Local Information
Posted by Becky on 23 May 2008 | Tagged as: Local News, Quinte, Trish Belford, tips
NEW FACE ON OLD FRAUD – Posted by Jeremy Ashley The Intelligencer
A fresh version of an old fraud has emerged in the Quinte region.
Belleville police have received two reports in the past several days regarding a “secret shopper” fraud operated through the employment section of a local classified newspaper.
“It’s a very slick scheme,” said investigating officer Det.-Const. Rene Aubertin, who added the local publication has since pulled the advertisement.
“And, thankfully, we’ve had no reports of anyone in this area being taken as a result of this ad,” he said.
The scam begins with an advertisement placed by “Coredata Service Solutions”, which is reportedly recruiting part-time mystery shoppers “in all areas”.
Aubertin said those who respond to the ad are sent an employment packet containing a variety of items, including a training assignment and a cashier’s cheque made out for a large amount, typically a few thousand dollars.
Aubertin said the first “assignment” is to cash the cashier’s cheque at a local bank, pocket a “participation wage” and send the remaining money to an address through a wire service.
The scam is that the cheque is a fraud – and bounces several weeks after the mark sends the money, leaving the person liable for the fake cheque.
“It’s a fake – but by the time you’ve cashed it and sent away the money, it’s usually too late,” he said.
Such frauds are especially frustrating because they take aim at people who are looking for an extra source of income and are especially vulnerable to promises of a solid pay cheque, he said. “And that’s the heartbreaking part of it – many times these are good people and they think this ad may be the answer to their prayers.”
There are a number of similar frauds that work in the same way using cashier’s cheques, he said.
“However, this one is particularly disturbing because it has a legitimate-looking website behind it and the employment package sent is very well done,” Aubertin said.
The majority of frauds that come across his desk in criminal investigations are identifiable simply by the poor grammatical skills used by the scammers, who generally tend to be from out-of-country.
“This is well-written, which has led me to believe that there may be a Canadian element to this,” he said.
Similar advertisements have popped up in classified publications and newspapers across Canada, and in particular, Quebec.
Source: to view the posted article click on the link http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1037147&auth=By+Jeremy+Ashley+The+Intelligencer
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