I received this email yesterday and it just doesn't settle right with me. Has anyone else received one of these emails?
___________________________
We have a mystery shopping assignment.
Date:10th April,2010
Emailevaluationteams@rogers.com)


"We have a mystery shopping assignment in your area and we would like you to
participate"


Secret Shopper(R) is accepting applications for qualified individuals to
become mystery shoppers. It's fun and rewarding, and you choose when and
where you want to shop. You are never obligated to accept an assignment.


There is no charge to become a shopper and you do not need previous
experience. After you sign up, you will have access to training materials
via e-mail, fax or postal mail.


ABOUT US


Secret Shopper(R) is the premier mystery shopping company, serving clients
across America with over 500,000 shoppers available and ready to help
businesses better serve their customers. Continual investment in the latest
internet and communication technologies coupled with over 16 years of
know-how means working with Secret Shopper(R) is a satisfying and rewarding
experience.


Secret shopping as seen on ABC NEWS, NBC NEWS, L.A.TIMES.
Stores and organizations such as The Gap, Walmart, Pizza Hut, and Bank. One
amongst many others pay for Secret Shoppers to shop in their establishments
and report their experiences. On top of being paid for shopping you are also
allowed to keep purchases for free. Secret Shopper(R) NEVER charge fees to
the shopper.. Training, tips for improvement, and shopping opportunities are
provided free to registered shoppers. Mystery shoppers are either paid a
pre-arranged fee for a particular shop, a reimbursement for a purchase or a
combination of both.


You will be required to interact with the shop clerk.


You may conduct the shop alone or as a couple.


The assignment will pay $200.00/ Assignment


Kindly Fill Out the application form below and we will get back to you
shortly with the assignment to this email (evaluationteams@rogers.com):


PERSONAL INFORMATION:


First Name:
Last Name:
Street Address:
City, State, Zip Code:
Cell Phone Number:
Home Phone Number:




AVAILABILITY:


Days/Hours Available


Monday .............................................
Tuesday ..............................................
Wednesday ..............................................
Thursday ..............................................
Friday .............................................
Saturday ..............................................
Sunday ..............................................


Hours Available: from _______ to ______


We await your urgent response.


Thank you for your help.


We look forward to working with you.


Sincerely,


Frank James
Secret Shopper(R)

Smells scammy to me. There IS a Secret Shopper The Premier Mystery Shopping Company and you can sign up at [www.secretshopper.com] They do NOT ask for your information via email and they do NOT pay those kinds of fees for their normal shops.

It's a scam, I've received Frank James emails under another legitimate MSP's name as well. It went to my spam folder, which is where it belonged.

Interact with a shop clerk for a shop fee of $200? When pigs fly.

It went to my spam folder also.

The $200 fee is not so much alarming, I have done shops where I have been able to shop for reimbursements in that price range, but those shops don't come from an email like that!

Remember, Frank James was the brother of the outlaw Jessie James. Both robbed folks, I think.

ClassyShopper126 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The $200 fee is not so much alarming, I have done
> shops where I have been able to shop for
> reimbursements in that price range, but those
> shops don't come from an email like that!

But this one was talking about a fee of that. I think that an email solicitation of that magnitude from a stranger always spells scam.

I've never gotten a $200 fee for a shop unless it was a company I had worked for before and they knew my work.

terry9297 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've never gotten a $200 fee for a shop unless it
> was a company I had worked for before and they
> knew my work.


Yea, that's the point. Scams a plenty out there.

evaluationteams@rogers.com This E-mail looks like a Canadian E-mail. ??

Hard to tell. The rogers.com is a Canadian phone company, which would make it more likely. But this definitely is not a "business" style email address so should be handled with the same care you handle any solicitation from an @AOL.coom, @gmail.com, @yahoo.com etc.

This e-mail is a scammer from Nigeria.

Frank James may have written the Email, but I'd lay even money that Jesse put him up to it.

Of course it is a scam! How could anyone be so stupid as to have any doubts?

The Frank James letter is a script used by dozens of scammers worldwide. No matter how you reply to it, they then send you page 2 of the script saying your application has been accepted. (What application?) Then they send you a bogus check for several thousand dollars, asking you to keep your commission but to wire them the rest. I have one such check in my trophy case and I am currently applying for my second It is amusing watching scammers at work.

Contacting the police or to the postmaster is futile. They don't even respond. Press them and they will fill out a report that immediately gets buried. There are simply too many scams going around, and the resources needed to catch them are too great. Low-level scammers can operate freely.

They do it because it works. There are just enough stupid, gullible people out there who fall for it. I hate scammers, but I have no pity for those knuckleheads who are so dumb as to fall for these obvious tricks.

I deleted it a long time ago...wasn't going to respond, but wish they would quit emailing me.

After single inquiry to Frank James’ email, I received my bogus $3300 check this morning by UPS Express. The scammers don’t waste any time! The envelope contained nothing but a check; there was not even a note saying who sent it or why. Apparently it is too much trouble for a lazy scammer to do anything more.

I received my instructions by email from”Frank James.” It is merely page 3 of the script. Here is the relevant portion:
………………………………………………………………
Dear Survey Agent, [He won’t even address me by my name.]

You will be evaluating the Wal-mart store and Western union outlet in your City. The Payment sent to you ($3,300) covers all expenditures including evaluation, shopping, transport and your compensation which is $200.00 for this survey.

You are to purchase Goods of your Choice for your own Use at the Wal-mart store in your City which you are evaluating, spending not more than a $50.00 and deduct an extra $25.00 for transportation cost.

Also as regards Western union, we will be using our company feed-back mechanism; therefore you will be sending funds through Western union outlet in your City to our receiving agent.
[Any deal involving Western Union is a scam. Always. No exceptions.]

You will take a total of $3025 to the Western union outlet you are evaluating; you will have to deduct the western union transfer charges from the $3025 you are sending out and not from your share.

Please send all Western union transactions to the details below to our agent.

Name: Lee Mann [phony name and address]
City...Cleveland
State...TN
Zip code: 37311

Below are details you need to send once funds have been transferred to the Agent's Name and Address which is above:

- Sender's Full Name and Address.
- Secret question and answer (if any)
- Western union transfer charges
- Actual Amount sent
- MTCN

[All he needs to collect the money is just the MTCN.]

After Evaluation, ensure that you send back (via Email) Western union MTCN [10 digits] and Wal-mart reports as it is required for Company feedback purposes on service delivery.

EXPENDITURE BREAKDOWN:-
Compensation .............................$200.00
Wal-mart................................... . $50.00
Transportation ….....................… $25.00

Please remember what we are really after are the lines of question stated below, those are guidelines that you will lookout for during your visits to Wal-Mart and Western union.

[A list of typical mystery shopper guidelines is enclosed merely to make the scam seem serious.]
…………………………………………………………….

So that’s how the scam works. The check, of course, will go into my trophy case along with dozens of other counterfeit checks.

Folks, stay safe out there!

That could almost be a comedy skit

Yes, and many like it. It didn't make any sense to be paid $200 for doing almost
nothing.

I received a check for $489.00 last week for I don't know what. No instructions
enclosed. It looks legit but I'm wondering how they make any money if you deposit
it with no apparent money back to them???

Almost everyday I get one from some imaginary trust fund from a generous lady who
has no family who wants to give ME money!

spamanyone???

Wow. Big money in this scam.

I am sure that I have. I get these kinds of emails everyday. The sad thing is the people who are new to mystery shopping and who don't yet understand how it really works are often the people who fall for these scams.

I got the same email,I called the bank the check was drawn under the funds are in the account. The bank is in Bethesda, MD. Everything is in the US. But I am still weery of the whole thing. So I responded to the email I got today and told them my bank will not give the the funds until the check clears and asked if that was a problem to let me know. We will see if I hear back.

Unless this is an MSC you solicited working for, and they routinely pay you in advance, I would stay far away. Many scams are made to look like they come from real banks with real oney in the accounts. Me, I say run the other way and do not think twice about doing so.

*****************************WARNING*****************************

If you ever get a smaller check ($10.00 - $20.00) from a shopping company you don't recognize -- DO NOT DEPOSIT IT!!

Here's why --
Most of us, rather than going through the last 60-90 days of our records -- will just deposit it -- thinking, "Well, that's about the amount I charge for a fast food shop -- Oh well -- just deposit it"

When you endorse the check, it goes back to the criminal who wrote it. On the back is your bank account number AND your signature. Anyone been to Office Max or Office Depot lately? There are computer programs (along with instructions and blank checks) that are used for folks who accept checks by mail. There is a legitimate business reason for the software - you have a client in Boston who wants to buy something from you, but their credit card is maxed out, or they don't have one. You fax them a letter authorizing you to make a check for a certain amount on their card - then they sign it and fax it back to you.) THAT is the intended use of that program - they have allowed you to make a check using their info, and on the signature you just write in SIGNATURE ON FILE) You can take this check to the bank, along with the signed statement - the bank will accept (cash) the check, and the check is good (I've never had one go bad).

Now -- here is what the CRIMINAL does with the same information from the small check you deposited.

They make up a check with your account number and routing on it, which you provided them, along with a sample of your signature (on the back of the check).

Now THEY make up a "dummy" check that looks real and the bank will accept it against your account as along as you have enough money in the account to cover the check. I've seen this done for $100.00, I've seen it done for $5,000.00 and all they have invested OMin the transaction is the $10 - $20 check that YOU endorsed and deposited in your account, rather than take 10 minutes to see if you earned the $10 - $20 check.

BTW, I've seen these checks come from Chicago, Miami, California and many other states. The one thing they have in common? They still have relatives back in Nigerea, S, America, etc.

Be careful of ANY check, regardless of amounts, without checking them out first. If you didn't do the work for the company listed on the check, turn it over to your local police department - Fraud Investigation Unit.

Questions anyone???

Larry Sizemore
Retired Private Investigator
Retired Certified Fraud Investigator

I just got a response from Mr. Frank James. He said after the check clears I can comepleat my assignment. I am still not sure about the whole thing.

The thing you should be sure of is that you should not complete the assignment at all.

Attention vlwaldo: Are you still entertaining any thoughts that this scheme may actually be legitimate? That the money may actually be real?! Must we shed tears again for yet another sucker caught in such an obvious swindle?

I had mentioned earlier that the Frank James letter is merely a 3-page script used by anonymous scammers worldwide. You will never find out who you are actually dealing with. And the Western Union directive is a dead giveaway. What else can "Frank James" do to announce this is truly a scam, scam, SCAM!

The result of your actions so far will be a bounced check and you will be charged $20-$30 by your bank for the returned item. Let it go no further.

--SteveF

The one I got today,only mine is signed by Louis Varney and is signed __ Shop and Check ( note the spelling of chek)

I have attached my copy -- Thought scam immediately

We have a mystery shopping assignment in your area and we would like you to participate"

Secret Shopper(R) is accepting applications for qualified individuals to become mystery shoppers. It's fun and rewarding, and you choose when and where you want to shop. You are never obligated to accept an assignment.

There is no charge to become a shopper and you do not need previous experience. After you sign up, you will have access to training materials via e-mail, fax or postal mail.

ABOUT US

Secret Shopper(R) is the premier mystery shopping company, serving clients across America with over 500,000 shoppers available and ready to help businesses better serve their customers. Continual investment in the latest internet and communication technologies coupled with over 16 years of know-how means working with Secret Shopper(R) is a satisfying and rewarding experience.

Secret shopping as seen on ABC NEWS, NBC NEWS, L.A.TIMES. Stores and organizations such as The Gap, Walmart, Western Union, Pizza Hut, and Bank. One amongst many others pay for Secret Shoppers to shop in their establishments and report their experiences. On top of being paid for shopping you are also allowed to keep purchases for free. Secret Shopper(R) NEVER charge fees to the shopper. Training, tips for improvement, and shopping opportunities are provided free to registered shoppers. Mystery shoppers are either paid a pre-arranged fee for a particular shop, a reimbursement for a purchase or a combination of both.

You will be required to interact with the shop clerk.

You may conduct the shop alone or as a couple.

The assignment will pay $200.00/ Assignment

Kindly Fill Out the application form below and we will get back to you shortly with the assignment to this email (louisvarney01@aol.com):

PERSONAL INFORMATION:

First Name:
Last Name:
Street Address:
City, State, Zip Code:
Cell Phone Number:
Home Phone Number:
Email Address;


AVAILABILITY:

Days/Hours Available

Monday ...........................................
Tuesday ..........................................
Wednesday .....................................
Thursday ........................................
Friday ............................................
Saturday ........................................
Sunday ..........................................

Hours Available: from


All emails should be sent to louisvarney01@aol.com we await your urgent response.


We look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Messr. Louis Varney
Shop n Check

And fascinating that Shop n Check would be scheduling for Secret Shopper As far as I know, MFI has not yet purchased Secret Shopper . . .

SteveF, No I decided to turn it in to the fraud investigators at the police department and let them handle it. I just wanted to see what he would say if I told him I had to wait until the funds cleared.

oh yes and by the way the funds are in the account because I called the bank and checked with the account number. However, I agree with what specialpi posted, he maybe trying to get my signature and account number. I think long and hard and do research before I act. And I will not be acting on this.