Action 9

Secret shopper scams seem to be picking on Charlotte residents more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The secret shopper scam is alive and well.  And it seems to be popping up in the Charlotte area more than usual.

Action 9's Jason Stoogenke spoke with some of the victims of these scammers. He will have his report on Eyewitness News at 5. 

Action 9 noticed the scammers picking on 704 numbers a lot recently.  One even texted Jason Stoogenke, "Needing a mystery shopper to make $500 weekly ... surveying Walmart, Kmart, Walgreens, just open this link for full info and apply for free."

In a recent Charlotte case, a victim told police she gave a scammer more than $2,100.  She was too embarrassed to go on camera, but told Action 9 and police she thought she was testing Walmart's "customer service."

Like most scammers, secret shopper ones are after your money or personal information.  Typically, they send you a check for too much, ask you to deposit it, and then ask you to send a check for the extra money somewhere else, usually right back to them without you realizing it.  Their check was fake.  Yours is real.

Courtney Loper works in human resources so, she says, she takes privacy very seriously.   "Oh yes.  Oh yes.  I really don't even give my name," she said.