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Geana and Jim Stutz of Kelso and their two children, Jes, 5, and Makia, 4, stand in front of their car. After being scammed for $4,100, they had to put the car up for collateral on a loan to repay their credit union. Greg Ebersole / The Daily News

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Convincing letter from 'research' firm part of elaborate scam

Wednesday, June 18, 2008 11:13 PM PDT

By Leslie Slape

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A slick multimillion-dollar “Mystery Shopper” scam swindled a Kelso couple out of $4,100, and the victims want to warn others.

Geana Stutz, 33, said on June 10, she received a convincing letter from “Frontline Consumer Research Corp.” saying she had been hired to do consumer research. Enclosed was a realistic-looking check for $3,600 to cover her assignment.

“They have you put that in your bank account and do your assignment,” Stutz said. “They tell you to spend $200 at Wal-Mart, J.C. Penney, Home Depot or lodging at Best Western or Days Inn. Then you take $2,950 and MoneyGram it to whoever’s name they decide to give you. They’re getting money on a counterfeit check and you get stuck with the bill.”

She and her husband, Jim, looked over the check carefully before depositing it. It had a bar code and a watermark, which reassured them.

“Everything checked out,” she said. “The first thing I did, I called the number of the man who’s supposed to be my coordinator. They act completely professional. They send you an evaluation sheet to send in with your report.”

The scam is a variant of the Nigerian advance fee (419) fraud, according to several Internet sites.

Stutz didn’t get wise to the scam until her second assignment, when her coordinator asked her to pay $500 out of her own pocket for insurance, and then asked her for $400 more. She said she didn’t have the money and asked if the company had a Web site. The man said no.

“I went to my bank and asked, ‘Can you check on this?’ I was starting to panic,” she said. “They told me the bank is real, the routing number is real, but the check is fake.”

Stutz provided a copy of the check, which is drawn on the New York branch of a Canadian bank and includes the name of a company in Ontario, Canada.

“Luckily, Fibre (Credit Union) knew it wasn’t a matter of us trying to steal from them,” Stutz said. “Unfortunately, they had to turn the amount into a loan and I had to put up my car for collateral.”

Jim Stutz, 43, has been unemployed since his company, Wastecorp, shut down March 28, and they have two disabled children.

“We were able to pull enough to make our house payment, but now ... what are we gonna do?” Geana Stutz asked.

“We just don’t want to see anybody else get hurt,” she said. “Everybody’s grasping for straws because of the economy.”

She reported it to the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Trade Commission and the police in Montreal, Canada.

Longview woman escapes similar scam

In May, Charlene Loudin of Longview got a similar mystery shopper letter and a $3,950 check from “InfoLinks Survey Co.”

“The check looks real,” she said. “I bet the bank would fall for it. It’s even got a water spot on it. It’s colored. It’s got enough digits for a bank account. It’s all printed professionally, it’s got “original document” on the back, it’s got the signature part. It looks exactly like a real check.”

Loudin, 35, who is unemployed, almost fell for it.

“For the first few minutes I was like, ‘What!? That’s a lot of money.”

The letter asked her to shop at “the exact same companies you would work for in any big city,” Loudin said.

But the former accountant took a closer look and saw some telltale tipoffs.

“The screw-ups are in the addresses, where normally people don’t look,” she said. “Had I not dealt with paperwork before, I would have fell for this.”

For example, the company name was typed as INFOLINKS SURVEY Co., but a real company would not use all capitals and suddenly change to a word using lowercase letters, she said.

Also, the application has a dotted line for the applicant to sign, but real companies use a solid line, she said.

Police told her to toss it in the garbage, she said.

Tips to avoid being trapped

A legitimate mystery shopping company does not charge an application fee, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

The FTC advises potential shoppers to visit the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA) Web site at www.mysteryshop.org

The FTC says consumers should be skeptical of mystery shopping promoters who:

• Advertise in newspaper classifieds or by e-mail. While it may appear as if these companies are hiring mystery shoppers, it’s much more likely that they’re pitching unnecessary — and possibly bogus — mystery shopping “services.”

• Sell “certification.”

• Guarantee a job as a mystery shopper.

• Charge a fee for access to mystery shopping opportunities.

• Sell directories of companies that provide mystery shoppers.

If you think you have encountered a mystery shopping scam, file a complaint with your local consumer protection agency, the Better Business Bureau, your State Attorney General, or the FTC (ftc.gov).

For more information, visit these Web sites:

http://www.secretshopper.com/info/shoppers/ScamAlert.asp

http://www.snopes.com/fraud/employment/shopper.asp

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/mysteryalrt.shtm

Previous

Kelso Gringo wrote on Jun 17, 2008 11:51 PM:

" People only fall for these scams because they do not use COMMON SENSE. "

Absolutist wrote on Jun 18, 2008 12:56 AM:

" Kelso Gringo: Well, no common sense, of course. But it's the same thing that fuels greed which propels people to fall for things that are too good to be true. People want something for little or no effort . . . casinos and lotteries count on it. "

Mrs. Pellwerds wrote on Jun 18, 2008 8:31 AM:

" Both these people went on about how the check looked so real. Like forged checks are some how supposed to look different??? Lured in by the glitz and dazzle and sunk with the greed for easy money. I do feel bad that they cost their family to lose so much money. They want their story printed so others wont fall victim. Really? What could you possibly tell a person who will fall for a scam like this? "

Beer&Skittles wrote on Jun 18, 2008 8:42 AM:

" Ms. Loudin was very sharp. The mistakes will be found in just the type of things she indicated. It's sad, because I know several people who've gotten these things, including a couple who've fallen for them. Even after they sought advice and we're told "it's a scam", and they still did it. People are desperate I guess. I like the ones I get pretty frequently - where they send me a quarter taped to the letter, asking me to do something. That's what I flip to the panhandlers standing in front of the mall;) I know I get the same ones, but I don't bother to read them and just toss 'em instead. Although, my spouse has a hard time throwing away what really does look like a legitimate check. Is there a place instead we can send these things to - so maybe someone could actually try to catch the scammers? The police, like the article said, tells us to throw them away. "

Proud Mama wrote on Jun 18, 2008 8:59 AM:

" You people make me sick! These are good people who were hoping to be earning some money. They can't afford a costly mistake with two disabled children. Why do you always have to be so cynical and mean. Are you that miserable? "

Someone Who Cares wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:01 AM:

" To Kelso Gringo & Absolutist: Not using common sense may have been a factor in this couple's case. However, did you read the entire article? I think desperation and a sense to support their family was a bigger factor. Mr. Stutz has been laid off since March and they have two disabled children. I think that they were just trying to find a way to survive in this economy. May not have been the best way but how would you feel in their shoes? To Mr. & Mrs. Stuz: I'm sorry this happened to your family. It's not easy nowadays. Just remember in during your tough times to thoroughly think things through. Good luck in the future. "

Scot Heisel, TDN wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:06 AM:

" These people didn't have to step forward and allow their story to be told, but they did. I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision. "

bigdar wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:15 AM:

" The tougher things get financially for people, the more they are likely to fall for these kinds of scams. I am very skeptical of anything that promises something for nothing but I can certainly understand how some people would fall for these scams. There will be more and more of these scumbags crawling out of the woodwork so I think it is a good idea to print these stories and at least try and make people aware. I wish the best for this family and hopefully someone will step up and help them out, maybe Fibre Credit Union would consider writing this off. "

mom of 2 wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:24 AM:

" I agree that a little more common sense should have been used. However, it says the bank deposited it into their account. Is there a reason the bank didn't catch it being a fake? "

Beer&Skittles wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:35 AM:

" I didn't mean to seem harsh, although it may have come off that way. I think it's a good thing these folks told their story - a lot of people get these solicitations - what makes someone act, and someone else not? That's something that should be looked at. In the meantime, best of luck getting things taken care of - it's hard being the victim of a crime - truly. "

CONCERENED wrote on Jun 18, 2008 9:42 AM:

" wow!!! i never fall for those scams personally, however i recieved a week ago, a letter telling me i won 7.5 million dollars from a candian lottery prize, All i had to do was send $5,000 to reassure that i wanted the prize, i found the shredder real quick!!! DONT DO IT PEOPLE !!!! to many sammers out there these days !!!! "

greenbean wrote on Jun 18, 2008 10:01 AM:

" I find it hard to believe that anyone falls for these scams, but in both situations the families were in desparate need which I'm sure affected their judgement. It's too bad the banks involved can't stop some of this up front -- do they look for these suspicious checks, or is there any way for them to know when the check is deposited? Of course the family could have requested the back to check funds before spending any money. I do appreciate that they were willing to come forward and tell their story in order to warn others, even at the risk of being critisized. Thank you to the Stutz family for coming forward! "

Kem Cho wrote on Jun 18, 2008 10:06 AM:

" Victims need to be sympathized with. It is nice that they like other people to learn from their mistakes. We all have done something, which we regretted later. "

Louie wrote on Jun 18, 2008 10:45 AM:

" Why does it appear these scamers prey on people who are in desperate circumstances or old people? My neighbor across the alley was always buying lottery tickets and I know he could not afford that. He got a scam letter and went to the credit union to get a check for something like $5000 to send to claim his prize. After sleeping on it he changed his mind but they almost got him and he was not a dumb guy, just desparate and taken in by the lure of "free money!" I warned him and told him he was throwing his money away on all those lottery tickets because the chance was so remote he would win. Now he has become a victim of dementia and at an early age too. His family said he went through all his money buying lottery tickets or sending $20 here and there for supposed prized he had won...all a scam.
It just doesn't happen people so shred those letters. Only a sactioned lottery like Washington, Oregon or other states where you buy a ticket and take a chance are legit. "

l-town mom wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:08 AM:

" I think this is a really unfortunate event, and I think we should cut these families some slack. They made themselves vulnerable by telling their stories, and what they have been through is enough, without people pointing out their mistakes. With the economy like it is, I don't blame them for trying anything to provide for their families. I'm just sorry to hear it backfired. "

stargoddess wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:28 AM:

" Some lady in Troutdale OR just had the same exact thing happen to her. It was on Channel 12 news this morning. "

Gondolapete wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:31 AM:

" Yrs ago my credit was just on the mend, and I got a call from a company saying I was eligible for a $1500 loan, and all I had to do was just send in the first and last months payment around $300 I think. They sounded very official. What I ended up getting was a packet full of coupons worth about $3.00 and notice that I may be eligible for a $1500.00 loan, and "Welcome to your coupon club". Needless to say I became enraged, called em, and low and behold they did not answer the phone. The internet was not as popular as it is now, but after some time I was able to do some research, and there it was plain as day , the company, and the pending lawsuit info. Moral is, google is a useful tool, use it. "

citizen_jane wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:33 AM:

" To Louie: Why do YOU think they prey on desperate and old people??? Because those are the ones who are going to go for it. The old adage 'if it looks too good to be true' is very wise to live by. Unfortunately, good judgement often goes out the window when times get really tough. There will never be an end to scammers, they will continue to evolve and get better. Best to just assume the worst right off. "

Mrs. Pellwerds wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:43 AM:

" Scammers don't prey on the vulnerable, they just capitalize on them. Who hasn't received a Canadian lottery or Nigerian scam email or letter? Most people just don't fall for it. When someone you don't know sends a check or money order and asks you to send some money back its a scam. Period. Gotta go, just got an email that I won the lottery, again... "

El Gabilon wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:44 AM:

" In this instance, as described this couple should have been alerted to the scam at once. First they were told they were hired (did they apply for the job? Secondly the letter stated that $3600 was for coverning their assignment. Why then would they ask them to send $2950 by moneygram to someone else. People usually get scammed because as one special agent told us "there is a little larceny in all of us." Even those "bank checks" sent out by banks are a scam. They tell you their are 0% but after you read the fine print usually with a magnifying glass, you find they are charging you 3%. The solution of course is simple. Destroy the bank checks as well as any others that come your way unsolicited. The rule is "Trust No One" and "You never get something for nothing. There is always a catch" "

Louie wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:49 AM:

" Hey Jane, I guess what I should have said is "how do they single out desperate and old people in order to scam them?" "

cu employee wrote on Jun 18, 2008 12:19 PM:

" This is a terrible scam and I feel really bad for the people who were vicimized by it. That being said, you can not place blame with the financial institution. Thousands of checks are presented on a daily basis and customers get angry when you question ANYTHING. People have to take responsibility for anything they deposit in their accounts. Anytime someone you do not know gives you a check for any reason, you should question it. And anytime they are wanting a portion of the money back, you KNOW you are being scammed. I know FFCU does everything they can to protect the members presenting the items but people need to take responsibilty and not look for anyone else to blame besides the people scamming them. "

Kalama Dude wrote on Jun 18, 2008 12:44 PM:

" Those folks that might typically fall this kind of scam likely don't read the paper, won't read this story or messages, and maybe don't even have a computer. Avoiding this mess isn't that hard to accomplish or is it? "

writegirl wrote on Jun 18, 2008 1:40 PM:

" greenbean: Financial institutions are very aware of these kinds of scams. I work at a credit union and we do everything we can to try to convince people when they are being ripped off, but they do not always want to listen. Even if the credit union refuses to take the check, people will just take it somewhere else to cash it. Yes I feel sorry for these people, but people need to think about this kind of stuff. If you didn't sign up to be a mystery shopper and you didn't enter a lottery, you can pretty much guarantee that it's a scam. Please don't blame the banks and credit unions because we do everything we can. "

citizen_jane wrote on Jun 18, 2008 2:47 PM:

" Louie - I don't think they have the knowledge to single any particular demographic out, it just happens that those are the people who fall for it. Throw enough spaghetti on the wall and some of it's bound to stick. It's by vast numbers that they are successful. Those scams go into the mail and email by the millions. Only a fraction of a percent get taken for a ride, but it's enough to keep them in business. "

SPARROW wrote on Jun 18, 2008 2:50 PM:

" Thousands of people, including myself, have read about similiar scams and the financial losses incurred by victims all over the United States. People fall prey to these scams everyday. It's not just the elderly or the uneducated, it's people that are just not aware of the current scams. The police are just telling people to throw away the checks. This ends the issue, with no further action. If TDN would open a post or make available to people a list of the current scams occuring in our immediate area, I believe people could become more aware and less likely to fall prey to these scammers. I just received a similiar check, but until I mentioned this to my friends, then they chose to tell me that they had received the same offer and receipt of a check also. It's like most people won't even mention they were a target for such an obvious scam that they won't even tell anyone. Not revealing you were a target for fraud, is only helping the bad guys out. These attempts of fraud and theft need to be published, advertised and addressed in a big, big way, so everyone, even the 'shut in' will hear about it, and become aware. Just wondering how many other people reading this comment have received a check lately from some suspicious source? "

DRUMMER GIRL wrote on Jun 18, 2008 3:07 PM:

" IT DOES NOT SURPRISE ONE BIT THAT FIBRE CU TOOK THE CHECK. THEY SAY THEY TAKE CHECKS BECAUSE CUSTOMERS GET UPSET IF THEY DON'T. I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE THAT IT'S THE TELLER THAT TOOK IT THAT WILL PAY. PROBALLY WITH HER JOB. "

Louie wrote on Jun 18, 2008 4:44 PM:

" Thanks Jane...because I have never received one nor do I have any close friends that have mentioned getting these letters or emails I was wondering if they have some way of singling out certain people.
With so much publicity by all the media on these scam issues I would think people wouldn't fall prey to them...guess I better think again! "

Blogger Jogger wrote on Jun 18, 2008 6:08 PM:

" To: Beer & Skittles ~ Just wanted to let you know that I appreciated your second comment about perhaps sounding too harsh. It's easy to "misread" typing and put our own inner spin on the words. To the rest of us, perhaps we should try reading with a bit more empathy instead of assuming (yes... I know about ass-u-me'ing) that someone is irritated. Just a thought. "

Piper wrote on Jun 18, 2008 11:05 PM:

" Thanks for your second comment Beer. Greed is not falling for a scam. Greed is large corporations, insurance companies, Enron, etc. Greed is not wanting to "provide a decent living" for your family, it is wanting more money than you can possibly need or spent in your life time. Greed is not wanting to help others in need but sucking the life out of good hard-working people who just want to pay the electric bill and have a pizza now and then. I could also say that I know a lot of people who make unwise investments, trust unsavory people, and make mistakes, but common sense is only a perception. Different things to different people. We've all trusted when we perhaps should not have, but we learn and move on. Insulting others shows a lack of respct, compassion and introspection and a need to feel "better" than someone else. "

Leslie Slape wrote on Jun 19, 2008 8:32 AM:

" I'll try to answer some of the questions that have been posed. The checks had watermarks, and most fake checks don't. Also, many fake checks and letters are filled with typos. These also had mistakes, but they were more subtle. When a forged check bears a routing number to a legitimate account, it can fool a bank. These people told me their stories because they were concerned about the community. We don't write about every scam, but because this one is making the rounds here, we thought this was a good way to remind the public at large that it pays to be skeptical. Both women had applied on-line to be mystery shoppers. "

Beer&Skittles wrote on Jun 19, 2008 12:31 PM:

" My mother, quite elderly, used to get HUGE volumes of junk mail. Years ago, when one of us would house sit while she was gone, a weeks worth of mail could litterally consume 3-4 CUBIC FEET of space. No joke. When I began assisting with her affairs, we had her mail delivery changed to my home so I could monitor what she was getting into. She entered every contest prior to that, all of them saying clearly that "purchase not necessary", but then went on to suggest that if you purchased stuff, it would increase your chances of winning. So, she bought LOTS of stuff. She called me one day, nearly frightened of her own joy as she received a CERTIFIED letter telling her she won $25 million, but with such a sum, they needed her bank account information because they couldn't legally issue a check that large! Can you believe that? I felt so sorry for her when she wouldn't believe me that it was a scam, that I took her to her bank and sat down with the bank manager so he could tell her. It was humiliating, but what was I supposed to do? I'm charged with protecting her. As a result, I've stopped the junk mail, and most the problem. Problem is, once victimized, they will forever feel "stupid" somehow, which is the worst part of the victimization. And that's not addressed at all. Sad. "

Common_Sense wrote on Jun 19, 2008 1:47 PM:

" It's very sad in this day and age people are STILL falling for these scams. I understand the desperation in needing to provide for your family, however no matter how good the intentions are, or how naive you may be, surely on some level you know you are being scammed.
I appreciate these people coming forward to tell their story, however for people to stand back and say "It wasn't our fault, we were scammed" I just don't buy into it.
What I want to know is why they didn't wait for a reasonable amount of time before buying their moneygram? Do you not normally wait a few days when you receive a check to ensure the funds are in the bank account where the check was issued?
I agree with the people above who said 'if it looks like it's too good to be true, chances are it is'. "

jimmys_girl wrote on Jun 19, 2008 4:35 PM:

" To all of you who have left yor opinions on or coming forward with our story~
We did not come foward to place blame on anyone or for sympathy from anyone, the bank didnt even know it was counterfeit. I went to them and questioned it when I became concerned about the validity and they didnt even know yet. I called the bank that the check was from myself and gave them the numbers and found that it was counterfeit and told the credit union myself. I did not know If I was going to be in trouble with the law even though I didnt know that it was countefeit until after the fact. When I walked into that bank I was crying and shaking and asing for help, not knowing what to expect, but I went to them first. There was no greed involved, would someone that was greedy go on their own and question a bank about something that may or may not come back on them and possibly put them in jail??? I did this to try to help provide food, pay bills etc. so my family might be able to servive while my husband and I try to find local work. Yes I do think the credit union needs to have a better way of checking incoming checks being deposited. This was an isolated event not something that happened everyday in our account. "

jimmys_girl wrote on Jun 19, 2008 4:44 PM:

" The banks response to why they didnt question the deposit was that we have been Fibre customers for so long that they just didnt have any reason to question it. That in my book is not exactly good. But we are honest american people who were not trying to commit any crime, and are not telling our story to get kicked in the teeth so to speak. We just know what it feels like to be in dire straights and in fear of where the next dollar is going to come from. At least we are not part of our community that relies on drugs to live. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK FIBRE FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FOR THEIR UNDERSTANDING AND HELP WITH THIS MATTER KNOWING OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND THAT WE ARE NOT CRIMINALS THE PEOPLE THAT SENT THE "EMPLOYMENT NOTIFICATION WITH A COUNTERFEIT CHECK ATTATCHED ARE. "

jimmys_girl wrote on Jun 28, 2008 4:20 AM:

" to Leslie Slape and the rest of our county there is another scam that has just been sent out and we received that is along the same lines only it is 3950 that they send and there are more businesses involved etc.I am more tha happy to give the information and a copy of the letter and check etc. for our community to know whats happening. I have contacted people on this and the other counterfeit check and was appauled at the response to the latest one. Leslie Please give me a call so that I may tell you what is going on and follow up with the story. There is more to tell. "

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