‘Mystery shopper’ cheque warning to Lancashire residents (From Lancaster And Morecambe Citizen)
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‘Mystery shopper’ cheque warning to Lancashire residents
12:09pm Tuesday 18th September 2012 in News
A LANCASHIRE resident who applied online for a job as a mystery shopper became the victim of a scam to launder money overseas.
Lancashire County Council Trading Standards is highlighting the case to warn people how easy it is to fall foul of criminals who operate on the internet.
The woman was sent fraudulent travellers cheques worth 2,000 Euros after applying to a website which offered the chance to earn money from home by becoming a mystery shopper.
She received email instructions to pay the cheques into her own account and keep 200 Euros for carrying out two assignments and then send the remaining 1,800 Euros on to the next mystery shopper in the Philippines.
However, the woman became suspicious and it was discovered they were sophisticated forgeries.
Anyone with information regarding financial scams can report the matter to Action Fraud www.actionfraud.police.uk, telephone 0300 123 2040.
