The Secret Shopper Trap

A mystery shopping assignment has arrived with a check to deposit and instructions to spend most of it.

A mystery shopping "assignment" arrives with a generous check and instructions to spend most of it. If a secret shopper job sent you a check, the check is the trap.

Welcome to ShopperPanel! Your first assignment: deposit the enclosed check for $1,975. Keep $300 as your evaluation fee, then use the balance to purchase gift cards at your assigned store and report the card numbers within 24 hours to complete your evaluation.

Why this is a scam

Banks release check funds before the check actually clears. The scam lives in that gap: you deposit, the balance appears, you buy gift cards with "their" money, and days later the check bounces. The bank pulls the full amount back from you; the scammer already has the gift card codes.

Real mystery shopping exists, but it pays modest fees after the work, and it never, ever involves depositing checks or buying gift cards.

Red flags

  • A check you must deposit before doing any "work."
  • Instructions to buy gift cards and report the numbers.
  • Keep-a-generous-fee framing; easy money for an hour of shopping.
  • A 24-hour deadline that beats the check-clearing window on purpose.
  • You never applied to be a mystery shopper.

How it works

The illusion of their money. Because the funds show in your balance, spending them feels risk-free; the whole scam is that timing lie.

What to do

  • Don't deposit the check; a cleared-looking balance is not a cleared check.
  • Never buy gift cards as part of any job.
  • If you deposited it, tell your bank now, before you spend a cent.
  • Keep the check and envelope; report to the FTC and the US Postal Inspection Service if it came by mail.
  • Real mystery shopping never requires your money first; judge every offer by that line.

Scam

Red flag

High confidence of a scam. The content, the sender, the intent and where its requests lead all point the same way. Do not reply, click, call or pay.

What to do next

Do not reply, click any link, call any number in the message or send money. If it claims to be from an organisation you know, contact them using details you already trust.

Likely to be a scam

Yellow flag

It asks you to act: a link, a number, a reply or a payment. Where that request leads is where the harm starts.

What to do next

Do not reply, click any link, call any number in the message or send money. If it claims to be from an organisation you know, contact them using details you already trust.

Likely to be a scam

Grey flag

Nothing is asked of you yet. The content, the sender or the intent do not add up. Scams like this start friendly and ask later.

What to do next

Do not reply at all, not even to say wrong number. A reply tells them the number is live. Block the sender and delete the message. If a request follows, check it again.

Looks normal

Green flag

High confidence this is normal. The content reads as expected, the sender has a safe history, and anything it asks leads somewhere legitimate. Accounts can be taken over, so if a request seems out of character, check again.

What to do next

No action needed. If the sender later asks for money, codes or personal details, check that message too.

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Scam

Red flag

High confidence of a scam. The content, the sender, the intent and where its requests lead all point the same way. Do not reply, click, call or pay.

Likely to be a scam

Yellow flag

It asks you to act: a link, a number, a reply or a payment. Where that request leads is where the harm starts.

Looks normal

Green flag

High confidence this is normal. The content reads as expected, the sender has a safe history, and anything it asks leads somewhere legitimate. Accounts can be taken over, so if a request seems out of character, check again.

Likely to be a scam

Grey flag

Nothing is asked of you yet. The content, the sender or the intent do not add up. Scams like this start friendly and ask later.

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What this message wants you to do

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You do not have to answer. Nothing you tap here is sent or recorded, and the verdict above stands either way.

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Nothing has happened yet

Good. Checking first is the safest thing to do. Do not tap any link, reply, or call any number in the message. Block the sender and delete the message. If it claims to be from an organisation you know, contact them using details you already trust.

Change answer

You tapped a link

Opening a link does not usually take money or details on its own. The harm comes from what you do on the page it opens. If you entered nothing and installed nothing, close the page and do not go back to it. If it asked you to sign in, enter a code, or install something, and you did, choose Gave details instead.

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You gave details

Work through this in order. First, if you gave bank or card details, call your bank now on the number on your card. Next, change the password for any account you entered, and for any other account that uses the same password. If you shared a one-time code, tell the organisation it belongs to straight away. Then turn on two-step verification where you can, and watch your statements for anything you do not recognise.

Change answer

You sent money

Call your bank now, on the number on your card or in your banking app. Say: "I have been scammed and I need to stop a payment." The sooner they hear from you, the more they may be able to stop or recover. In the UK you can call 159 to reach your bank. Do not pay anyone who offers to get the money back. That is another scam.

Report it. US: ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and ic3.gov for online crime. UK: reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040; in Scotland, Police Scotland on 101. Australia: scamwatch.gov.au. Have ready the message, the sender's number or address, and any payment details.

What to do next

Do not reply, click any link, call any number in the message or send money. If it claims to be from an organisation you know, contact them using details you already trust.

Do not reply, click any link, call any number in the message or send money. If it claims to be from an organisation you know, contact them using details you already trust.

No action needed. If the sender later asks for money, codes or personal details, check that message too.

Do not reply at all, not even to say wrong number. A reply tells them the number is live. Block the sender and delete the message. If a request follows, check it again.

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How this scam works

The closest match is the scam described on this page.

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