Category: Consumer Alerts

Confero, Inc. was recently notified about a new texting scam. The text messages, some using our trademarked name Confero, ask recipients to contact 888-408-1754 for information about making hundreds of dollars conducting mystery shops for cash back. Please do not mistake those text messages as legitimate! We called that number and our call was answered by what sounded like

Confero, Inc. was recently notified about a new email scam.  The scammers have used Confero’s reputable name and the name of our company president, Elaine Buxton.  The scammers created an email address e.buxton@aol.com and have contacted consumers and offered them mystery shops paying up to $120 a piece.  This is a scam!  Elaine Buxton’s email address is not e.buxton@aol.com.  Confero staff members will only ever contact mystery shoppers via their conferoinc.com email addresses.  Also, Confero NEVER sends certified checks to mystery shoppers and Confero NEVER asks shoppers to wire transfer money.

Confero warned consumers about a new e-mail scam on Friday, August 19^th.  Today, a consumer sent us a copy of the response he received when he responded to the scam. 

These scammers have used the name of Confero’s President and CEO, Elaine Buxton, and created a fake email address.  Remember, Confero never asks shoppers to sign up by sending personal information via email. Mystery shoppers register their interest on our secure website by visiting www.conferoinc.com and clicking on Shopper Center (upper right) to arrive at our secure website.

If you think someone is trying to scam you, please read our “How to Spot a Scam” article to find out what you should do!

Fake email from a scammer:

From: Elaine Buxton [mailto:e.buxton@aol.com]

Sent: Saturday, August 20, 2011 6:03 PM

To:

Subject: Re: Career opportunity inside

The training consists in three evaluations. You will receive a commission of $120 for each survey.

Being accepted for the training doesn't mean you're already hired, it all depends on the quality of your reports. After the training period you will receive all the needed documents to fill and sign including the tax form, and from that point you will receive assignments on regular basis. The maximum is one assignment per day, seven per week. You will have to let us know your optimal times available. During your one week training period, the first set of surveys you have to do is at a few western union locations in your area, within 10 miles from your zip code, you will receive the exact address and instructions at the right time. The task is to go there as a customer and tell them you want to use their transfer services. The funds will be received by another Mystery Shopper who is also making an evaluation. You have to be very natural but at the same time focus on small details as we need a comprehensive report from you.

Confero, Inc. has been alerted of a new scam targeting unsuspecting consumers.  The scam artists have used Confero, Inc.’s reputable name in an attempt to trick consumers into giving their personal information in exchange for high paying “mystery shops.”  This is a scam.

Below you will see a complete copy of an email received by a consumer from a scammer.  These scammers do a very good job of making these advertisements seem real.  They have even used the identity of Confero’s President and CEO, Elaine Buxton.  Elaine did not send this email and her email address is not e.buxton@aol.com.

Please take a few minutes to read over this scam email so you will be aware if you receive one of these emails.  Also, visit our Consumer Alerts section for more information on these and other types of scams that often target the mystery shopping industry.

Please be aware there are lots of reputable mystery shopping companies with lots of legitimate mystery shopping opportunities for consumers interested in becoming a mystery shopper.  For information on how to get started as a mystery shopper or to find legitimate mystery shopping opportunities, visit The Mystery Shopping Providers Association’s (MSPA) website or the Become a Mystery Shopper page on Confero’s website. 

Email Scam:

Confero is a leading provider of customer experience research services to leading national brands, multi-unit and independent growth companies. Customized solutions measure, monitor and report on front line performance and customer satisfaction so clients get the business intelligence needed to grow sales, build brand loyalty and increase bottom line results. Services include onsite mystery shopping, competitive studies, recorded telephone mystery shops, voice of the customer (IVR) surveys, web surveys, compliance audits and on the spot rewards.

A MysteryShopper should remain anonymous. You should act as a regular customer and be careful not to do anything that would reveal you as a shopper. An inexperienced shopper could tip off the staff to his/her identity by asking for the manager's name for no clear or appropriate reason. If you are going to be bringing someone with you on the shop, make sure you educate them about the process as well. Beware that even whispers can be
overheard by employees. If anyone notices you are a shopper, you can bet that word will quickly spread around the establishment and you will get
some of the best customer service in town.
 

Unfortunately, scam artists have targeted unsuspecting consumers under the disguise of mystery shopping companies for several years now.  Recently, there have been a couple of news stories involving a few of these scams.  Last year, the wire transfer company, MoneyGram had to pay $18 million to settle charges with the Federal Trade Commission because it was found that “MoneyGram agents helped fraudulent telemarketers and other con artists who tricked U.S. consumers into wiring more than $84 million within the United States and to Canada.”  Also, in early April of this year, a man was sentenced to six years in prison for running a $6 million job scam.