MSPA – Edward Bronson

Claire –

Victim Location 75002

Type of a scam Fake Check/Money Order

I received email asking if I was interested in being a secret shopper for Kroger, I responded yes and completed survey/application. few days later received another letting me know I had been chosen and would be receiving full instructions in the mail in a couple of days. They asked for a valid cell phone number stating that would be the preferred contact method. They text me on Thursday letting me know my package was sent and I need to respond back acknowledging I received the text, I did so. Package arrived on Friday via USPS Priority Mail. Enclosed was a letter and a money order for $978.00, a lot more than what they had original told me. I was to cash or deposit money order at my bank only and take $800 in cash and purchase iTunes gift cards for $100 or $50 values only, my payment was $178 for my evaluation of the purchase process at various stores listed in the letter. Once gift card was purchased I was to scratch pin & activation number on back of cards, take picture and text to 830-282-6559, next I was to email my results of my experience in purchasing the gift cards to [email protected] I decided I would not cash money order at my bank and went to the money center at Walmart and has advised only the postal service could cash money order, so next I checked online at postal service if money order was real, it came up they could not verify money order in the system, I did not lose any money.

Email received,

Edward Bronson ([email protected])

To:you (Bcc) Details

Hello,

Sorry for getting back to you late. The delay is due to the number of applications we have to treat everyday. Count yourself lucky as your details have undergone background checks and have been processed. We received your mailing details in replication to our Survey/shopper job ad. Your job is to act like any customary customer and perform a mundane business transaction while you conduct a simple evaluation (without being noticed) and accumulate information about the quality of service by staff, customer service professionalism, comportment of staff and other issues at such locations.

Your survey evaluation will be on business locations such as, Kroger, Target, Walgreen, CVS, Walmart Outlets and Financial institutions. There have been reports about lapses in the services of their management and some of their staff. This evaluation is necessitated predicated on reports which their customers forwarded anonymously and phone calls, which were also made to the head office.

A package will be sent to you, inside the package you will find your Emolument payment of $150-$200 and other funds you will utilize to carry out your surveying process. The funds will be sent securely to your mailing address you have given down in form of a Check which you would cash at your bank and use for the assignment. You must not use your personal money to consummate any of the surveying processes and there will be no reimbursement of any kind since we are providing you with all the funds you will require to carry out the survey. However, you are allowed to use your personal money in a situation where you want to promptly accomplish your assignment if you are capable to do so as bonuses are paid for timely execution of assignments and it enhances new tasks to be designated to you expeditiously.

An Evaluation Instruction will be sent to you through email, this will tell you what to do at the store location and how to expend the funds at the location. I would optate you to confirm how your name should appear on the check, give down a working cell phone number where you can receive text messages. Additionally, I would want you to state if you have done this kind of job before and what your experience was when you did it? You are also to confirm your mailing address and give down your apartment number if there is any, so there won’t be issues when the courier service wants to deliver the package with your payment.

Please note that you are to act Cool, Calm and Confident throughout the period which you will be carrying out your survey at the Outlets in order not to arouse any suspicion. Your swift response would be highly appreciated, replying with the Subject THIS IS ACKNOWLEDGED.

Best Regards,

Edward Bronson

830-282-6559

Task Coordinator

Survey Shopper®