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DARIEN, Conn. – A Darien woman was scammed by a fake company that offered her a job as a "mystery shopper" sending checks via Western Union, according to police.
The woman received an email on Jan. 16 from a company called Market Force, Inc., offering her a position as a mystery shopper. The job description said she would get paid to evaluate the performance of Western Union employees. For each assignment, she would receive a check from the company and deposit it in her personal bank account. She would keep $250 and send the rest to someone in the company through Western Union.
On Jan. 23, she received an assignment and a check for $1,990. After taking out her $250, she sent the rest as directed. On Jan. 29, she received another assignment and a check for the same amount. She was then advised by her bank that both checks were fake.
She was able to reverse the transaction, with the exception of a $250 transaction fee. The contact information she had been given for the company turned out to be invalid, police said. Police checked with the Better Business Bureau and found a "mystery shopper" scam that used the name Mystery Force, Inc., and a similar methodology. Police said the scam artists may use the names of legitimate businesses to gain credibility.
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