ST. JOHN’S — Police in Newfoundland are warning of a scam that promises to pay people to become mystery shoppers for a St. John’s bakery, but instead defrauds them of their own dough.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says victims are sent a personalized letter saying they have been selected as a mystery shopper for Manna Bakery.
Police say the business is being fraudulently targeted in the scam, which has popped up across Canada.
The letter contains a cheque worth between $3,000 and $5,000.
Police say victims are instructed to cash the cheque, use the money to buy products from certain businesses and evaluate their experiences.
The victims are also asked to send cash through money transfer companies to addresses in the United States and evaluate the service of those businesses.
Police say the victims send the money only to discover the cheque they cashed was fraudulent, and they owe the bank the money they received.
