Fake mystery shopper / secret shopper advance-fee scam — victim selected as shopper, given fake cashier's check, asked to buy gift cards and wire back overpayment keeping a "commission"; FTC 2024: $337M in mystery shopper losses; average loss $1,200+

Advance-fee fraud targeting consumers with a "congratulations, you've been selected as a mystery shopper" notification — then instructing them to cash a fake cashier's check, purchase gift cards (Google Play, iTunes, Amazon, Steam) at retail stores, photograph the card codes, and "wire back" the overpayment while keeping a commission. The check bounces weeks later; the victim is liable for the full amount. Key facts: (1) FTC 2024: mystery shopper and secret shopper scams cost Americans $337M with an average loss of $1,200+ per victim; the scam has been in the FTC's top-10 consumer fraud categories for over a decade; (2) The fake-check mechanism is the core exploit: banks make funds provisionally available within 24-72 hours before the check clears — victims who spend these funds before the check bounces owe the full amount to the bank with no recourse; (3) Gift-card purchase is the definitive indicator: no legitimate mystery shopping company instructs evaluators to buy gift cards, photograph codes, or share PINs — evaluators purchase and return merchandise through official channels with proper expense reporting; (4) Legitimate mystery shopping agencies (MSPA Americas members) never send unsolicited email offers, never pay via cashier's check, and never ask evaluators to wire funds. Warning signs: unsolicited selection notification, cashier's check mailed in advance, gift-card purchase task, instruction to "wire back" the overpayment.