Don't Lose Money On Work From Home Scams - WSPA-TV

Don't Lose Money On Work From Home Scams

When Ronald Lindsey saw a job offer in his inbox for a secret shopper, he thought he was well qualified since he had done that kind of work for O'Charlie's Restaurant.

"I didn't think anything about it because I knew the jobs were out there," said Lindsey.

He was told his first assignment would be to assess service at Western Union.

"At first I didn't think it was a scam, but when the check came and it was for the amount it was, I was like, this don't sound right."

Ronald was supposed to take the $2350 check, cash it, keep 200 and wire the rest.  But instead he called the bank on the check and found out it was bogus.

"And then when I told him the check wasn't any good, he said you just can't call the bank and ask that.  I said, yes I can."

The Department of Consumer Affairs says being asked to wire money is the biggest warning sign of a scam.  That's because it's virtually untraceable.  The hefty check is another red flag. And then there's pressure to act fast.    

Lindsey says he got dozens of texts in one day urging him to cash the check immediately.

Here's what you should know.  If you cash a bad check you might think the bank will take the hit.  But in reality, you're the one who's responsible.

"He said I guess you're not ready for this. I said, what a scam I was ready for it. And it cost you money didn't it for the Fed Ex pkg, oh well. It ended up costing him money and not me."

He kept his cash and wants to make sure you do too.

To find legitimate mystery shopper jobs, the Department of Consumer Affairs says to check this website: www.mysteryshop.org