This Consumer Watch comes from a woman who wanted to get the word out on what she calls a scam. Wanda Sadler has been trying for a while to get a job as a secret shopper. Last week, it appeared that she had been given the opportunity to make a little extra cash while sizing up some local retailers. The Prudent Shoppers Research Company had instructed Wanda on how she was to spend the $3,870 check they had deposited into her account for becoming a secret shopper. $300 is your weekly pay, and $80 is yours to spend at one of six different stores you are evaluating on merchandise you can keep. Wanda said she smelled a rat when the check that was deposited had the same routing number as it did bank number. The next thing that tipped her off was she was instructed to wire the remaining $3,320 to Rita Howlsey at 1723 W. Kentucky St. so you can evaluate the wiring service. The problem was, there is no Rita Howlsey that lives at that address. Once you wire the money, a market report form is sent to the company letting them know it’s time to go collect the money from the transfer. Then, Capitol One Bank holds you liable for payment of the transfer because the original check is sent back as a fraud. Prudent Shoppers Research claims to be in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. But, after a check with the BBB, that claim is false. If you have a consumer problem you’d like us to look into, just e-mail consumerwatch@whas11.com.
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