Community Research Inc.

Victim Location 21015

Type of a scam Employment

After filling out a form on the internet to be a Walmart Secret Shopper I received a Priority Mail envelope with a letter and a check for $1,590 with instructions to cash it and keep $300 and go to Walmart and get a MoneyGram for $1220 and send it to Ben Abrams Pikesville, MD 21208. And as soon as I sent the MoneyGram I was to take a picture of it with the receipt and text it to 626-800-4507. They want you to do this within a short amount of time so you don’t realize until it is to late that the check they sent you does not clear.

Victim Location 45039

Type of a scam Employment

I sent my resume to this Craigslist job posting.

A few days later a USPs letter arrived with a fake Cashier check and letter.

Victim Location 45424

Type of a scam Employment

Was invited to join the Community Research Secret Shopper Program for Walmart.

I was sent a check for 1670.00 and that I was suppose to spend no more than 50.00 shopping while checking off a list of items to watch for.

What makes this one different then the scams I have herd about was that it specifically to use the Walmart2Walmart transfer (Not MoneyGram Transfer) since MoneyGram is well aware of this scheme. and send back 1290.00 to the address below

I was then to send Wal-Mart receipt# and the Walmart2Walmart transfer reference # via text message to the phone number (626) 988-6322

Receiver’s Name; Joe Materne, Receiver Location Dallas, TX 75202

Victim Location 83316

Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order

I got email from Survey Monkey, where I am a member, saying they were looking for people to make money from surveys, etc. As an elderly person with very limited income, I signed up. Yesterday, I received a text message from Daniel Lobello asking if I was still interested, and in the mail I received a cashier’s check for $1580 and instructions to deposit and then transfer some back using Walmart’s transfer program. The letter has a Ria Money Transfer logo at the top and the name Community Research, Inc. at the bottom. The check is from a legitimate bank, First Community Bank in MI. I was to transfer funds to Peter Murdoch in Atlanta, GA 30370.

This mostly looked pretty legit but a little research showed no company by that name and the phone number is a landline but with no name associated. Also, Survey Monkey says they never recruit for secret shoppers.

Victim Location 59404

Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order

Scammer asked me to participate in WalMart Secret Shopper program via Survey Monkey. Claimed to be named Stewart Collette from Community Research Inc. Mailed me a check for $1592, told me to keep $300 and transfer the rest via Western Union to Peter Murdoch in Atlanta, GA 30370. Seemed fishy so I looked it up online and it’s a common scam.

Victim Location 53704

Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order

I received a letter in the mail on 10/17 with a cashier’s check for 1,580.00, please, see attachments. The letter instructs me to keep 300, spend 50 at walmart and transfer 1,210 to James Lassen in Riverdale, GA 30296. The company calls itself Community Research Inc. and Mr. Robert Cundiff says to be the person in charge. I called the bank that issued the check and they told me is a fake. I got a text message from the number in the letter asking if I had received the packet. I called back to an answer machine.

I saw in the news a teacher who did fall for it. Some people may believe it and then loose their money when the check is found to be fake.

For some reason I can not attach a photo of the check, letter and envelope but I can provide it if needed it.

Thank you