About two months ago I recieved a letter with company letterhead bearing the name Service Intelligence. A business that does customer service evaluations. (Mystery Shopping, Secret shopping, etc.)in that letter, it stated that they had seen my resume on Americas Job bank. I had applied to a secret shopping position previously. So I didnt question it. WhatI did question was the Cashiers check for 2400 dollars. So I looked up the website for them, and sure enough it was a legit company. No derogatory comments about them. I also looked up the bank on the website to see the validity of the bank. Again, also legit. I then called the number on the check to verify the funds. Again, nothing strange, the computer generated voice after all the prompts, stated it was valid. Then I called my manager on the number that was provided on the letter, and he informed me that if I wanted the position to go ahead and go on with the transaction. The letter had assigned me a job to evaluate the services of a wire service, Money Gram, at a local Walmart. So I cashed the check at my bank. Sent the money thru and did my evaluations. I called my manager as instructed and he then sent me another check via FED EX. I again followed thru. Cashing another check thru my bank.
The next day, I wanted to call my "manager" to find out about the next assignment, but I didnt have the letter that had the number on it. ( I was in my car), So I called information. They gave me a number, and when I called that number, Its when I realized I had been duped. The lady at Service Intelligence informed me that there were individuals sending company letterhead letters out with offers of employment along with COUNTERFIET CHECKS! She gave me a number for the FBI Agent that was working the case. Apparently, I wasnt the only one! Both the FBI Agent and the lady at Service Intelligence informed me that I had been about the sixth or seventh one that WEEK for this particular scam. I immediatley informed my bank about the
checks. Unfortunately, THEY ARE MAKING ME PAY IT BACK! ALL 5300 dollars of it!.As skeptical as I was, as investigative that I tried to be, I still fell into the trap. As of since, the bank that the checks were drawn against have a warning on thier website. I understand by what the FBI had told me, that this was part of some Nigerian scam.
0 comments