"Mystery Shopper" scam

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 08 Aug 2010 Posts: 4

A company called Magnum Solution is running a variation on the "overpayment" scam. I was targeted yesterday. Here's the deal:

1. They take out an ad in the Help Wanted section of a local newspaper seeking people to work as "mystery shoppers." Readers are directed to register online at their website.

2. The applicant receives a cheque in the mail for $1,500 with a letter detailing the first "assignment", which is to evaluate a wire transfer service. The applicant is instructed to cash the cheque, then wire $1,300 to an overseas recipient.

Anyway, if you can think of a way to bait them, have at it. A WHOIS indicates that they may be in either India or the Netherlands.[/list][/list]

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 1:37 am

Welcome aboard!!

Read everything in eater university and the stickies. Come join us and waste these idiot's time.

And bait safe.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 08 Aug 2010 Posts: 4

Thanks. I agree about "bait safe"- these guys have my real name & address so I'll have to lie low. However, I DO have a mail drop so I'm thinking that registering with them under a new name might work.

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:09 am

Drop them if they have your real info. Open up a new account with a phony idenity and bait them from there.

Master Baiter Joined: 03 Aug 2010 Posts: 207 Location: UK

So how does the scam work? Do they actually send you a cheque?

Posted: Sun Aug 08, 2010 2:21 am

^^^^
Exactly. They send you a fake check, you cash it, you send the money back by Western Union (which you're supposedly "evaluating" for their service) and they generously let you keep some of the money as your "salary." Except the check bounces and you're out all the money, and the back goes after you for fraud.

@Flightful: you should post the scam letter, with headers, at our sister site at www.scamwarners.com.

Baiting Guru Joined: 03 May 2007 Posts: 18313

According to the website, they're headquartered in Barton, VT. There is no Magnum Solution listed in Barton, VT that I can find with any searches. The site IP owner is softlayer, hoster is znetindia.com and the registrar is Directi. Directi is very cooperative. I will post this site in the fake sites forum for you and we should be able to get it killed.
In looking at the site, they are abusing the BBB logo. The BBB logo is supposed to be a link to a page confirming their status with the BBB: http://www.bbb.org/us/bbb-online-business/

Edit: I've posted the website in our fake sites forum, here: http://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1579909#1579909

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 08 Aug 2010 Posts: 4

The letter includes two telephone numbers- a voice line in the 905 area (near Hamilton, Ontario) and a fax number in 709 (Scranton, PA). I've scanned the package contents to a PDF and will post it to the other site.