The Financial Services Commission of Ontario is warning consumers and insurers that two companies are conducting a mystery shopper scam. Those companies are My Shop Ltd., using the email @myshopltd.org, and Mystery Global Survey Group, using the email @intshopper.org.
The companies have sent letters and cheques bearing Intact Insurance’s name and logo to a number of individuals, offering large payments to those people for a mystery shopper assignment. The scam typically involves one of the two companies asking people to deposit the cheques but to also wire a sum of the money to another person’s account. The cheques don’t clear but the individuals can’t recover any sums already transferred.
These are fraudulent cheques that aren’t authorized by Intact, nor is Intact affiliated with My Shop Inc. or Mystery Global Survey Group.
The FSCO says this type of scam is referred to as an advance fee fraud. These scams always involve advance or upfront payments for goods, services or financial gains that don’t materialize. If contacted by My Shop Ltd. or Mystery Global Survey Group, consumers shouldn’t respond. They should forward all materials to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.