ALL-FEMALE SPACEWALK. THE TWO ARE WORKING AND UPGRADES.
TODAY THE SPACEWALK MARKS THE
FIRST OF THREE IN THE MONTH OF
JANUARY.
>> AND NOW TO THE STORY.
A LOCAL WOMAN SAID SHE RECEIVED
TWO CHECKS IN THE MAIL TOTALING
OVER $2000.
>> THESE CHECKS WERE SUPPOSEDLY
FOR HER TO BE ABLE TO BE A
SECRET SHOPPER EVALUATE A
STORE.
THERE’S A TWIST.
>> THERE ALWAYS IS.
THE WOMAN ASKED NEWS 6 TO
INVESTIGATE AND WE DID.
HERE IS LOUIS BOLDEN WITH WHAT
WE FOUND.
>> JULIE, IT SOUNDS, DREAM JOB.
SHOP AND EVALUATE STORES AND
GET PAID FOR IT.
BUT THIS OFFER HAS GOTTEN SO
POPULAR HE CAUGHT THE ATTENTION
OF THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
WHICH WARNS CONSUMERS IT CAN BE
A TRICK TO GET YOUR MONEY.
WITH THE STICK OF HER NEEDLE
AND THE PULL OF HER THREAD,
CUMMINGS HAS SHOWN DOZENS OF
QUILTS BUT NEVER A RED FLAG
WHICH IS WHAT SHE SAYS SHE
IMMEDIATELY SAW WHEN SHE GOT
THIS PACKAGE.
>> I DID SOMETHING I NEEDED TO
SIGN FOR AND I SAID NO.
>> FEDEX DELIVERED THE PACKAGE
TO HER HOME AND INSIDE A
CASHIERS CHECK FOR $2600 AND A
DETAILED LETTER.
CUMMINGS WAS ASKED TO BE PART
OF THE SECRET RETAIL RESEARCH
PAID SURVEY.
AND EVALUATE A LOCAL WALMART
STORE.
>> WHEN I SAW THE $2600 AND
THEN I STARTED READING, I HAD
NOT DID ANYTHING AT WALMART.
>> DAYS LATER SHE HAD A SECOND
CHECK IN THE SAME AMOUNT.
ACCORDING TO THE LETTER
CUMMINGS WAS SUPPOSED TO
DEPOSIT THE CHECKS IN HER
ACCOUNT AND KEEP $600 FOR
COMMISSION AND USE THE OTHER
2000 FOR THE EVALUATION.
SHE WAS INSTRUCTED TO PURCHASE
TWO BLANK MONEY ORDERS.
>> I SAID NO NO NO.
>> DURING THE TRANSACTION SHE
WOULD EVALUATE SIX CATEGORIES
INCLUDING HOW LONG IT TOOK TO
BE SERVICED.
ACCORDING TO THE LETTER SHE
WOULD CONTACT HER SUPERVISOR,
HARRY LEWIS, VIA TEXT AND HE
WOULD SEND HER ADDRESS WHERE
THE CENTER EVALUATION AND THOSE
WAS REALLY SHOCKING.
I HAVE TO GO GET THE MONEY
ORDERS AND THEN CONTACT THEM.
>> INSTEAD OF TEXTING SHE
CALLED THE NUMBER.
BUT GO NO ANSWER.
THEN SHE CALLED NEWS 6.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO HELP OTHER
PEOPLE BECAUSE SOMEBODY’S
PROBABLY GOING TO FALL FOR
THIS.
>> WE RESEARCHED AND FOUND SO
MANY PEOPLE HAVE FALLEN FOR IT.
THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
HAS ISSUED WARNINGS LIKE THIS
ONE LAST YEAR.
AND THIS ONE IN 2018 TILED A
SCAM STORY.
SECRET SHOPPING AND FAKE
CHECKS.
IT SPELLS OUT EXACTLY WHAT
HAPPENED TO CUMMINGS.
>> THE BAD GUYS WOULD NOT KEEP
DOING IT IF IT WAS NOT
SUCCESSFUL.
THEY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
PEOPLE EVERY DAY.
>> THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU
SAYS OCE A WEEK SOMEONE SHOWS
UP IN HER OFFICE WITH A BOGUS
FOR SECRET SHOPPING OR RECEIVE
A CHECK TO WORK FROM HOME.
THE STORY COULD CHANGE IN A FEW
DIFFERENT WAYS BUT IT’S ALWAYS
THE SAME.
>> THE PACKAGING CAN BE
CONVINCING.
THIS ENVELOPE SAYS IT CAME FROM
A COMPANY IN ILLINOIS.
WHEN YOU CALL THE NUMBER YOU
GET BANK OF AMERICA.
BUT THE ACTUAL CHECK SUPPOSEDLY
FROM FIRST HORIZON BANK WHICH
IS A REAL PAIN.
WE CALLED THE BANK AND GIVE
THEM A CHECK NUMBER WHICH IS
THE SAME ON BOTH CHECKS AND
SURE ENOUGH.
>> THIS CHECK WAS NOT ISSUED BY
OUR BANK.
>> NO SURPRISE TO CUMMINGS.
>> AND VERY, VERY PROUD THAT I
DID CHECK CHANNEL 6 NEWS ABOUT
IT.
>> BE A PART OF THAT TOO.
SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE
DEPOSIT THESE BOGUS CHECKS INTO
THEIR ACCOUNT?
DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE
CHECK SOMETIMES THE BANK WILL
MAKE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE WITHIN
A COUPLE DAYS BUT UNCOVERING
THAT A CHECK IS FAKE CAN TAKE
WEEKS.
SO WHENEVER THE BANK DISCOVERS
THE CHECK IS BOGUS YOU WERE ON
THE SLIP FOR THAT MONEY.
SO IF YOU BEEN MAKING
WITHDRAWALS FROM A BOGUS CHECK
YOU NOW OWE THE BANK THAT
MONEY.
SO THIS GOES ON MORE THAN YOU
MIGHT THINK.
A LOT OF PEOPLE BELIEVE IT’S
TRUE AND DEPOSIT THOSE CHECKS
AND THAT IS WHAT THE FTC HAD TO
ISSUE THAT WARNING BECAUSE IT
HAPPENED SO OFTEN.
>> IN THE PACKAGING YOU SHOWED
EVERYTHING LOOKED SO
CONVINCING.
I COULD SEE IF YOU’RE VERY
TRUSTING PERSON YOU WOULD THINK
WHAT A GREAT GIG I GET TO GO
SHOPPING WITH US $5000.
>> EXACTLY.
BUT SOMETIMES WE THINK ONLY
PEOPLE OF A CERTAIN AGE BELIEVE
THESE THINGS BUT THAT IS NOT
TRUE.
THERE’S ACTUALLY A STUDY OUT
THERE MILLENIALS ARE MORE
LIKELY TO FALL VICTIM TO
FINANCIAL SCHEMES ONLINE.
BECAUSE MILLENIALS GREW UP
ONLINE.
AND SO ARE MORE TRUSTING OF
THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE INTERVIEWED A GUY MAYBE A
YEAR AGO -- SOMETHING VERY