BRIDGEVILLE, Pa. — Police in Bridgeville say shoppers are getting scammed and the criminals are using the allure of free shopping at Walmart to trick them out of money.
It's known as the secret shopper scam, with those responsible sending a priority letter through the mail with a very real-looking check.
Investigators say it could cost someone thousands of dollars.
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Victims are sent a check with a letter, asking them to be a secret shopper at Walmart.
The victim is instructed to cash the check and buy a small item at the store, then test Walmart's MoneyGram system by transferring a large amount of money.
The alleged secret shopper would keep the difference.
A familiar scam is coming back in Bridgeville. What you need to know to stay safe @ 5:45 on #WPXIhttps://t.co/Qe6M0B7bfz pic.twitter.com/b9XUSzh8St
— Aaron Martin (@WPXIAaronMartin) October 20, 2017
It can take days for a bank to realize the check is fake, leaving the person who cashed it responsible for the refund.
Bridgeville police say they've dealt with the scam before, but it seems to be making a comeback.
A Walmart spokesperson told Channel 11 the company doesn't participate in any secret shopper program and has information on its website to prevent customers from falling for this scam.
Cox Media Group