Secret Shopper Warning

[kymom99]

I was approached through email to be a secret shopper for Nissan Service at the dealership where I get my car serviced. They told me they would pay $40. I took them up on the offer and performed the "shop". I completed the paperwork on time. (I received a score of 10/10, by the way.) I was told they only pay by paypal, so I set up an account.

Yesterday I got a check in the mail. It was for $40 and had all my info, notated Nissan, included the shop number, had intelli-shop's address on it....everything was accurate. I was excited because money has been tight and getting paid took a long time.

Fortunately, something told me to check my account. When I got to the login page, there was a check cashing scam alert! I am just sick about this, thinking of what could have happened if I had cashed that check! We have had so much bad luck lately.

It also is upsetting to know someone was able to get my address and personal information from this company. I noticed yesterday that their site is not secure, even if logged in.

Funny thing is, my account is marked paid on Sept. 21st, and the check is dated Sept. 20th. Whoever it was who did this sure knows how this company does business. The fine print says it will take 5 days to post to paypal, which may explain why there is no money there yet, if there ever will be.

I am very turned off by this whole thing and plan to delete my account once I am paid. Plus, I get a million emails about the same shops every day.

So be careful out there if you are trying to make a few bucks through secret shopping.

 

[brekin67]

That's terrible. I do shopping through Monterey Mystery and get $30 when I shop for an assigned auto brand. The money goes into paypal within 30 days. So far I have never had a problem.

 

[StephMK]

I have shopped with intelli-shop several times and they are legit. Are you sure that the website isn't just warning people of a cash cashing scam such as - if someone gives you a check for $100, you deposit it, and send them $80. I think your payment is real, they are just warning people not to accept any job that require you to use a check cashing service or shop.

I have seen those notices on a few different shopper sites but I think it's different than the check you received for payment. Call them & ask, I have found most to be very helpful.

 

[NYCDiane]

I was approached through email to be a secret shopper for Nissan Service at the dealership where I get my car serviced. They told me they would pay $40. I took them up on the offer and performed the "shop". I completed the paperwork on time. (I received a score of 10/10, by the way.) I was told they only pay by paypal, so I set up an account.

Yesterday I got a check in the mail. It was for $40 and had all my info, notated Nissan, included the shop number, had intelli-shop's address on it....everything was accurate. I was excited because money has been tight and getting paid took a long time.

Fortunately, something told me to check my account. When I got to the login page, there was a check cashing scam alert! I am just sick about this, thinking of what could have happened if I had cashed that check! We have had so much bad luck lately.

It also is upsetting to know someone was able to get my address and personal information from this company. I noticed yesterday that their site is not secure, even if logged in.

Funny thing is, my account is marked paid on Sept. 21st, and the check is dated Sept. 20th. Whoever it was who did this sure knows how this company does business. The fine print says it will take 5 days to post to paypal, which may explain why there is no money there yet, if there ever will be.

I am very turned off by this whole thing and plan to delete my account once I am paid. Plus, I get a million emails about the same shops every day.
So be careful out there if you are trying to make a few bucks through secret shopping.

You were at the login page of your account ---- did you already log in or was it the login page??? If it was just the login page, then that was a general announcement from the bank -- sort of like those "messages" on the back of your electric bill or DMV envelope.

Why not contact the company you did the "shop" for and tell them you received the check and want to be paid via PayPal rather than check?

I wouldn't jump to the many conclusions you're jumping to just yet

 

[Shmily1]

What shopping company was that with? I hate to hear that any reputable shopping would do that.

 

[capshockeygrl]

I've shopped with Intelli-Shop specifically for Nissan many times and have never had a problem. They always send me a check because I didn't want to deal with Paypal.

 

[Traveliz]

I was approached through email to be a secret shopper for Nissan Service at the dealership where I get my car serviced. They told me they would pay $40. I took them up on the offer and performed the "shop". I completed the paperwork on time. (I received a score of 10/10, by the way.) I was told they only pay by paypal, so I set up an account.

Yesterday I got a check in the mail. It was for $40 and had all my info, notated Nissan, included the shop number, had intelli-shop's address on it....everything was accurate. I was excited because money has been tight and getting paid took a long time.

Fortunately, something told me to check my account. When I got to the login page, there was a check cashing scam alert! I am just sick about this, thinking of what could have happened if I had cashed that check! We have had so much bad luck lately.

It also is upsetting to know someone was able to get my address and personal information from this company. I noticed yesterday that their site is not secure, even if logged in.

Funny thing is, my account is marked paid on Sept. 21st, and the check is dated Sept. 20th. Whoever it was who did this sure knows how this company does business. The fine print says it will take 5 days to post to paypal, which may explain why there is no money there yet, if there ever will be.

I am very turned off by this whole thing and plan to delete my account once I am paid. Plus, I get a million emails about the same shops every day.

So be careful out there if you are trying to make a few bucks through secret shopping.

This doesn't sound like a scam. I have shopped for almost 15 years and many of those with Intelli-shop. I do see where it says they only pay by Paypal on their site but 40.00 is the fee amount and when you get a scam check it is usually for 300-400 with weird directions. You really need to either call Intelli-shop or go in under the shop and click contact scheduler and ask. I see where a previous poster is paid by check and it might be possible that you were also this time for some reason.

Let us know what happens. I make more than a few bucks each year doing this so sorry to hear you are having doubts.

Liz

 

[seashoreCM]

You should not send them money at any time. If they owe you money and send you a check that is slightly oversize, then feel free to cash it or deposit it and keep the difference.

Check both sides of the check to be sure that you are not agreeing to subscribe to something when you sign the check or cash it. If you are indeed owed the money for which the check is paying you, then feel free to strike out any statement (you'll need a special gel pen; ballpoint ink can be bleached) on the back agreeing to subscribe to something.

If you do get a check for much more than you are owed and included is a note to please send back the change then you definitely have a scam going. Chances are this check is really bad and in a way that you won't see it bounce until several months after you deposit it. Do not send them money at any time.

Payment by check is just as good as payment via Paypal. It is possible for Paypal payments to bounce also.

 

[bumbershoot]

Yesterday I got a check in the mail. It was for $40 and had all my info, notated Nissan, included the shop number, had intelli-shop's address on it....everything was accurate. I was excited because money has been tight and getting paid took a long time.

Fortunately, something told me to check my account. When I got to the login page, there was a check cashing scam alert! I am just sick about this, thinking of what could have happened if I had cashed that check! We have had so much bad luck lately.

It also is upsetting to know someone was able to get my address and personal information from this company. I noticed yesterday that their site is not secure, even if logged in.

I think that you're saying that some other scammy people got your info from the bonafide company. You checked your login at the bonafide company and they were alerting you that there was a scam going on, that other people had gotten the info?

You set up paypal, you are still expecting paypal, and this check was unexpected and NOT the actual payment from the company itself. Right?

 

[kymom99]

Thank you all so much for the help and reassurance. On the intelli-shop site, it says they only play by paypal. At the login page it says to be aware of a scam. I did email the company and got a response that was reassuring. She said that since I requested to be paid by check (I didn't remember doing that) the check should be fine. She is checking with the accounting department to be sure. The check is for the correct amount and has all of the exact information on it you would expect, which is why I thought someone had gotten my personal information. It scared me for a bit. I am so relieved. I don't really know how check cashing scams work so I went into a panic.

I will update when I hear more.

 

[Traveliz]

Thank you all so much for the help and reassurance. On the intelli-shop site, it says they only play by paypal. At the login page it says to be aware of a scam. I did email the company and got a response that was reassuring. She said that since I requested to be paid by check (I didn't remember doing that) the check should be fine. She is checking with the accounting department to be sure. The check is for the correct amount and has all of the exact information on it you would expect, which is why I thought someone had gotten my personal information. It scared me for a bit. I am so relieved. I don't really know how check cashing scams work so I went into a panic.

I will update when I hear more.

Here is an explanation of how they work:

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0159-fake-checks

Generally you can tell because out of nowhere (meaning you didn't apply for the shop) you get a letter with a check for an unusually high amount asking you to cash the check etc. Red flags in these letters include:

You haven't applied for the shop

The check amount is unusually high

The letter is typically poorly written and full of typos or bad grammar.

It just really sounds too good to be true.

Liz