Stone received a letter with a check for approximately $4,800 to become a “secret shopper” at a variety of businesses. The premise in secret shopping is that the shopper
poses as a regular customer, buys something from a business then reports back
on his or her shopping experience at the store to help the company improve
customer relations and service.
One of the assignments for Stone was to wire money through Western Union
Transfer.
Stone said he called the number on the letter that came with the check and
talked with someone who insisted he deposit the check into his account then
wire money and shop at the other businesses on the list.
Stone was suspicious, so he went online and looked up the bank that supposedly
issued the cashier
’s check. None of the phone numbers for the different branches of the bank
matched the number on the check. When he called Chippewa Valley Bank in Winter,
WI., from the number listed on its website, he was told that there was an
investigation in the area about a scam involving secret shopping in which
shoppers would wire money then be left holding a worthless check with the
Chippewa Bank name on it.
A spokesperson at the bank said that the bank had been made aware of the
fraudulent checks and that, in fact, the bank did not even issue cashier
’s checks, only money orders.
The check looks authentic and even has Stone’s first name spelled correctly. He was surprised at how accurate it was since
the spelling of his first name is unusual. Stone said the letter and check came
to him unsolicited; he did not apply to any company to become a secret shopper.
Stone has reported the incident to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and advises that anyone who has received a similar letter and check to
report it to the Sheriff
’s Office at 932-3205.
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