MMSN Professional Survey and Research Group

Kathleen –

Victim Location 34957

Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order

They sent me a check for $2350 to cash for being a secret shopper and I can keep $350 and I purchase the rest in walmart gift cards. It instructed me to send them pictures of the gift cards numbers and the pin number that would need to be scratched out. It would tell me what to do with them after it was over.

Danielle –

Victim Location 48843

Type of a scam Employment

This scammer e-mailed me from a [email protected]@walgreens.com to sign up to evaluate stores in a mystery shopper way. I get my prescriptions filled there and have an account so I thought it was actually Walgreens. I signed up with name, address, and phone number and then a week or two later got a text saying reply Yes if I wanted to receive the first job. I replied Yes and it responded that I would receive an envelope soon. The USPS priority 2-day mail envelope showed up with a letter explaining the job and a cashier’s check from Fulton bank for $2,350.00. You are told to cash the check and then within 24 hours go buy Wal-Mart gift cards and text pictures of the cards to make sure they’re "not from a banned batch". However, it’s likely a bad check and you will be out the money that you spent on the gift cards.

Daniel –

Victim Location 67037

Type of a scam Employment

Today a flat rate priority mail envelope arrived from James Yates, 105 Malcolm Ave, Moore MT 59464-9002 (postage page and tracking number issued from 59464 zip via "click-n-ship").

Enclosed was a sealed, blank envelope containing a cashier’s check of $2,350 and a one-page instruction sheet (photo copied, not original). The letter claims to be from MMSN Professional Survey and Research Group (unable to find by Google). No physical address is provided, only a cell phone number (251-265-4672) for texting (no instructions to call whatsoever – everything is text only) and an email of an assigned coordinator (Christopher Edward, in my case – [email protected]).

The instructions are as follows:

1. Text upon receipt of the letter.

2. Deposit the check into my bank account in a fashion that will be cleared within 24 hrs or less.

3. Visit 2 WalMart locations near me.

4. Purchase 3 different gift cards in the amount of $400 each, noting my experience along the way.

5. Text the coordinator a notice of completion.

6. Email pictures of the 16-digit bar codes and 4-digit pins.

7. Proceed to the 2nd WalMart location.

8. Purchase 2 different gift cards in the amount of $400 each, noting my experience along the way.

9. Text the coordinator a notice of completion.

10. Email pictures of the 16-digit bar codes and 4-digit pins.

11. Retain the balance of the funds as my performance compensation.

12. Text the coordinator upon full completion for instructions about next assignment.

I did contact Fulton Bank (the institution the cashier’s check is drawn on) to verify the account and funds. (Due to privacy laws, they’re unable to do much more than that.) The customer service representative did verify the account and that there were funds currently in the account to cover the check. He also expressed the use of grave caution in proceeding – especially if it was an unexpected offer/mail piece.

I also use Google to research (or try to research) the company (no luck) and other gift card scams. I found several reports of very similar situations (although the check amounts varied only slightly), resulting in the company then (a) using the cards (because they can with the numbers being emailed to them) and (b) then taking the money back from bank accounts, leaving the depositer to cover the purchases, discrepancies, etc.

Autumn –

Victim Location 30058

Type of a scam Employment

I need to verify if this is a legitimate company. Company asked me to Buy gift cards with a cashier’s check drawn on Fulton Bank