From time to time false emails are sent to illegally and unethically solicit
personal and financial information from unsuspecting people. These emails may
also include offers of employment that in reality do not exist; be covers for
illegal money laundering schemes; while the sender may also fraudulently claim
to be from a reputable organization.
GAPbuster Worldwide endeavors to protect our mystery shoppers from these
fraudulent acts, by bringing the latest issues to your attention whenever
possible. Plus this is why our shoppers can only pick up mystery shopping jobs
by going through our website - as this requires verification with log-in and
password access.
If you receive a suspicious email that claims to be from GAPbuster, here’s
what you should do:
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Log-on to our website and check the shopper noticeboard for any updates.
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If there are no “Online Security” updates and the email is claiming to be from
GAPbuster, please send an email enquiry through our website, so we can verify
the validity of your email.
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In your enquiry, don't forget to include a copy of the suspicious email or
provide as much detail as possible so we can follow up. (E.g. The sender's email
address, any names mentioned, the email content)
To protect yourself and your privacy, when responding to email campaigns or
advertisements, please keep in mind the following:
-
Never provide
your personal banking, credit card details or driver's license over email.
-
Be careful
when dealing with people or organizations who charge a joining fee to become a
mystery shopper.
-
Be very wary
of opportunities that seem “too good to be true”.
-
Play it safe
and check the legitimacy of any email or employer that seems suspicious before
you respond. Don't assume that just because an email claims to represent a
company you know that it actually does. If in doubt, call/email the company and
verify the email.
-
Update
your anti-virus software and operating system regularly to make sure you're
protected from the latest threats.
-
Report any emails that might be fraudulent to GAPbuster
Worldwide immediately; this is so we can warn others. Plus contact your local
Police authority, to report that you may be the victim of fraud.
For further reference visit:
The Mystery Shopping Providers Association
www.mysteryshop.org
Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Protection (US)
www.ftc.gov/bcp
Trading Standards UK
www.tradingstandards.gov.uk
Australian High Tech Crime Centre
www.ahtcc.gov.au
Scam Watch, How to Protect Yourself
www.scamwatch.gov.au
Or just search for consumer protection government bodies or associations in
your country.
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