This is not about Petula Clark’s great 1966 hit record, but rather an item on the 11Alive evening news broadcast last night which caught my attention…

A lady in Coweta County received a letter in the mail soliciting her participation as a “Mystery Shopper.”  All she had to do was cash the enclosed check and complete a paid shopping and evaluation assignment within a week of her acceptance.  

Now, this ain’t rocket science, people.  I know a couple of real “mystery shoppers,” and it’s an easy, legal way to pick up some extra pocket change… especially if you love shopping.  But the rub for the lady in Coweta County was that her letter… and check… were totally bogus.  She realized that a few days later when the bank contacted her and wanted their money back.  Cashing a bogus check for such a large amount was a felony, and she could go directly to jail without passing “GO!”

What caught my attention, however, was that I got an identical letter at my office address last week.

Sandra Stoke, Marketing Director of QuickFact Consumer Research in Calgary, Canada, offered me the opportunity to earn additional income as a “Customer Services Evaluator” in her company’s “fully paid program.”  And if I became “one of the select few to distinguish myself in the course of this program,” my job would become a “permanent part time position” paying me up to $150 per hour.  Heck, I can be pretty damned distinguished for that kind of money!  Here’s all Sandra wanted me to do:

• Cash the $2500 check

• Buy $50-worth of stuff at Wal-Mart (which I could keep), and evaluate their service

• Buy $50-worth of stuff at Gap (which I could keep), and evaluate their service

• Pocket my $300 training pay, and

• Evaluate the “effectiveness and efficiency” of Western Union’s Money Gram service by wiring the remaining money to my (unnamed) “assignment coordinator.”

So, let’s see…. I get $300 cash, $100-worth of Wal-Mart and Gap crap, and a permanent part time position paying me 150 bucks an hour!  (No doubt in my mind that I could “distinguish myself.”)  Wow!  What have I got to loose?  …. $2,500 hard-earned dollars, court costs, and 2 to 5 in the Newton County Detention Center!

Beware people!  If you hear from Sandra, don’t sign up, and don’t cash that check.  I don’t want to wave to you - mowing grass on the Covington Square in your orange jumpsuit - as I drive by.  It’s just another scam, and in today’s economy, an unfortunate sign of the times.