KTRV Fox 12 New Check Scam Draws Anger in Nampa
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Nampa, Idaho-- Check scams are becoming more and more of a problem, but now there's a new twist.
Scam artists aren't just finding potential victims on the internet, they're actually luring them in, using ads in the local paper.
It's a hard time to be out of work, so when Nancy Timmerman received a job offer from a mystery shopping company, she thought she'd gotten lucky.
That is until a packet of information arrived from her new employer that made her suspicious.
"I opened it up and it had a letter in there stating what they're all about and a check in there for almost $2,700," said Timmerman.
The company, Secret Shoppers, told Nancy she would be secretly shopping Walmart looking at the effectiveness and efficiency of their money gram system.
They wanted her to cash the check they'd included and then send them most of the money from it back in the form of a Walmart money gram.
"And I'm thinking whoa, red flag," said Timmerman.
Nancy took the check into the Nampa branch of the bank, that appeared to have issued the check, Pioneer Federal.
There her suspicions were confirmed, when she asked the manager if it was real.
"And she said no this is a total fraud. we don't even have these checks. These are not even these checks and took the check," said Timmerman.
Pioneer Federal representatives actually took three fake checks last Friday in the Nampa, Caldwell area.
Two of them were from Secret Shoppers and the other was from an entirely different scam.
The checks were just the latest in what's become a widespread problem.
"This started February of 2007 is when we first found out about this. We're one of hundreds possibly thousands of financial institutions across the U.S. this has happened too," said Sharon Fletcher, Pioneer Federal's, Vice President of Member Services.
In this case the would be victims, like Timmerman, were smart and didn't fall for the con, but in that past others have and they've paid a very high price for their naivety.
"The person who got the money is liable to pay it back even though it is a scam," said Fletcher.
Nancy had already heard about check scams on the internet but was surprised this one came from what at first seemed to be a legitimate employer.
"I just want people to know about this because I don't want some else to be suckered by it that's as desperate for work as I am," said Timmerman.
Pioneer Federal has created a resource on their website, under the educate yourself tab, that gives details about various scammers who are counterfeiting their checks.
