Apparent scheme offers nearly $2,000 targeting shoppers

MILAN, Tenn. — A warning for consumers after an offer promising $2,000 pops up in West Tennessee mailboxes.

Presenting itself as a secret shopper program for Walmart stores — WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News spoke with one West Tennessee woman who says do not let the lure of fast cash cause you to fall into the hands of possible thieves.

“I was kind of in shock,” one viewer, who asked we not identify her said after opening her mailbox and finding a check made out to her for $1,995.65 earlier this week.

She said the letter appeared to be from Walmart, “I opened it up because I’m like why is Walmart sending me mail?”

Here’s how the offer presented itself. The company, which seems to be ushoppingmethod.com has given the consumer a first pay check to be a secret shopper.

To be clear — Walmart says there is no way this solicitation came from them because they never use mystery shoppers.

Let us start with the actual letter, which is postmarked from Spain. “That was the first kind of red flag,” our consumer said.

After doing a little digging, which included making calls to corporate and using google, our almost victim says she quickly realized this offer was not legit.

She said the details were on the check itself.

“The signature was very close but it’s not quite right. The account number is right but the routing number was wrong,” she said.

The offer also required activating the payment online–then calling a number.

Something the viewer said she did with a police officer.

“The police department called the phone number four times,” she said,”nobody answered and they pushed every single option in the phone menu.”

Because our consumer said she did not cash in on this apparent scheme, it is unclear exactly how much money could be lost or how it even works, but she hopes others who might get this mail burn it in a junk pile.

Gibson County Sheriff Paul Thomas said at least two of these letters have been reported in the past month.