Mystery Shop Scam

[Connie]

I found the following advertisement on Craigslist. The first red flag was the grammar. The second was the email address. So I went to the actual SRC website and sure enough. Right on the first page they tell you to beware, they do NOT recruit through websites. So if you see this ad, don't respond!

Hello,
We are global leader in Customer Experience Management. Our proven experience and systems use information from a variety of sources, including mystery shop visits and store audits to quantify the gap between your brand promise and the reality of exactly what your customers have experienced.Eat out for freeGet paid to shop for some of your favourite brandsBecome a member of a global mystery shopping network and have the opportunity to 'Shop the World!'Help improve customer service in your local area. Examples of details you would forward to us are after your shopping experience are:

1) How long it took you to get services.
2) Smartness of the attendant
3) Customer service professionalism
4) Sometimes you might be required to upset the attendant to see how they react to clients when they get tensed (under pressure).We turn the information (you gave us) over to the company executives and they would carry out their own duties in improving their services.
Most companies employ our assistance when people give complaints 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 $350 for every survey you carry out ,bonus on your transportation allowance and funds would be given to you if you have to dine as part of the duty.
Your job will be to evaluate and comment on customer service in a wide variety of shops, stores, restaurant and services in your area. No commitment is made on this job and you would have flexible hours as it suits you. If you are interested do send in your:

(I)Your Full Name:
(II)Your Residence address:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
(III)Present work address:
(IV)Home and mobile Phone numbers:
(V)Email address:
(VI)Your Age and Current Occupation:
(VII)Your Gender:

So we can look at your distance from the locations which you have to put your service into, and your address would also be needed for your payments. We also implore you to send a scanned copy of any form of Identification for the processing of your application form and also for record purpose but if you cannot provide it presently then you can provide it later..
Thanks.

Hiring Manager
Service Research Corporation
Mark Smith
EMAIL ADDRESS : [e-mail]

[havingfunnow]

I hope that you sent a copy of this to the real SRC.

We hateses Scammers

[hezokuai]

I just had a so called mystery shopper company called 'quill communications' send me a check for $2,985 to mystery shop a western union, by wiring them the $2000 and keeping the rest for myself as my pay.
Of course this is a scam, I was lucky that I read these kind of boards because I read about a similar one, so I knew right away. Also the fact the the company that was 'hiring' me was Quill but the check was from a BMW dealership was a huge red flag.
Whenever being offered anything regarding mystery shopping, always consider the dollar amount involved, for example, if they want to mystery shop a wal mart for example, they will ask you buy something like a bottle of Pepsi, or a candy bar, something that costs under five dollars, and they will reimburse you the money, with a receipt, and add your pay to the reimbursement. IF they ask you spend $2000 up front, that in and of itself should be a red flag, even if its 'their' money. The MOST I have seen a legit Mystery Shop offer expect me to spend was $25. This scam offer was almost three thousand!

[hezokuai]

I just thought, I want to be sure I make clear, the company that offered me this 'job' itself may very well be legit, as is the BMW dealership listed on the check. But that is part of the scam, they use the names and logos of real companies to make it seem more blieveable.

[Connie]

Thanks for the heads up! Yes they do use the names of real companies.