SCAM ALERT! BEWARE SRers!!!

[fourfoxesinpa]

Today in the mail, I received a white window envelope with no return address and a Canadian stamp. Inside was a letter from Premier Research Service, A division of MysteryShopOnline.com from Markham, ON Canada.

The letter reads..."this is to inform you that based on a previous survey by our affiliate Consumer Survey Specialist, you indicated to be interested in an additional income on a part-time basis. You are hereby selected to participate in a paid Consumer Research Program in your area of residence as a "Mystery Shopper." bla bla bla

Also enclosed was a check in the amount of, get this, $4,700.00. All I had to do was spend a total of $200 in at least two of the following retail locations: Home Depot, Gap, JC Penny (spelled incorrectly), Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Sears. After I did that, I would be trained in financial transaction by sending a Western Union and Money Gram to their training agents.

I have googled the name on the check, TS Tech North America, of Reynoldsburg, OH and they manufacture car body parts and frames - obviously no connection to mystery shopping. Further googling pulled up this article which identifies this as a circulating scam: http://www.gantdaily.com/news/43/ARTICLE/13072/2008-02-18.html

So, SRers...beware out there. I am not sure if this came as a result of doing surveys but thought I'd pass it along just in case. Boy, I WISH someone was really sending me a check for $4,710!! If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

[spring]

Wow! You have excellent detective skills. Thanks for sharing. I'll be on the lookout for something like this. I did get a small magazine in the mail yesterday that I didn't order. It is the size of a reader's digest and I can't remember the name. It was based on health and had a cover price of $5.00. I haven't seen anything asking for money yet, but I'm sure that's next.......

[fourfoxesinpa]

Wow! You have excellent detective skills. Thanks for sharing. I'll be on the lookout for something like this. I did get a small magazine in the mail yesterday that I didn't order. It is the size of a reader's digest and I can't remember the name. It was based on health and had a cover price of $5.00. I haven't seen anything asking for money yet, but I'm sure that's next.......

Was it Prevention? There was a post awhile back from SRers who got that one. I did too...just call and cancel it - it never showed up on my credit card statement. Good luck.

[spring]

Was it Prevention? There was a post awhile back from SRers who got that one. I did too...just call and cancel it - it never showed up on my credit card statement. Good luck.

No, it wasn't Prevention, but it was a format like that. I'm at work now. I'll have to take a peek at it when I get home.

[Magical JenK]

Today in the mail, I received a white window envelope with no return address and a Canadian stamp. Inside was a letter from Premier Research Service, A division of MysteryShopOnline.com from Markham, ON Canada.

The letter reads..."this is to inform you that based on a previous survey by our affiliate Consumer Survey Specialist, you indicated to be interested in an additional income on a part-time basis. You are hereby selected to participate in a paid Consumer Research Program in your area of residence as a "Mystery Shopper." bla bla bla

Also enclosed was a check in the amount of, get this, $4,700.00. All I had to do was spend a total of $200 in at least two of the following retail locations: Home Depot, Gap, JC Penny (spelled incorrectly), Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Sears. After I did that, I would be trained in financial transaction by sending a Western Union and Money Gram to their training agents.

I have googled the name on the check, TS Tech North America, of Reynoldsburg, OH and they manufacture car body parts and frames - obviously no connection to mystery shopping. Further googling pulled up this article which identifies this as a circulating scam: http://www.gantdaily.com/news/43/ARTICLE/13072/2008-02-18.html

So, SRers...beware out there. I am not sure if this came as a result of doing surveys but thought I'd pass it along just in case. Boy, I WISH someone was really sending me a check for $4,710!! If something seems to good to be true, it probably isn't.

Thanks for the warning. I think I've heard about this one before.

[ItsmeSunnyV]

I got it too!!! Wow, this one really looked legit, but my husband said the same thing, "if it looks too good to be true, it is!":)

[lorisnuts]

I got the same one. wow.

[missangie]

Isn't that scary! Thanks for letting us know about this one.

[catnapfan]

I got the same thing in the mail 2 weeks ago. It sounded legit until I got to the part about wiring some of the money to different people in California. I sent the letter and check through the shredder.

[lanny76]

Whoa!! Thanks for the alert. I haven't had anything in the mail like this, but I would sure get suspicious if it involved me spending a bunch of money before I had any guarantee of true 'employment'. I'm usually a skeptical sort, so a check like that would look really funny to me - and the idea of wiring money to someone - hmmm.

[spring]

Was it Prevention? There was a post awhile back from SRers who got that one. I did too...just call and cancel it - it never showed up on my credit card statement. Good luck.

I just got home. The magazine I received is called REMEDY. Did anyone else get that one? Haven't been able to find a phone number to cancel it yet.

[annieollendorf]

I also recieved this the other day and figured it was a scam considering check had Hearth and Plow as the issuers and the date was misspelled.

Thanks for putting this out.

April

[Wendi63]

Thanks for the info! I received something similar about 5 months ago and knew it was a scam when they wanted me to deposit the check, spend a small amount of money and wire them the rest. I wonder how many people actually fall for it?

[mollyeilis]

I just got home. The magazine I received is called REMEDY. Did anyone else get that one? Haven't been able to find a phone number to cancel it yet.

You know what? I got a random issue of Remedy ages ago, but have never received another, nor have I ever gotten a bill. I didn't even think to call to "cancel", since I never got anything telling me I needed to pay. Maybe I should find it again and call them...

[fourfoxesinpa]

http://register.remedylife.com/

Looks like Remedy might be free?

[spring]

http://register.remedylife.com/

Looks like Remedy might be free?

Cool! Thanks a lot..........I just kept seeing the $5.00 price on it in the upper left hand corner and was cringing. Now I can read it without the worry.:sunshine:

[m 'n c]

Remedy is free. Its a pretty neat little magazine too.

[fourfoxesinpa]

I can't believe it. I got ANOTHER check for over $4,700 in today's mail because I have such potential as a Mystery Shopper. In the shredder it goes. DH was working from home today and couldn't believe how authentic everything looked. Be careful out there, everyone.