Officers issued an advisory May 29 about a rise in a scam being reported in Winnipeg.
The so-called mystery shopper scam involves a victim “receiving a deceptive or misleading solicitation of an offering of employment. In most cases the job offer involves a money transfer or wiring funds related to cashing monetary instruments or goods,” said police.
Usually, the victim answers an ad to become a mystery shopper and the suspects then send a letter, outlining tasks to be completed and cheques to be provided to help the victim carry out his or her mystery shopping tasks.
Once victims cash the cheques provided and completes the tasks, they are then asked to use a money transfer company to wire money to a name provided.
“When the cheque is returned as forged, the victim is held accountable to pay for the funds that he/she wired,” said police.
Officers are reminding the public to be cautious when receiving offers of employment and if unsure of the legitimacy of a cheque to consult with the issuing company, employing a verified source for the phone number and ensuring the cheque clears before sending off funds.
More information on guarding against scams are available on the police service’s website.
