Secret Shopper Scam

My email reply to this one was "Nice Try."  If it seems to good to be true it most likely is.  That is the adage, right?  I received a knock on the door this morning and I opened the door in time to see Fed Ex pulling away after leaving an overnight paid for Fed Ex envelope on my front porch.  I opened the envelope and there were two Money Gram money orders for $955.00 each.

 I checked the sender name and found it was sent by Mainframe Productions, 70 S. Front Street, Harrisburg, PA 17104.  My first reaction was that I had received payment for a film or industrial I had recently done.  My agent generally distributes my checks directly so I was a little suspicious.  There was a pink strip note instructing me to email bobballs@one.co.il for instructions as soon as received.  Next, I figured some indy film maker was advancing me for a role I was to do.  That thought was cast into the not a viable explanation pile because I have never met an Indy Film Company who would pay an actor, much less pay him up front. I emailed the bob balls (nice) guy saying only Instructions?



I received an immediate email reply which read:

Mystery Shopper first Payment..

This is to inform you that your first assignment starts today. Recently, there has been several lapses in the services of Western Union as reported by various customers and you are to evaluate a Western Union OUTLET nearest to you ..Read carefully as this is very easy.

Steps to take ; YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT
You are advised to read carefully to understand procedures.

1) You are to proceed to your bank, cash the check at your bank and make a transfer of funds from a Western Union location closest to you to another Mystery shopper in Philippines and the funds would be picked up by this Mystery shopper at the exact locations which a customer has reported her funds stolen from.

2) You would have to record the time at which you go to the location and how many minutes it took you to get service.
 You are advised to cash the Money Orders at your bank, upon receipt deduct $200 survey fees for this assignment and have the balance funds transferred via Western Union to the following mystery shopper. You will be required to deduct the Western Union transfer charges from the balance funds to the agents details below ;

Here are the details below:

RECEIVERS NAME : Michelle Hudson
                268 East Waffi Street,
                 State ...manilla
                 Country.. Philippines
 amount..$1450


RECEIVERS NAME : Amanda Harris
                44 East Waffi Street,
                 State ...manilla
                 Country.. Philippines
 amount..Remain balance left

Remember, the sending charges should be deducted from the balance.After processing the Money Orders at your bank, proceed immediately with cash to the nearest Western Union OUTLET for evaluation and secretly perform the following shopping operation on your own, please do not ask the Western Union operators any suspicious question as your Identity should be kept confidential as the job states (secret shopper). In the process of sending the funds to the above mystery shopper, you are to carry out your assignment and provide us with a report to the following questions below ;

1. How fast and Efficient is the Western Union Money Transfer Service?
2. How long did it take you to have the funds wired?
3. How close is the Western Union Money Transfer Location to your area?
4. Is the Senders Request Form too short or Long? Kindly Advise
5. Is the neighboring environment safe for handling Western Union Money Transfer Service.
6. When you get to Western Union some would ask you, about whom you are sending funds to ,just let him or her know you are sending the funds to a close relative..
7. Be very Cautious as they would want to find out whom exactly you are working for
8. General Comments....

You are expected to have this done on the same day you receive the funds and email us back your results with the following information after you have the funds wired:
1. SENDER'S NAME:
2. SENDER'S ADDRESS :
3. MTCN Number ( 10 digit) xxx:xxx:xxxx
4. Exact Amount Wired: $
I will like you to confirm you completely understand your assignment and capability in carrying it out without glitches. Also note that if you complete this task within 24 hrs, you are entitled to a bonus fee of $100 which will be included in the payment for your next assignment.
Kindly get back ASAP because your results will be reviewed and collated for the upcoming Analyst/Investor Conference.

Regards, 

I was born in the dark but it wasn't last night. I immediately sent my reply:  Nice Try.
I did a little quick search on 'one.co.il' and found nothing informative and all in a language I could not recognize.  So I did a net search on Money Gram Scams.  I came across a blog that described similar scams.  My instincts proved correct.  As much as you need the money, don't deposit the money orders.  Your bank will accept the money orders and they will credit your account.  However, the cash will be recaptured later and you may incur penalties and possible legal damages.

I am above this stupid crap, and I tend to keep a little cash in my account so I was not too seriously tempted by  the $1,910.00 windfall.  Don't send these low lifes any money.  Don't depoit the money order thinking you will get over.  Throw it away and report the scam to www.consumerfraudreporting.org/reporting.php.

Later.