Help Me Hank: Help Me Hank! Secret shopper

Finding the latest fashions, hottest restaurants, edgiest games and electronics, what if it weren’t just a pastime? How cool would it be to get paid to shop?

Photo lab technician Scott Kapich thought that’s what could happen to him. He'd gone online in search of a new job and soon after got a bite from a secret shopping company promising big bucks.

Scott Kapich
"They called me and said that I was going to be a great candidate, an employee for them, and so I’m like send the information."

Here's what arrived: this packet full of paperwork with an assignment and a big check.

Scott Kapich
"Over $3,500."

Scott's instructions said he should pose as a potential customer using a money transfer system.

Step one:

Scott Kapich
"They wanted me to deposit the check into my account."

Step two:

Scott Kapich
"Subtract the money that they were going to pay me."

Step three: take the rest of the money, more than $3,000, out of his bank account and...

Scott Kapich
"Just wire it to this guy in Moncton, Canada."

OK, that's not shopping. That’s just weird. Scott got suspicious, then got some advice from his family.

Scott Kapich
"They said you have to call someone on this."

We knew this wasn't a secret shopper job offer. It’s a big scam. The checks are counterfeit, the "employer" is bogus and the victims nationwide are in the thousands.

The Federal Trade Commission puts blazing warnings on their website. If you cash a counterfeit check, you're responsible.

Barbara Anthony, Federal Trade Commission
"The money that is coming out, is going to come out of your account."

What’s more, online job services get targeted by these secret shop scammers.

Hank Phillippi Ryan
"Why can't anyone stop this?"

Barbara Anthony, Federal Trade Commission
"Well one of the problems is that if the money is wired out of the country, it's very difficult then to track these people down."

Lucky for Scott, he didn't fall for this. He called us first and now wants to spread the word.

Scott Kapich
"Contact the proper authorities and let people know that this is happening out there."

So one more time: there is no reason to cash a check and then wire money to someone you don't know. Never. Just don’t do it.