Grocery Research

Glad I found this site. I live on disability and thought this might be a good way to supplement my income a little. Lonnie Harmon -Sight Search 706-972-2345 messaged me but told me to only contact him by email. [email protected]
I was going to be assigned to grocery stores an American Express gift cards. Sound familiar? Keep posting about these POS.

I received a text from Chester Hamilton from 706-972-2345, offering me a Mystery Shopper job. A couple weeks later I received a check with instructions to buy AMEX gift cards. One red flag was they wanted me to send them pictures of the gift cards. I google the Grocery Research and the bank on the check. I found there is such a bank but the routing number was wrong. I ripped it up and threw it away.

Simon Brady contacted me for a secret shopper job for Grocery Research; they sent me a check asking me to purchase AMEX gift cards up to $2000 and report how the store handled the transaction – I deposited the check and waited for my bank to make the funds available and then I purchased two of the gift cards. Two days after my bank made the funds available they then said the check was fraudulent and withdrew the money from my account. This was only an annoyance because I still had the AMEX gift cards so I did not lose any money; the scam seems very odd since they got nothing from me, but know that this is a scam nonetheless.

Yes, this is a wide spread scam. I have reported to my state Attorney General office as well as the federal trade commission. I recommend everyone report any information you have.

Victim Location 34202

Type of a scam Employment

I first received a text message from a different phone number, offering to become a Mystery Shopper (phone # is 323-326-7184). I did not click on the link in the text. Then I received a second text from a different number suggesting they emailed me an agreement letter. The company is Grocery Research, and the text was from Simon Brady 706-972-2345. I did see that I had missed an email from them as well. I went to the website, and it looked legit, so I filled out a form for more info about their mystery shopper program. I only provided contact info — no bank account or other info. I then received a letter with a cashier’s check and detailed instructions. Then I realized it seemed wrong – they just sent me a check with no discussion or agreement, and they were offering to pay me $295 to visit 2 stores and buy Amex gift cards. I went back to their website, and I see that when I click around, there are a lot of broken/non-existing links.