not handled this situation the best either. Like I said, you would think that people who handle money, checks and money orders on a day to day basis wouldn't be as ignorant as they claim the victim to be for getting scammed, the same way they looked at the money order and thought it was real is the same way I thought it was real. At times they are just as oblivious and terrible when it comes to protecting their customers...then want them to pay the biggest price (either pay back the money or credit gets jacked up).

I have been very active with my bank in this entire situation...there have been times when I would call and ask for the number for the corporate office or ask for someone...and would get connected with someone else I didn't ask for. Or someone today tried to call me about my account and because the bank had not been communicating, they didn't even have the story or know that I was already dealing with someone in the compliance department, they didn't even have any notes in their computer system, so the woman put the notes in today. They dont care, all they care about is covering their @ss and thats it, so im going to start covering mine. At this point im about to contact the BBB on them (and may take admins advice of contacting the media) and I also got some other information where I can contact and submit a complaint for credit unions. I have contacted FraidAid.com and am taking some of their advice. I am just keeping records of everything. I am checking in with them as much as they are checking in with me, so they know I am being just as active.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:55 am 
Offline
Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
reverse wrote:
admin wrote:
What I am saying is that the funds availabilty paramters, which are controled by the government must be changed, that would give the banks some flexibility to be more accurate.


reverse . . . can you go into more detail about this, since you know more about the banking laws. Is there a specific law that I can refer to (by number or name) and the portion of it that would need to be changed? If we as a group had something we could refer to and point out directly, maybe we could focus in on it.

(just brainstorming here)

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:12 am 
Offline

Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 2:04 am
Posts: 1
This happened to me. Today actually. If I had read this even 12 hours earlier, I would have saved myself a lot of grief.
The bank obviously doesn't know it's a fraud yet and I'm going to the Police Station on Monday to file a report! I'm also going to tell the bank what happened.
Have you heard back from the bank on whether or not you're responsible for the money? I've been out of a job for 3 months which is why I took this one, for Chirstmas money. And now I'm panicking and crying and it really just sucks and I don't know what to do! If the bank holds me responsible I don't know what I'll do because I have no money in the account and none to pay it off with (as I've been out of work) and it added up to $1700.
I hate the fact that I trusted this company. I've done similar type jobs and never had a problem which is why I trusted this one and their site looked like the others I've been on.
I'm just so frustrated. But at least I know I'm not the only one and can hopefully have some people who know what I'm going through at the same time.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:49 am 
Offline

Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 6:37 am
Posts: 2
I was scammed by the exact same person two weeks ago. However, the person refers to themselves as Kevin McGovern, and the checks were signed by a Scott Toomey. I had to wire money to a Michael Strong in New York as well. I now owe the bank $4,000. I have no idea what I'm going to do. I'm preying that the bank doesn't prosecute me or take me to court. I've contacted local police, the FBI, and the Federal Trade Commission, but nothing is really happening on the law enforcement end.

After doing some research, a police station in Canada found that this scams origin is in North Carolina. All of my DHL packages on the envelope said they came from Syracuse, NY, but the actual tracking information states that it came form Mooresville, North Carolina. I was also able to track down the IP address from the emails that were sent to me, and the emails are being send from a computer in North Carolina.

If you'd like to talk about this more or need more information that might help your case, feel free to send me a message saying so. I still have checks that I didn't deposit, and I'm actually still able to communicate with this guy via google chat. He has no idea that I know that he's pulled a scam on me. I'm just hoping I can keep him talking long enough to ge the law enforcement to track him down.

My AIM Screen name is AnjelicaBD if you wanna talk. I seriously know what you're going through.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:22 am 
Offline

Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2008 11:07 am
Posts: 1
This happened to me too. The exact same scam. The guy fed-ex'd me the money orders and I was instructed to cash them in at my bank and then take my cut out for me and use the rest to wire money to someone by the name of Jonathan Mark in the United Arab Emirate. Luckily I found out that it was a scam before I got in any deeper. I only cashed the first set of money orders for the first assignment and then when I got the 2nd shipment, that's when I got suspicious. I didn't cash those, instead I called the police and told them everything. They took the money orders, copies of my emails and the fed ex envelopes into evidence and I have to contact the bank, the post office and the credit bureaus on Monday. Because he urged so much to cash them at my bank, there is a possibility that he could somehow get my bank information even though I didn't give him any of that info. The name of the person who wrote out the money orders to me was a "T. Jenkins" and the sender of the fed ex package was a "David Dorsy" out of New Jersey. The contact person that I have been dealing with says his name is James Walter and has an email address of jameswalexports@aol.com. In the mean time, when the money orders that I did cash come back as fraud, I could be responsible for repaying that money. This man, James Walter has my phone number, my address, knows where I work and and my hours. I don't know WHERE this man really lives, if he's in the US or even in the same State or what connections he may have. Not only did I get myself into a possible financial mess, but I've managed to put myself as well as my family in danger.

Tam


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Another Mystery Shopper Scam....BEWARE!
PostPosted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 5:04 pm 
Offline
Site Admin/Co-Founder

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 10:09 pm
Posts: 2921
speedoflight wrote:
Have you heard back from the bank on whether or not you're responsible for the money?


The bank will hold you liable for the money.

I would suggest you start here
http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/resour ... _check.htm
and there is also a post in the FAQ section of this board about what to do once you become a scam victim.

I would go and open an account at another bank so that you can use that to live off of until all of this is settled. If you have any direct deposits going into your current account GET THEM TURNED OFF and sent to the new account you will open so that you can use that money to live off of until this is all settled.

_________________
Shawn Mosch
Co-Founder of http://ScamVictimsUnited.com
There is strength in numbers!

Share your story with the media and educate others about scams! Details here http://scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=6319
Sign our petition http://www.change.org/actions/view/crea ... s_programs
Follow our blog http://scamvictimsunited.wordpress.com/
Find us on Twitter, Facebook and more http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch
_______________________________________________
Has this site helped you?
Buy us a coffee to say thanks ~ http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/donations.htm


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 39 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next



All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Untitled document



Disclaimers, Message Board Guidelines and Privacy Policy   

Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group