Just a day after uncovering a mystery shopping scam with a Minnesota tie (
http://minnesota.bbb.org/article/Mystery-shopping-offer-a-Scam-31332), the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota is alerting the public to another shady mystery shopping offer.
Consumers are reporting they're receiving letters, with checks enclosed, from an organization calling itself RS Consulting Group, which claims to be located in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. The checks are for between $1,300 and $2,500, and the letters claim to offer employment as mystery shoppers. Recipients are urged to spend some of the money at various stores and then wire back a significant portion of the funds via Western Union to the organization making this offer. The BBB is advising people that this offer is fraudulent, and also has reason to believe the company is not located at the address claimed.
An Internet search reveals there is a UK-based company called RS Consulting, with a subsidiary callled RS Consulting Group; however, this organization is
not involved with this offer, nor do they employ secret shoppers.
Consumers who receive any solicitation offering employment as mystery shoppers are advised to be wary, especially if a check is enclosed. Though there are firms that employ people as mystery shoppers, this is not how legitimate mystery shopping firms operate.
To avoid falling for mystery shopping scams, consumers should:
- always be extremely leery of checks you receive out of the blue.
- check the company out at www.bbb.org
- remember that legitimate job offers do not require payments upfront, nor do (or should) they require you to wire money.
