When Travis Liles got a job as a secret shopper, he thought he'd be making more money.
"Part of the mystery shop was to ask some questions, to evaluate how the teller did as far as professionalism and knowledge, that kind of thing," Liles said.
The company, Peach Audit Group, sent a money order to use at Western Union as a secret shopper.
"I took it down to a bank and I said, 'So there's no way this can come back on me,' and she said 'no,'" Liles said.
He was told to wire the money to two people in the Philippines. His payment would be what was left over from the money order. A few days later, he got more money orders in the mail. When he went to cash them this time, the teller knew something was up.
"She went and called an 800 number to verify them. Came back and told me they were fraudulent," he said.
Abilene Better Business Bureau president Steve Abel said this is a variation on a popular scam that preys on people looking for work.
"It's especially cruel for somebody that really is looking for a job, and then thinks they finally found one. All of a sudden they've been scammed out of hundreds, thousands of dollars," Abel said.
Abel urges anyone who thinks they could be dealing with a similar situation to contact the BBB at (325) 691-1533.
"Part of the mystery shop was to ask some questions, to evaluate how the teller did as far as professionalism and knowledge, that kind of thing," Liles said.
The company, Peach Audit Group, sent a money order to use at Western Union as a secret shopper.
"I took it down to a bank and I said, 'So there's no way this can come back on me,' and she said 'no,'" Liles said.
He was told to wire the money to two people in the Philippines. His payment would be what was left over from the money order. A few days later, he got more money orders in the mail. When he went to cash them this time, the teller knew something was up.
"She went and called an 800 number to verify them. Came back and told me they were fraudulent," he said.
Abilene Better Business Bureau president Steve Abel said this is a variation on a popular scam that preys on people looking for work.
"It's especially cruel for somebody that really is looking for a job, and then thinks they finally found one. All of a sudden they've been scammed out of hundreds, thousands of dollars," Abel said.
Abel urges anyone who thinks they could be dealing with a similar situation to contact the BBB at (325) 691-1533.
