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mystery shopping scam or not

  • 24-10-2011 10:04pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41


    Can any one advise me on this ...i rexently applied for a quick mystery shopping job on gum tree and got severel e mails from a bloke called gary smith linksconsultants saying they want me to do a task on moneygram (which is used to transfer money) now listen to this they are sending me a cheque which they want me to lodge in to a bank account and wait the 2-3 days for the cheque to clear and take the money out and go to my nearest money gram agent and transfer the money now i havnt given these people any personal details nor I wont but just want some advice on the matter that a company is sending out cheques to total strangers


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,015 ✭✭✭CreepingDeath


    SCAM !

    The cheque will bounce soon afterwards, and you'll have sent them money.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,335 ✭✭✭✭UrbanSea


    When you arrive with the money,they'll close the door behind you,take off your clothes,and next thing


    BAM

    cock in the ass


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,335 ✭✭✭✭UrbanSea


    What I'm saying is,do it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 17,918 ✭✭✭✭orourkeda


    shopping? stop will ye


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,303 ✭✭✭Temptamperu


    SCAM !

    The cheque will bounce soon afterwards, and you'll have sent them money.
    But he says he waits three days for the cheques to clear.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,915 ✭✭✭MungBean


    SCAM !

    The cheque will bounce soon afterwards, and you'll have sent them money.

    He'll obviously wait for it to clear before sending the money. Maybe they will get your account details from the cashed cheque. Cheque for a tenner, they get your details and try clean ya out or something. Its an odd one. Cant see a reputable company sending money out like that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,785 ✭✭✭KungPao


    Someone on a free ad site on the internet wants to send you a cheque?

    Sounds legit to me.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,462 ✭✭✭✭WoollyRedHat


    Can any one advise me on this ...i rexently applied for a quick mystery shopping job on gum tree and got severel e mails from a bloke called gary smith linksconsultants saying they want me to do a task on moneygram (which is used to transfer money) now listen to this they are sending me a cheque which they want me to lodge in to a bank account and wait the 2-3 days for the cheque to clear and take the money out and go to my nearest money gram agent and transfer the money now i havnt given these people any personal details nor I wont but just want some advice on the matter that a company is sending out cheques to total strangers

    Gumtree is dodge in all fairness or can be


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,015 ✭✭✭CreepingDeath


    But he says he waits three days for the cheques to clear.

    Someone has forged a cheque illegally, maybe from robbing a house and taking a cheque book.

    They write a few cheques, and they go through as the real owner has the funds. It's only when the real owner realises there's fraudulent transactions in their next statement, that the bank try to claw-back the money from your bank account. You lose the money, are suspected of fraud and have given money via money transfer which cannot be refunded to you.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,632 ✭✭✭✭okidoki987


    Someone on a free ad site on the internet wants to send you a cheque?

    Sounds legit to me.

    +1 ;)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,648 ✭✭✭desertcircus


    Waiting the 2-3 days for the cheque to clear is foolproof, except for the fact that a cheque can take up to five working days to clear. And if it's a foreign cheque, then four to six weeks. It's a scam, pure and simple.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,915 ✭✭✭MungBean


    Someone has forged a cheque illegally, maybe from robbing a house and taking a cheque book.

    They write a few cheques, and they go through as the real owner has the funds. It's only when the real owner realises there's fraudulent transactions in their next statement, that the bank try to claw-back the money from your bank account. You lose the money, are suspected of fraud and have given money via money transfer which cannot be refunded to you.

    Makes sense. MrScam has dodgy cheque books, some of them are bound to pay out and he gets the money while you get done for fraud.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,800 ✭✭✭Senna


    The cheque will clear, but I can take a few weeks for the banks to realise there's a problem, then they debt your account for the amount. Its an old scam.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,969 ✭✭✭hardCopy


    Waiting the 2-3 days for the cheque to clear is foolproof, except for the fact that a cheque can take up to five working days to clear. And if it's a foreign cheque, then four to six weeks. It's a scam, pure and simple.

    This, when you see the cheque hit your account it's only provisional and can be backed out later by the bank if it subsequently bounces.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,851 ✭✭✭Cill Dara Abu


    OP, PM me bank account details and I will look into it for you.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,259 ✭✭✭Good loser


    Don't dream of doing it. Report them.

    Heard of this scam earlier in year.

    She was to lodge cheque for €1000, keep €300 and send them on the balance.

    The bank initially accepted cheque; when the person explained how she came by it they were immediately (and correctly) suspicous.

    Money might lodge in an account but it can take a further 4/5 for it to be fully verified.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41 Brian Cleary29


    Good loser wrote: »
    Don't dream of doing it. Report them.

    Heard of this scam earlier in year.

    She was to lodge cheque for €1000, keep €300 and send them on the balance.

    The bank initially accepted cheque; when the person explained how she came by it they were immediately (and correctly) suspicous.

    Money might lodge in an account but it can take a further 4/5 for it to be fully verified.
    jesus should i bring the cheque to guards if it arrives


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,915 ✭✭✭MungBean


    I think we should try do one over on this fella. OP go through with it and accept the cheques, lodge them but DONT send him the money. Send it on to me instead so if the cheques dont clear he doesnt get a cent. If they do clear the money is in your account. Everyone a winner.

    No time for questions you best get started !


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41 Brian Cleary29


    MungBean wrote: »
    I think we should try do one over on this fella. OP go through with it and accept the cheques, lodge them but DONT send him the money. Send it on to me instead so if the cheques dont clear he doesnt get a cent. If they do clear the money is in your account. Everyone a winner.

    No time for questions you best get started !
    haha it eould be good alright well they will probably email me tommorow asking did i get The cheque ill say ya ....... I paid my esb bill with it any chance you can send another


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,007 ✭✭✭knird evol


    Yes take the cheque. Write them a letter saying that you didn't have time to get to bank due to your busy schedule. But luckily the bar man in your local who is a good friend cashed the cheque the other night. A lot of the cash has been used to cover some urgent bills but you'll soon be able to sort them out, you have a job interview next month.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,915 ✭✭✭MungBean


    Put him in touch with another scammer who's looking a small payment to enable him to send on some monies he needs to transfer out of the country. Its a match made in heaven !


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,451 ✭✭✭Delancey


    I'm in a state of shock that Gumtree is being used for a scam - this could not possibly have happened before ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,572 ✭✭✭msg11


    Just wind him up for a few days. Ask for his phone number etc.. Say your not sure and need to speak with him etc...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,761 ✭✭✭chucken1


    Can any one advise me on this ...i rexently applied for a quick mystery shopping job on gum tree and got severel e mails from a bloke called gary smith linksconsultants saying they want me to do a task on moneygram (which is used to transfer money) now listen to this they are sending me a cheque which they want me to lodge in to a bank account and wait the 2-3 days for the cheque to clear and take the money out and go to my nearest money gram agent and transfer the money now i havnt given these people any personal details nor I wont but just want some advice on the matter that a company is sending out cheques to total strangers


    Think about it.

    Good lord man,have you not seen Judge Judy? :mad:


    Oh ya...its a scam. You will not get any money..Well you might but then you've to go to court and pay it back or maybe get away with a few months in Mulgrave Street ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,828 ✭✭✭Reamer Fanny


    Can any one advise me on this ...i rexently applied for a quick mystery shopping job on gum tree and got severel e mails from a bloke called gary smith linksconsultants saying they want me to do a task on moneygram (which is used to transfer money) now listen to this they are sending me a cheque which they want me to lodge in to a bank account and wait the 2-3 days for the cheque to clear and take the money out and go to my nearest money gram agent and transfer the money now i havnt given these people any personal details nor I wont but just want some advice on the matter that a company is sending out cheques to total strangers

    Firstly sir I'll just need your account number and sort code and could I have a photocopy of your passport.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    whatever you do , don't give them your address up unless you want to invite them for tea.
    how best to scam scammers, send them your details and play the fool with them. then wait for them to visit you one night.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,264 ✭✭✭✭Hobbes


    But he says he waits three days for the cheques to clear.

    The cheques are probably fake/stolen. So it is possible they will clear but when the person checks their account and find money gone, you will be the one in trouble.

    It is called the "Overpayment scam"
    http://www.hoax-slayer.com/overpayment-scam.html


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36 LandL84


    If you want to apply for mystery shopper do it on the official sites! Gum tree seems unreliable for me..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41 Brian Cleary29


    I have not yet received any cheque but i now realize after every ones posts its defiantly a scam so this is what i have sent this so called gary smith and i cant wait for the reply


    hi gary i received the cheque and brought it to my bank manager is highly concerned about the origin of this cheque and has deposited it in the banks fraudulent suspicious account, i need to ask you some questions about this
    i need the following your

    full name .......
    Telephone number......
    Full contact details......
    Full company registration details .....
    Full return address...........
    Country of origin.......
    IP address........

    THANK YOU.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,880 ✭✭✭Canis Lupus


    Dude, this stuff happens a bajillion times a day. Just delete the email and forget about it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 90 ✭✭Oscar the grouch


    Scam.....

    Its a test to see if you know how to usea a comma or full stop


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,190 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    There's a similar but even more vicious scam where they tell you that you will be receiving payments from local people for the company's goods by cheque. You lodge the cheque, hold back 10% for yourself and fire on the balance to the company.

    They start you off with small cheques of €300 and you build up a "trust rating" with the company, so if you lodge the cheque and send on the money quickly, your trust level increases and they send on bigger and bigger cheques of €5k and €10k.

    Problem is that they use forged or stolen international cheques or money orders, which can take a few weeks to do the rounds before they come back to your bank rejected. In the meantime you've cashed a load of cheques for these people.

    An alteration on the scam is to actually send small legit cheques to begin with of €300 or so. So you actually get €30 out of them and you begin to trust them. Eventually they say that you're trustworthy enough, send on for or five cheques in quick succession for huge amounts (like €30k in total) and the mark is then waaay out of pocket.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,542 ✭✭✭Pataman


    UrbanSea wrote: »
    When you arrive with the money,they'll close the door behind you,take off your clothes,and next thing


    BAM

    cock in the ass

    GREAT Where do I sign up????




    Did I say that out loud??


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1 mikki99943


    thats a scam . no genuine mystery shopping company will ask you to cash any cheque .
    if you are interested in mystery shopping there are many genuine companies out there . i can list a few for you if you message me as boards deleted the information i put up previously


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41 Brian Cleary29


    mikki99943 wrote: »
    thats a scam . no genuine mystery shopping company will ask you to cash any cheque .
    if you are interested in mystery shopping there are many genuine companies out there . i can list a few for you if you message me as boards deleted the information i put up previously

    I have not yet received a cheque from this bloke but he uses a rocket mail account this is the mail I have got back from him after I told him I brought cheque to the bank

    Hello Brian,
       Why would your bank put the check in a Fraudulent account? That is not okay as there is nothing wrong with the check. The information you asking is too personel as you know we are secret shopping here. What is happening now?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,605 ✭✭✭OakeyDokey


    Scam!! I was a mystery shopper for years and never heard of anything so ridiculous!

    Stay off gumtree.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,235 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    Its a scam but play them along like i did. I gave them my work address to send the cheque to. They sent me an Ulster Bank cheque for €1000. My sis works in Ulster bank and she contacted her fraud section who said the cheque was genuine in that it was real but the serial number had been tampered with and changed. The cheque was posted from Vilnius in Lithuania. Anyway i emailed them and told them i had lodged the cheque and was waiting for it to clear. He emailed me back and gave me the details of the moneygram account. I was to forward €600 and keep 400 for my self. After a week i emailed him and told him the cheque had cleared and i had the cash but that i couldnt get to the post office for another few days. He replied asking that i send the money as soon as possible. I kept making up excuses about why i couldnt send the money at that time. My little brother joey got very sick and i had to stay in hospital with him as we were orphans and he had no one else. I then was beaten up by a bunch of circus workers and had to have my leg amputated. I sent him pictures of wads of cash and told him as soon as my new bionic leg was fitted i would run to the post office and send the moneygram...i think he twigged at that point that he wasnt going to get any money. He threatened to report me to the FBI and told me that he knew the govenor of my town and he would have me arrested for fraud! I emailed him pictures of money for weeks after it telling him to come and collect his money in person...i never did get a reply.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,451 ✭✭✭Delancey


    CJC999 wrote: »
    Its a scam but play them along like i did. I gave them my work address to send the cheque to. They sent me an Ulster Bank cheque for €1000. My sis works in Ulster bank and she contacted her fraud section who said the cheque was genuine in that it was real but the serial number had been tampered with and changed. The cheque was posted from Vilnius in Lithuania. Anyway i emailed them and told them i had lodged the cheque and was waiting for it to clear. He emailed me back and gave me the details of the moneygram account. I was to forward €600 and keep 400 for my self. After a week i emailed him and told him the cheque had cleared and i had the cash but that i couldnt get to the post office for another few days. He replied asking that i send the money as soon as possible. I kept making up excuses about why i couldnt send the money at that time. My little brother joey got very sick and i had to stay in hospital with him as we were orphans and he had no one else. I then was beaten up by a bunch of circus workers and had to have my leg amputated. I sent him pictures of wads of cash and told him as soon as my new bionic leg was fitted i would run to the post office and send the moneygram...i think he twigged at that point that he wasnt going to get any money. He threatened to report me to the FBI and told me that he knew the govenor of my town and he would have me arrested for fraud! I emailed him pictures of money for weeks after it telling him to come and collect his money in person...i never did get a reply.

    Love it !!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41 Brian Cleary29


    Delancey wrote: »
    CJC999 wrote: »
    Its a scam but play them along like i did. I gave them my work address to send the cheque to. They sent me an Ulster Bank cheque for €1000. My sis works in Ulster bank and she contacted her fraud section who said the cheque was genuine in that it was real but the serial number had been tampered with and changed. The cheque was posted from Vilnius in Lithuania. Anyway i emailed them and told them i had lodged the cheque and was waiting for it to clear. He emailed me back and gave me the details of the moneygram account. I was to forward €600 and keep 400 for my self. After a week i emailed him and told him the cheque had cleared and i had the cash but that i couldnt get to the post office for another few days. He replied asking that i send the money as soon as possible. I kept making up excuses about why i couldnt send the money at that time. My little brother joey got very sick and i had to stay in hospital with him as we were orphans and he had no one else. I then was beaten up by a bunch of circus workers and had to have my leg amputated. I sent him pictures of wads of cash and told him as soon as my new bionic leg was fitted i would run to the post office and send the moneygram...i think he twigged at that point that he wasnt going to get any money. He threatened to report me to the FBI and told me that he knew the govenor of my town and he would have me arrested for fraud! I emailed him pictures of money for weeks after it telling him to come and collect his money in person...i never did get a reply.

    Love it !!
    I can't stop laughing is there any way of gettin this fella caught what will i do with the cheque when it arrives guards or bring it to the bank to dispose of it


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,463 ✭✭✭Solnskaya


    hmmm. I spend a lot of money every week on stuff, and i always pay by cheque. Two of every ten people I deal with reckon I'm pulling a fast one and refuse my cheques. I walk away and deal with someone else. Not all people who deal in cheques are dodgy, some are just flush and busy. Somtimes it pays to just have faith and go with it. Somtimes it doesn't. The trick is knowing the difference. Over on adds I offered on a machine, and asked the seller to deliver-I would pay by cheque on delivery. He refused, thinking I was scamming him. I wasn't. Then again, maybe this op scheme mentioned is a scam, but it could be fun finding out...


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 198 ✭✭northernpower


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAH43TZYGt4

    why would anyone want to scam me?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,305 ✭✭✭nibtrix


    what will i do with the cheque when it arrives guards or bring it to the bank to dispose of it

    Just don't lodge it! Even though you won't be sending him the money, you would be charged a fee when it bounced in a week or so. I would recommend giving it to the bank it's issued from and telling them you believe it to be fake.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41 Brian Cleary29


    Will I send the cheque to you so and you can handle the implications and having cheques doesn't mean your flush it just means you have no cash


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,897 ✭✭✭Kimia


    What I don't understand is why anyone would ever do this?

    So he asked you to lodge a cheque for him, and wait until it clears, and then send him back the money?

    If you're getting paid for being a personal shopper then they should pay you, no?

    Why would you ever be sending him cash?

    How utterly bizzare.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,828 ✭✭✭Reamer Fanny


    CJC999 wrote: »
    Its a scam but play them along like i did. I gave them my work address to send the cheque to. They sent me an Ulster Bank cheque for €1000. My sis works in Ulster bank and she contacted her fraud section who said the cheque was genuine in that it was real but the serial number had been tampered with and changed. The cheque was posted from Vilnius in Lithuania. Anyway i emailed them and told them i had lodged the cheque and was waiting for it to clear. He emailed me back and gave me the details of the moneygram account. I was to forward €600 and keep 400 for my self. After a week i emailed him and told him the cheque had cleared and i had the cash but that i couldnt get to the post office for another few days. He replied asking that i send the money as soon as possible. I kept making up excuses about why i couldnt send the money at that time. My little brother joey got very sick and i had to stay in hospital with him as we were orphans and he had no one else. I then was beaten up by a bunch of circus workers and had to have my leg amputated. I sent him pictures of wads of cash and told him as soon as my new bionic leg was fitted i would run to the post office and send the moneygram...i think he twigged at that point that he wasnt going to get any money. He threatened to report me to the FBI and told me that he knew the govenor of my town and he would have me arrested for fraud! I emailed him pictures of money for weeks after it telling him to come and collect his money in person...i never did get a reply.

    This might the best boards post I have ever seen :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,451 ✭✭✭Delancey


    Kimia wrote: »
    What I don't understand is why anyone would ever do this?

    So he asked you to lodge a cheque for him, and wait until it clears, and then send him back the money?

    If you're getting paid for being a personal shopper then they should pay you, no?

    Why would you ever be sending him cash?

    How utterly bizzare.

    The scam works like this - he sends you a cheque and in due course you send the money back to him less your pay , that is how the victim supposedly gets ' paid '.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭Improbable


    justryan wrote: »
    This might the best boards post I have ever seen :D

    There are plenty of these types of stories. www.thescambaiter.com is one such site. Lot's of people post about stringing scammers along and some of them are absolutely fantastic. Take a look at the "Anus Laptops" saga.


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