Video Story
Watch VideoSecret Shopping Scam
Story By: Jeannette Hynes
Source: KOAA
Published Sun Sep 21, 2008, 07:36 PM MDT
Updated Sun Sep 21, 2008, 10:55 PM MDT
Adam Combs is a new dad. His wife stays at home to take care of their two-month old baby, while he tries to provide for his family.
Combs says, "It's tough to make it every month, and I have two side jobs on top of teaching."
Sun City Shoppers seemed to have the answer for him. The comapny sent Adam a letter and a check for $3,450. He was to go shopping and fill out a survey on the store's service.
"It looked pretty good to us. Pretty straight forward," Combs said. He said he even checked with his bank, and made sure the check he received cleared.
Combs wired back nearly $3,000 as part of his shopping agreement with Sun City Shoppers, and a few days later, the check from the company bounced.
Blair Reeves with the Better Business Bureau says sometimes scam checks like the one Combs received can take weeks, even months to bounce. She says her office has received a lot of calls about "make money at home" scams.
"In this type of economy, people want to believe that these scams are true. They can stay home, and have the ideal job," says Reeves.
Combs says when he had doubts about signing up for the job, he called the company, and the representative seemed to have all the right answers that eased his mind.
"It's really easy to be blind to some of the big red warning flags that are in these offers when you are basically desperate for side income," Combs adds.
Looking back, Combs says he can see the red flags.
"Sending that large of an amount through Western Union or Money Gram was the biggest red flag out of all of them."
Reeves with the B.B.B. says most of these "make money at home" businesses are scams, but some legitimate ones do exist.
Reeves says, do your homework. Her advice:
- Know how to contact the business, and know where its located.
- Know how you'll be paid for your work.
- Check the offer or business with the Better Business Bureau.
- Check the offer or business with the Federal Trade Commission.
- Never send money up front or wire money.
Reeves adds, if you're looking to be a mystery shopper, contact your local grocery store and find out what service or company it uses.
Combs says he doesn't want anyone to make the same mistake he did. He says he's worried about his credit, and is trying to get some money back. In the meantime, he's paying back his friend who loaned him the money he lost on the scam.
