Lancashire woman was victim of 'mystery shopper' scam
8:00am Thursday 27th September 2012 in News
A Lancashire resident who applied online for a job as a mystery shopper became the victim of a scam to launder money overseas.
Lancashire County Council Trading Standards said the woman was sent fraudulent travellers cheques worth 2,000 euros after applying to a website which offered the chance to earn money from home by becoming a mystery shopper.
She received email instructions to pay the cheques into her own account and keep 200 Euros for carrying out two assignments which involved reporting on the customer service of a supermarket and a money-transfer outlet.
Part of the survey at the money transfer outlet was to send the remaining 1,800 Euros on to the next mystery shopper who, in this instance, was based in the Philippines.
However, the woman became suspicious before trying to pay the cheques into the bank, and it was discovered they were sophisticated forgeries.
Trading Standards said the scam often targets people who may already be struggling financially and are looking for ways to earn money from home.
