Victim Location 97124
Type of a scam Employment
These people are sending texts claiming to be recruiting people for BestMark. They take you to a Google Docs form to fill out with all you information including where you live. BestMark doesn’t text
Victim Location 72206
Type of a scam Employment
An envelope comes in the mail as priority mail. In the envelope there is a letter stating that you have "qualified to take part in the BestMark Survey Program. With the letter there is a check for $2,600.80. The letter tells you that you are now a secret shopper and they want you to shop at Walmart. The letter continues to describe about 4-5 steps that you must take, including depositing this check into your bank account and sending proof that you have done so. There is not address on the letter other then what little of an address is on the check. They want you to shop at Wal-Mart, yet the check says Bed, Bath, and Beyond from New Jersey.
Victim Location 72206
Type of a scam Employment
An envelope comes in the mail as priority mail. In the envelope there is a letter stating that you have "qualified to take part in the BestMark Survey Program. With the letter there is a check for $2,600.80. The letter tells you that you are now a secret shopper and they want you to shop at Walmart. The letter continues to describe about 4-5 steps that you must take, including depositing this check into your bank account and sending proof that you have done so. There is not address on the letter other then what little of an address is on the check. They want you to shop at Wal-Mart, yet the check says Bed, Bath, and Beyond from New Jersey.
Victim Location 30117
Type of a scam Employment
His text: The funds for your " WALMART CUSTOMER SERVICE EVALUATION ASSIGNMENT " will be delivered to you today.Kindly be on a look out for it .Send in your reply to ( [email protected] ) to show that yoy are in receipt of this message.JAMES SMITH
My response: I’m waiting for a response from ScamPulse.com and BestMark to see if this is legit. I’ll be glad to work for you ONCE YOUR APPLICATION CLEARS. I need your name BBC and employee number and details of the job. I’m sure you understand this process since there are scammers out there impersonating this company. Your company is VERY AWARE of the scams and are working with me to make sure I’m not being taken. Thank you for your cooperation and assistance. Waiting for your reply.
He has not responded…
Victim Location 29210
Type of a scam Employment
This was posed as an job opportunity to be a Mystery shopper. The link given was http://unpirsatumare.ro/wp/index.htm. Check was issued for $2498.00.cash or deposit 24 hour hold.The job was advertized to be $360.00. per assignment.
Victim Location 48439
Type of a scam Phishing
Received text, then overnight package with cashiers check and instructions with what to do with portion of the money. Deposit and purchase gift cards. Photo cards and send to them.
Victim Location 29356
Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order
I applied online with Bestmark to become a secret shopper. I had not heard anything and figured it was just a scam. Today I received a large check (2340.00) made out to me from SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union in Burbank Ca. With instructions to deposit or cash immediately. I was to use cash to purchase 4, 500 dollar Reoadit cards. I was to evaluate one of 6 or 7 different businesses. I was to keep 300 dollars as my payment. I didn’t think secret shoppers made that kind of money. I just don’t think this is legit. I have attached a copy of the letter and check. I would appreciate a confirmation on this matter.
The strange thing was they wanted the pins from the scratch off area of the cards and the exact amount loaded. I thought you got to keep what you purchased. See attached document.
Victim Location 59803
Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order
I received an email that seemed like it was from the Mystery Shopping Provider’s Association that had me fill out an application to be a mystery shopper. About a week later I received a Priority Mail Envelope with a check for $2340.oo with which I was supposed to deposit in my bank account and use the money to shop to buy refillable gift cards. Surely the check was not real, and would have bounced, costing me lots of $$$ and the gift cards would have been emptied into the pockets of the scammers. They wanted me to buy 4 Reloadit Plus Packs and load them for $500 each. I could keep the excess $$ as payment.
Victim Location 97132
Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order
I seem to remember giving my address online for a mystery shopper position. I received a check and instructions sent by 2 Day Priority Mail. The instructions include one poorly written sheet with the heading BESTMARK with Mystery Shopping underneath. Then a “Congratulations, you just got your first shopper job package.” A check for $1840 from a supposed credit union in Monticello, Mississippi is enclosed. The page is signed “Rodney Good, Hiring Manager, BestmarMetric with a circled R at the end. Here s what was fishey. The instructions state I should deposit the check and email a picture of the receipt right away. Then I am to take $1540 out of my Acct in cash. Then go to one of the stores on a particular website: reloadit.com/StoreLocator. I should pick up three $500 Reloadit Plus Packs. Scratch off the pins gently. Then I am to list a few demographic details, send the exact PIN numbers and answer about five, very general questions, such as how clean the location was. I could buy two at one store, one at the other. There were only two stores listed on the website. I was told I could keep $300. So what else is fishy? The subtraction isn’t right. The phone number is for “Text only”. The printing is uneven and poor quality. The mailing address will not be provided until after your “report” is received. Key words are left out of statements. Very unprofessional looking. Checking online, there are several, pretty credible sounding reviews. I sent a photo of the check and instructions to my credit union, of which I have been a member for over 20 years. The manager said he has not seen one be legitimate in his 15 years of working. To add insult to injury, after losing the $1512 from my account, I would have to pay a $30 bogus check fee. No thanks. It was fun to dream for a day. But just another nasty scam. Drat it.
Victim Location 07083
Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order
<span title="https://www.csoonline.com/article/3054996/security/woman-loses-1-825-to-mystery-shopping-scam-posing-as-bestmark-inc.html
https://www.csoonline.com/article/3054996/security/woman-loses-1-825-to-mystery-…⇄ />
Below is gmail note I rec’d – note not using company name in email address domain.
Bob Young
Feb 6 (3 days ago)
to me
Hello .
You submitted your information to one of our recruitment agency Via a Referral from Linked-in BESTMARK to work as an secret shopper. Your details have been verified and you are shortlisted as one of our representatives. Here is your unique I.D number MS6953, your details have been stored in our database.
Our company has recently been contacted to do a quality survey on Apple, Walmart stores, best buy, CVS, and Target. We have shortlisted few representatives from various states and cities to visit any of those stores listed randomly to buy merchandise and share their experience via our feedback assessment form.
You will receive an envelope containing a Cashier’s Check, Instruction Letter and Assessment Form Today. Kindly check your mailbox daily and send us an email immediately you have possession of the package.
Please signify your interest with a Yes,
I’m Bob Young
***
I was approached in the same way as story link/see email above. They sent a check after contacting me over LinkedIn and via mobile phone text. Then asked if I had rec’d the check and when I would deposit. Instructions called for me to buy $2500 in eBay gift cards and to rub off passcode on back and send photographs. When I read same details in news story above I fortunately realized that they were doing. Too bad as my girlfriend loves shopping and really wanted to do this! Told guy I would not be able to take advantage of his offer and asked for return address and TaX ID. He did not respond.