Shadow Shopper...

inthesticks

inthesticks

New member
:scratch: The other day in the mail, I received an envelope from Canada. Inside the envie was a letter, a couple of forms...and a check for $4,985, payable to ME! :scratch: It seems that I have been accepted by a company called Shadow Shopper to complete mystery shops for them. The first shop will be a "test" of my ability to conduct an accurate mystery shop...by cashing the check, and then going to my local Wal-Mart and sending a Money Gram to a "relative" of mine back in Canada. Then I fill out the form, and send it back to the Shadow Shopper Company.

The letter states that the $4,985 is to be used in the following way:

* Probational Training Pay -- $850
* Required funds to be transferred -- $3,985
* Service charges/Miscellaneous -- $150

Holy cow! If this is true, then $850 of this money would be mine! :headbang: Right? The letter goes on to state that I will need to call Shadow Shopper in Canada (number is provided) to confirm receiving the check and forms, before proceeding with the shop evaluation.

Hmm? Anyobody else going through this? Been through this? Is this really legitimate? I've never heard of a company sending people real money (let alone thousands of dollars) UPFRONT for mystery shop work. Wow...! I'll have to think about this. I HAVE heard of Shadow Shopper...I know it is a real company. That is about all I know. Their website is: www.shadowshopper.com ...I must visit and analyze the site.
 
this does sound a little strange, especially the part where you have to pay something and send something :scratch:
 
Scam. I keep getting a check in that same amount with varying "storylines". Your going to have to back up the check amount with the money in your own bank account when the check is cashed in whatever manner. Then they find out there are no funds to cover that check that you already put into a "Money Gram" to send back to them (the relative). Guess where that money is going to come out of to cover that "Money Gram" that got cashed.
 
:cry: Sorry sticks. Take that letter to your local post office or police station. If people would turn these letters in maybe some of them would be stopped.
 
That really bites, I hope I never receive one of these bogus checks. Please turn it in to the proper authorities.
 
My sister's best friend got sucked in by one of these ~ run ~ run fast and far!! Just not toward Canada!
 
Thanks, folks! :crazytongue: I wasn't going to do anything with this until I investigated and found out just what was going on. Besides, I believe the REAL Shadow Shopper requires an upfront fee before they will provide a person with Mystery Shopping job leads. And I know I have not signed up with Shadow Shopper or paid any fees to anyone to be a Mystery Shopper.

First time I've ever received this sort of thing, especially via postal mail. I think I will turn this in to the USPS. The check is drawn on a bank in Michigan, and the company logo on the check is THIERICA, out of Grand Rapids, MI.

Now, if there were just some way to scam the scammers...hmm....... :scratch:
 
inthesticks said:
amyshulk said:
http://www.reversescam.com/

The whole idea of this website is to turn online scammers into victims.
Click to expand...


Tsk, tsk amy...you'll need to do better than that. :nono: This site is no longer active...last updated in 2006. Try again dearie.... :crazytongue:
Click to expand...

Actually, a LOT of these types of sites were subjected to a major DNS because the scammers tried to shut them all down!!! I posted this:


amyshulk said:
Sick of the scammers? Check out this informative site:

http://www.419eater.com/


Welcome to the world of Scambaiting!

Does somebody want to transfer millions of dollars into your account?
Does someone want you pay you to cash cheques and send them the money?
Met a new friend/penpal on a friendship/dating site who's asking you for money?
Has a dying person contacted you wanting your help to give his money to charity?
Have you sold an item and are asked to accept a payment larger than the item amount?

IT'S A SCAM!


Don't fall for common scams like this - fight them!


Welcome to the world of Scambaiting!

Does somebody want to transfer millions of dollars into your account?
Does someone want you pay you to cash cheques and send them the money?
Met a new friend/penpal on a friendship/dating site who's asking you for money?
Has a dying person contacted you wanting your help to give his money to charity?
Have you sold an item and are asked to accept a payment larger than the item amount?

IT'S A SCAM!

Don't fall for common scams like this - fight them!

So what is scambaiting? Well, put simply, you enter into a dialogue with scammers, simply to waste their time and resources. Whilst you are doing this, you will be helping to keep the scammers away from real potential victims and screwing around with the minds of deserving thieves.

It doesn't matter if you are new to this sport or a hardened veteran; if you are wasting the time of a scammer, or frustrating them in any way well that's good enough for us, and we would welcome you to join with our now very large community.

Although this site concentrates mainly on the Nigerian 419 scam, we are happy to deal with other types of scams if and when the opportunity arises. We also have a large team of experts dedicated to the removal and closure of fake scammer banks and sites.

Even if you are a newcomer, much fun can be had and at the same time you will be doing a public service. If you are new to this game and need to know what scambaiting is all about, please click on the 419 FAQ link at the top of the page. See also Baiting Tips for information on getting started on this great cyber-sport

We encourage everyone to contribute to this site and the good cause of scambaiting by joining in the fun on the FORUM where you can meet new friends and seek expert help, tips and advice on anti-scamming. User participation is absolutely encouraged. Please help us to raise awareness the world over!

Do not be fooled into thinking scammers operate from a specific part of the world. Advance fee fraud scammers are a world-wide menace, and they operate from every continent. These scammers range from small one-man-band criminals scamming a few thousand dollars a year, to highly organised groups raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars a month

No matter what a person’s motivation for answering a 419 letter nobody deserves to be put through the kind of hell that these scum have waiting for their victims. And no scammer deserves to profit from lying and stealing.

That is why we have no problem with baiting. Every scammer baited, every lad who poses with a sign for a baiter, every false form filled in, every fake bank taken down means that less victims are scammed. We keep the scammers busy with ‘safe’ targets. We occupy them and waste their time. Hopefully some will decide it’s not worth it and get an honest job. Others may get caught in a sting.
Click to expand...

In the Newbies forum in this thread: Top 10 Signs that Your Win is Really a Sweepstakes Scam

But they deal exclusively with nigerian scams :laughing:
 
I had read awhile ago (from whatever government agency that handles this type of fraud) to never ever respond to these emails. They had an email address to forward these to also.

The trouble with finding and shutting down these scammers is that they move around quickly and are usually gone by the time their location is tracked. This is why it's been almost impossible to stop them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top