The Wisconsin BBB is alerting consumers about a new mystery shopping scam that uses the Woodman’s Markets name.
Consumers from across the country have contacted the Wisconsin BBB about what appears to be a letter with a job offer from Woodman’s Markets, a grocery store chain with corporate headquarters in Janesville, Wis. The letter tells the recipient that they’ve been selected as a “customer service evaluator” and comes with a check for $3,445.00. The recipient is instructed to deposit the check into their personal bank account and then test the customer service at Western Union by wiring $2,850 to an agent in London. They’re told that the rest of the money is for fees and their training pay.
However, the BBB advises that, although the check looks legitimate, it is fake. If recipients deposit it into their bank accounts, they will be responsible for paying back the amount of money they withdrew from their accounts against the deposited check.
“For people who are unemployed and looking to make some quick, easy money, this might seem like a dream job,” said Randall Hoth, Wisconsin BBB president/CEO. “But it’s really a nightmare for people who respond. Not only will they not get paid for their time, they’ll lose thousands of dollars.”
A representative for Woodman’s Markets in Janesville tells the BBB that more than 40 consumers nationwide have contacted the company’s corporate offices directly since December 2009 to inquire about the bogus offer. If you’ve received one of these bogus job offers and checks, you should bring it to the postal inspector at your local post office.
For more information or further inquiries, please contact the Wisconsin BBB at www.wisconsin.bbb.org or 414-847-6000 (metro Milwaukee), (920)-734-4352 (Appleton) or 1-800-273-1002 (elsewhere in Wisconsin).