The Pima County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a new scam involving a fictional Walmart “quality control program” has scammers contact potential victims through the mail, asking them to participate in a “secret shopper” or “mystery shopper” program.
Victims are provided a check, and will be asked to deposit that check into their bank account. They are then instructed to use the funds to purchase goods at Walmart so that the “quality control program” can evaluate the store’s performance. These checks look authentic, with real names, addresses, and even authentic looking logos, but are in fact 100% fake. Once the victim deposits the check into their bank account, the SCAMMERS will gain control of the account and drain the funds.
This scam is still new, but it is becoming more popular. If you receive anything resembling this scam, you are advised to report it. If you receive a phone call, email or letter requesting money or access to your bank account, report it.