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Here is what I got in the mail today and new right away to visit this web site (Complaints Board.com) first before going to my bank with the "Mystery Shopper's check".
I received a letter in the mail (USA Mail Service) and the letter went along these lines: Here is a check for $3, 980.00 and our company, Frank W. Kerr Company, (listed with the Better Business Bureau) is a service provider for the mystery shopping industry. "When actually Frank W. Kerr Company is one of the largest, independent wholesalers in the country, (USA) distributing brand and generic pharmacies and specialty pharmacy providers to cooperatives, chain drug stores, chain drug warehouses, grocery and mass merchandisers, in short, Key Word "PHARMACEUTICALS".
( I just www.BING.com the name Frank W. Kerr Company.)
So when this letter went on and said : As one of our possible research personnel selected for this program, you will be under cover and visit selected businesses in your area and pretend to be an average customer. While there, you will secretly evaluate things like customer service, store cleanliness and product quality. If you accept this offer, the current consumer services evaluation you are undertaking will attract a pay of $300.00 a week to you. "that sentence makes know sense at all and this paragraph, is me quoting the letter word for word".
Anyway, the letter goes on and gives me a break-down of what to do after I deposit the check into my bank account. It said, "Please find enclosed a check bearing the required funds to cover your first week's assignment. It must be expended as follows:"
1. Your first week pay...$300.00
2. your first assignment, to evaluate Western Union or Money Gram money transfer system...$3, 410.00
3. Estimate sender's fees, to be paid to Western union or Money Gram...$175.00
4. Your second assignment-shopping (you will choose the merchandize(not my spelling of the word merchandise) to buy, they are yours to keep)...$95.00
Total...$3, 980.00
The bottom line:
If I (you) deposit this check into my (your) bank and then withdraw $3, 410.00 from my (your) bank account and send it to someone, via Western Union or Money Gram, they (whoever wrote this letter) will be receiving YOUR money you will be responsible for it to the bank, not Frank W. Kerr company and most surly not your bank. I'm responsible for covering that withdrawal by every law in this country. And I'm not going to do that for anybody, including my own family, no less, someone who just up and send me a letter anonymously. Sure, Frank W. Kerr company is a real company but, the list of names of people in that letter to send the money too, they are, WHO? And I'm suppose to go and send one of these people money, I think not.
Just so the above letter I received is clear. Someone wants me to send $3, 410.00 dollars to a person from or out of this check I am to deposit in my bank-account and mind you, withdraw off of it. Yeah right, and who thinks this is right to do and not be responsible for the withdrawal when the bank finds out the check is fake. Understand, the letter has some anonymous names and addresses to pick from toward who, you choose to send the withdrawal too from my (your) bank account. I have tried to up-load the letter so everybody could read all that it said but, I keep losing the web page after clicking the upload button.
This letter was a job offer to be a Mystery Shopper and there are people who do this very thing as a job. They go around on shopping spree assignment and get paid for that. But everyone knows or should know Western Union and Money Gram can't be tested because they are the only way to go if and when a person wants to send money person to person, from State to State or country to country, testing them is not going to do anything but have you pay for the service and be out of your money, like it or not. Don't be GREEDY for money were you risk your neck for an anonymous person who just wants you to go in-the-hole, so they can get rich and leave you to cry, "poor me. "The true don't need to hurt you, you can do that all by yourself" said secondson2002
Here is the real phone and Fax numbers plus, I spoke to the Director of Finances - Ted Toloff @ [protected]
Talk to him yourself.
Frank W. Kerr company
43155 W. Nine Mile Road Novi, Michigan [protected]
Phone [protected]
Fax [protected]
www.fwkerr.com
In order to read the letter I had to right click each ideam and chose "Save As" . This way as a picture in your Windows documents folder you can zoom in and out as needed to read the words. I removed my name and address just for - Security.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I signed up for this and the person I spoke to talked so fast that you can't really catch all he's was saying. Next thing I knew I had a lot of phone calls from places I never heard of calling to thank me for signing up with their online program. I don't recommend doing the mystery shopper.
If a mystery shopper company asks you to WIRE MONEY anywhere via western union or a money gram etc it's 100% a scam...be warned...i almost fell for this scam recently!
I signed up for Corporate Research International (CRI) Mystery Shopper company. I was told they were legit. The very first shop I did I messed up and didn't file a report. (I admit it, It was my FIRST Mystery Shop) Then on the same day I went back and did the shop, took the pictures, and sent in the required report. (All this for $5) I then did 7 more shops for them.
They rejected my first report and said I didn't send it in. I then told them I had a copy of my report and pictures with dates and times and they could have a copy faxed to them. At that point they started to deny all the rest of my reports and will not pay me for ANY reports I sent in. Prior to this, I had two reports "reviewed" and got the highest rating on them (a "5") Now I know they will "rework" my reports and will STILL charge the customer for the shops! Therefore they got the work done for NOTHING!
I am very frustrated and angry. This was the first time I was involved with Mystery Shopping. I then decided to find out how much their customers paid to have a store shopped. The going rate is $250 per STORE. If they pay you $5 then they make $245 PROFIT per STORE! I then found out anyone can Mystery Shop for any store, busines, etc. I am now starting my own (highly ethical) company Mystery Shopping at $250 per store.
I hope this helps anyone thinking of Mystery Shopping.
they have unauthorized taking money off my creditcard, it a huge scam!
I was told in an email that there were several Western Unions in my area that had money missing from their stores and I was going to be going in and checking them out. I was to open a CitiBank account and they would wire money into it, including the $100.00 for doing the job. I was then to wire the money from the Western Union to another mystery shopper. They got my name, cell phone number and address. I started being leary of it and checked it out and realized they were scam artists. I wrote an email telling them I wasn't interested and not to contact me again.
this is a phony co his E_mail was Kenmollens@Gmail .com what he dose is send out phony cashiers checks thta bounce you account for he is laundering money they send money in a phony cashiers check FedeX or ups for this is a scam they send good copys of checks unable to tell they are fake and he swears the money is good the bank they use is MUC with a po box out of new york new york and that number has been disconnected and unable to locate the bank so be ware
I was the victim of a Mystery Shopper scam. I cashed the check against my account only later to find out that the check was countfeit. When the banks Loss Prevention contacted me I immediately apologized to them and told them I would be willing to pay the money in payments. I also filed a police report. I thought that we had an understanding and was told by the Asst bank Manager to contact the Loss prevention Dept on that Friday and they would be able to prevent collections and set up a payment plan. On that Friday when I called I spoke to R----who sent me to D---- voicemail. She never bothered to call me but proceeded to withdraw ALL the funds out of both my checking and savings account inorder to make the bank whole without any regard to me the customer.When I called after receiving notice of this she said it was legal to do so And to go get a copy of agreement from the bank and hung up. They also bounced all my checks and charged me bounce check fees as well as daily overdraft fees. These are hard economic times and if any bank couldn't care less if you pay your Mortgage or any other bills then They are not the kind of bank you should do business with. This is a bank without any scruples or compassion for anyone. Do Not Bank there Please learn from my experience. Victimized twice !st by Scammer then by National City Bank!
you cashed the check; where is the money? This isn't your bank's fault.
From: Paul Longmine.
Date: 2011/3/17
Subject: Response_Needed
Hello,
Are you interested in mystery shopping? If Yes. Provide your full name, complete postal address and phone number to earn $200 per assignment.
Payment via money orders.
Regards,
Paul Longmine
from Mystery Shopper®
reply-to harry.mysteryshopper@job4u.com
date Mon, Feb 28, 2011
subject Good Evening88
mailed-by portofmorrow.com
MYSTERY SHOPPER WANTED
EARN NO LESS THAN $ 300.00
Need extra INCOME!
Become our [ MYSTERY SHOPPER]:
Earn [ NO LESS THAN $300.00 ] Per Venture:
It is Very Easy and Very Simple:
No Application fees:
Here's your chance to get paid for shopping and dinning out.
Your job will be to evaluate and comment on customer service in a wide Variety of shops, Stores, restaurant and services in your area.
Mystery shoppers are Needed Throughout America .Canada and The Uk
You'll be paid to shop and dine out-plus, you can also get free meals, Free merchandise, Free services, free Entertainment, Free travel and more.
Great Pay. Fun Work. Flexible Schedules.No experience required. If you can shop-you are qualified!
Reply for more details.
Regards.
Here’s a little email I receive quite often – I assumed these were scams, but never got round to ionvestigating them until now. from a Javier Hines [otakvenezi@webvis.net] email address, but wants replies to Michael Bernard [michael.bernard55@gmail.com].
Irvine, CA [protected]
Thank you for your interest in the Mystery Shopper position.
Our company conducts surveys and evaluates other companies in order to help them achieve their performance goals.
We offer an integrated suite of business solutions that enables corporations to achieve tangible results in the marketplace.
We get hired by other companies and act like customers to find out how they are handling their services in relation to their customers.
Mystery Shopping is the most accurate and reliable tool a business can use to gather information regarding their actual customer service performance at the moment of truth. This moment of truth is not when the staff is on their best behavior because the boss is around – it is when they interact with customers during their normal daily routines.
This is where you, the Mystery Shopper, come in. You pose as an ordinary customer and provide feedback of both factual observations (ex…the floor was free of debris) and your own opinions (ex…I felt that the temperature in the establishment was too cold).
Mystery Shoppers must remain anonymous. You must 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.
No company can afford to have a gap between the promise of quality and its actual delivery, that’s why leading corporations look to us, the nation’s premiere mystery shopping and customer experience measurement company.
In order for a business to effectively compete in today’s economy, they must be prepared to meet the challenge of increasing sales by:
* Retaining existing customers
* Acquiring new customers
* Creating word-of-mouth advocacy
* Improving customer loyalty
Once we have a contract to do so, you would be directed to the company or outlet, and you would be given the funds you need to do the job(either purchase merchandise or require services), after which you would write a detailed report of your experience.
Examples of details you would forward to us are:
1) How long does it take to get served.
2) Politeness of the attendant.
3) Customer service professionalism.
4) Sometimes you might be required to upset the attendant, to see how they deal with difficult clients.
Then we turn the information over to the company executives and they will carry out their own duties in improving their services.
Most companies employ our assistance when people complain about their services, or when they feel there is a need for them to improve upon their customer service.
Our company partners with you to implement proven mystery shop auditing and surveying strategies that provide critical information about customer experiences.
You will be paid a commission of $100 for every duty you carry out, and bonus on your transportation allowance.
Your task will be to evaluate and comment on customer service in a wide variety of restaurants, retail stores, casinos, shopping malls, banks and hotels in your area.
Qualities of a good Mystery Shopper:
* Is 21 years of age or older
* Loves to go shopping
* Is fair and objective
* Is ON TIME
* Is very observant and able to focus on details
* Is fairly intelligent
* Has patience
* Is detail oriented
* Is practical
* Types well
* Is trustworthy
* Explains well in writing
* Is discreet
* Loves to learn
* Handles deadlines
* Has full internet access (at home or at work)
Mystery Shopping is fun and exciting but also must be approached very seriously and is definitely not for everyone.
If you are interested in applying for consideration as a Mystery Shopper do send in your information only at our e-mail: michael.bernard55@gmail.com
Full Name: Address:
City: State:
Zip Code: Phone Number:
Age: Occupation:
As soon as we receive your information we will add you to our database and we will look for locations in your area that needs to be evaluated. If you have any questions please reply on our e-mail: michael.bernard55@gmail.com
Thank you,
Michael Bernard
Best Surveys, 505 Barranca Parkway, michael.bernard55@gmail.com
Now this sounds good – and fun too – we all want to reward good service and punish bad service – and who doesn’t want to go shopping? :)
Well, this is just our old friend the counterfeit check scam in another guise. At some time you’ll probably end up having to cash a large check and ‘send the rest’ on to a wierd address by (guess who?) Western Union (‘The Scammers Best Friend’).
Also seen as postings on CraigsList or print classified ads or sent to people who are looking for employment on Dice/Monster etc. Job sites – The ‘job’ sounds very attractive and would obviously appeal to candidates such as home makers, Pensioners and other people with free time who want to make a little extra cash.
The Federal Trade Commission offers some advice about becoming a “mystery shopper”:
The truth is that it is unnecessary to pay money to anyone to get into the mystery shopper business. The shopping certification offered in advertising or unsolicited email is almost always worthless. A list of companies that hire mystery shoppers is available for free; and legitimate mystery shopper jobs are on the Internet for free. Consumers who try to get a refund from promoters of mystery shopping jobs usually are out of luck. Either the business doesn’t return the phone calls, or if it does, it’s to try another pitch.
Here’s What SNOPES has to say on the subject:
Remember always, if you are asked to pay for the privilege of working (eg by needing to purchase training materials or obtain certification or register with a database of available mystery shoppers), you are probably being conned, avoiding being victimized in this fashion would be a relatively simple matter: all one would need to remember is, “If they want me to pay them, it’s a scam.” And that would be that.
Someone who answers a mystery shopper ad is sent an employment packet typically containing a variety of items, including a training assignment and a cashier’s check made out for a largish amount, typically a few thousand dollars. The assignment explains that the “shopper” is to pose as an ordinary bank customer (either at a particular named bank or his own), cash the check there, then wire the funds he receives from the teller to an address that has been supplied in the information package. The “shopper” will also typically be told it is imperative he complete the task within two days, or else he will not be paid for his work or hired again.
I have recieved a letter as well from "Frank W. Kerr Company". A red flag went up immediately in my head, and I decided to google the company. I immediately looked this up with the Better Business Bureau, and could not find the name using "Frank W. Kerr Market Reasearch". However, I did find a Business that was not accredited and under "Frank W. Kerr Company", and that has had one complaint in the past three years NOT related to "market research". I could not understand why a pharmeceutical company would be doing market research on the various businesses that were listed in this fraudulent letter. These scam artists ought to be ashamed of themselves. Thanks for the post, my suspicion is confirmed!