(Photo: MGN Online)
DENVER — The Denver Police Department issued an alert to consumers Friday about an old scam that is making a comeback “with a new twist.”
According to a post on the DPD Facebook page, individuals across the nation have received letters in the mail, accompanied with checks, following submitting applications online for mystery shopper jobs.
Police said these letters ask recipients to deposit the check into their checking account, and then wire part of the money using Western Union or Moneygram.
The recipient may comply under the impression he or she will get to retain some of the funds as a mystery shopper, added DPD.
The individual who receives the transferred money keeps a portion of it, then sends the remaining funds on to other scammers, said police.
Once the check is deposited, the bank will notify the victim that the check is bad, leaving the victim liable for the entire amount, added DPD.
Police advised any recipients of this type of mail to not respond and report the incident to law enforcement.