Consumer Alerts

*Updated: 11/2/09 *

Please take a few minutes to watch these videos recently release by the Federal Trade Commission. David Vladeck, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection explains several money transfer scams, including The Grandparent Scam, The Counterfeit Check Scam and the Mystery Shopper Scam.

Update….
Many consumers have received checks in the mail along with a letter on official-looking Confero letterhead. These are fake.

Confero does not send checks to shoppers as payment to shoppers.

Confero does not issue certified checks for shoppers to use during mystery shops.

Confero does not shop Western Union or Moneygram.

As discussed in earlier posts, we have received requests from would-be mystery shoppers asking that we validate the employment of Robert Preston, Micheal Thomforde, James Clayton, Paula Moore, Carlos Burnett, Chris Jordan and now Alexander Hopkins. None of these persons work for Confero. These are made-up names used in official-looking email messages from people trying to scam unsuspecting consumers. Sometimes, the scam emails have been spoofed to look like the message is from Confero and to hide the true origin of the email. Other times, the sender simply pastes the Confero name or website into his or her email message. Either way, these scammers are attempting to fool consumers into thinking they are dealing with Confero.

Persons interested in legitimate mystery shopping may visit the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) website for information about ethical, legitimate mystery shopping companies. Confero is a member of the MSPA. To register your interest to mystery shop for Confero,please visit the Shoppers’ Center tab above for complete details.

If you have fallen victim to this scam, or if you have been contacted by any of these scammers, please file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).. The FTC also offers information about mystery shopping and the Mystery Shopping Providers Association at
this link.

Check out the BBB video about three (3) common fake check scams.

What can consumers do to steer clear of this?

As discussed in earlier posts, we have received requests from would-be mystery shoppers asking that we validate the employment of Robert Preston, Micheal Thomforde, James Clayton, Paula Moore, Carlos Burnett, Chris Jordan and now Alexander Hopkins. None of these persons work for Confero. These are made-up names used in official-looking email messages from people trying to scam unsuspecting consumers. Sometimes, the scam emails have been spoofed to look like the message is from Confero and to hide the true origin of the email. Other times, the sender simply pastes the Confero name or website into his or her email message. Either way, these scammers are attempting to fool consumers into thinking they are dealing with Confero.

Persons interested in legitimate mystery shopping may visit the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) website for information about ethical, legitimate mystery shopping companies. Confero is a member of the MSPA. To register your interest to mystery shop for Confero,please visit the Shoppers’ Center tab above for complete details.

If you have fallen victim to this scam, or if you have been contacted by any of these scammers, please file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).. The FTC also offers information about mystery shopping and the Mystery Shopping Providers Association at
this link.

What can consumers do to steer clear of this?

1. Only sign up to mystery shop with reputable firms. All members of the Mystery Shopping Providers Association have agreed to honor a code of ethics.
2. Reputable firms are not likely to ask for your name, address and other contact info via email. Sign up with firms that offer a secure website for sign ups.

1. Never pay to be accepted as a shopper. Reputable firms pay YOU to mystery shop and charge you NOTHING to sign up.

As a reputable company with 24 years in business, we are always concerned about scams involving mystery shopping. An NBC Today Show segment discussed the mystery shopping scam that typically plays out like this: the consumer receives an unsolicited email from what looks to be a mystery shopping company. The consumer replies with personal information and accepts a “mystery shop” assignment from the bogus company. This consumer soon receives a certified check from the bogus mystery shopping company, along with an “assignment” to deposit the check and then send funds via Western Union or Moneygram to a person designated on the assignment. The idea is that Western Union or Moneygram are being “mystery shopped” and the mystery shopper can keep a portion of the check amount. Usually, the certified check amounts are $900-2000 with shoppers enticed into performing the shop by being allowed to keep anwhere from $300 to $900. Eventually, what happens is that the consumer is notified by his or her bank that the certified check was not good. The full amount of the check is then charged back to the consumer’s checking account.

If you have fallen victim to this scam, or if you have been contacted by any of these scammers, please file a complaint with the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC).