BBB Alert - Mystery Shopper Scam

From the BBB

DON’T FALL FOR MYSTERY SHOPPERS

After all the shopping is done for this holiday season, consumers may find themselves strapped for cash. Schemers are very aware of the draw-in of “easy” money. A “secret shopper” scam using the company name Master Research claims a Maryland address and is swindling consumers across the country out of their savings. The Better Business Bureau is urging all consumers to be aware of work-at-home scams like Master Research.

Master Research posts help wanted ads on CraigsList.com, CareerBuilder.com and newspapers seeking customer service evaluators, secret shoppers and temporary positions.

In the advertisements no company name is given. When the job-seeker calls to respond (866-883-6274) they reach a company representative and are asked only for their name and address, or they merely reach voicemail. Within a week, the candidate receives a package in the mail that explains they have been selected to participate in the Master Research program. In the package is a check for $2,990.00 for use in the “training process."

Participants are advised to go to Wal-Mart and wire money to Canada. They are instructed that, as a participant, they get to keep $300.00 for their services. Thus far, consumers have reported losses as great as $7,990.00 as a result of cashing these fraudulent checks.

The checks are falsely issued under a real financial institution, Chesapeake Bank, but include a phony Baltimore, MD address and phone number. Upon calling the number, BBB discovered a bogus “collections” agency who acknowledged Master Research as a “credible client.” The BBB representative was asked if she needed to verify a check number.

A Chesapeake Bank representative in Baltimore alerted BBB that the FBI has had an open investigation on Master Research since April, 2007.

Your BBB offers these tips to help you avoid being swindled by fake check scams:

Be suspicious of any check from an individual or business that you do not know.

• Independently verify that the check is drawn from an actual account at a legitimate financial institution.
• Do not rely on the telephone number listed on the check. Use directory assistance to get the telephone number of the financial institution and call them to verify the check.
• When a company claims to have a "secret shopper" position like Master Research, check with the Mystery Shopper Provider Association at http://www.mysteryshop.org/ to learn more about Mystery Shopping and to confirm the legitimacy of a company.
• Do not rely on the money until the funds have been finally collected by your financial institution. Funds 'available’ is not good enough.

Start with Trust

Western Strategies Center releases results of health care study

Study reinforces fact that local informed action can drive improvement in the health care system.

What: Public Meeting

When: Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Noon - 1:00 pm

Where: Carnegie Room, Penrose Library

20 North Cascade Ave

Colorado Springs

Cost: Free and open to the public

Copies of health care study available at meeting

Info: 719-473-2864

Western Strategies Center (WSC), a locally based nonprofit policy center, announces the release of its comprehensive study of the health care infrastructure in Colorado Springs. The 72-page report details the key findings and offers 5 possible courses of action.

Jay Fawcett, President of WSC, will cover the highlights of the study and what the general public can do to help solve local health care challenges. A panel discussion by leaders from the health care community follows.

For more information about WSC or to receive a copy of the health care study, contact WSC at 719-473-2864 or go to www.westernstrategies.org

PEAK VISTA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

PEAK VISTA COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS
ANNOUNCES 2008 BOARD OFFICERS and DIRECTORS


Colorado Springs, CO, January 3, 2008--Peak Vista Community Health Centers announced today the names of board officers and members elected to serve during FY 2008. According to BJ Scott, President and CEO of Peak Vista, “This will be an exciting year for Peak Vista as we continue to meet the needs of more people in need of medical, dental and behavioral health care primary services. The depth of commitment and expertise of our board members is important to provide the strategic leadership necessary to govern a Colorado non profit and assure that Peak Vista is meeting its mission of providing exceptional healthcare for people facing access barriers.”

Officers are: Steve Ingham (Academy Bank), Chairperson; Sue Foerster (Community Volunteer), Past Chairperson; George Guerrero (El Pomar Foundation), Vice Chairperson; Marilyn Bignell (Summit Medical-Legal Solutions), Secretary; and Steve Scott (Flying Horse Signature Homes), Treasurer. Board of Directors are: Tom Bates, MD; Ted Borden; Casey Corey; Bob Duran; Cindy Ellis; Johnnie Fant; Elizabeth Fineron; Jenny Knellinger; and Peter Strand.

Peak Vista Community Health Centers is a non profit multi-specialty primary healthcare organization whose mission is to provide exceptional healthcare for people facing access barriers. Established in 1971, Peak Vista today offers primary medical care and dental services to over 53,000 residents of the Pikes Peak region. To learn more about Peak Vista, visit www.peakvista.org or call 228-6606.

Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce Relocates

The Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce
will be moving from 2 N. Cascade to 6 S. Tejon Street later this month. The
Colorado Springs SCORE
chapter will be moving along with them. Chamber officials stated that the move was purely a financial decision based on lease rates, but personally, I think they just wanted to put themselves more squarely on The South Side.

Free Pizza

Okay, I'm trying out a new feature on my new blog. I'm going to post one of these at irregular intervals, offering free stuff for Colorado Springs area residents (you must come pick up your prize within 2 business days.)

Today's prize: A large one item carry out Pizza from Papa John's South Academy location.

Today's challenge: email Eduffy80911@Gmail.com with the answer to the following question: What does the Scottish phrase "Auld Lang Syne" mean? (hint: visit ThePunditMaster

The first email with the right answer received before midnight tonight wins. Prize must be picked up at Easy Street Designs, 5195 Fontaine Blvd, Ste 3, Fountain, CO 80817 before 6pm Wednesday Jan 2, 2008.

Slapping the Hand That Feeds You

I had a conversation with a colleague from a more traditional paper today. She told me about an interview she had done with a company that provides security for schools. The company is looking to land a contract with an area school district.

She said that her editor would likely not run the story because she'd feel it was just a marketing pitch for the company. This illustrates an attitude among most print media publications that I just don't understand.

I'll focus on small regionals because that's what I'm most familiar with. Small businesses are the ones who keep the paper in existance. It's through their ad revenue that payroll is met, the rent gets paid, the electricity stays on, etc. Yet an editor would shun a story because it might be helpful to a business? I'm not going to name the paper or the editor because this attitude is actually the prevailing one among small newspaper editors. They're are loathe to do anything that might be construed as "free advertising".

In The South Side Business News, we're all about the blatant and unapologetic promotion of business, particularly the small business. IBM and Walmart get plenty of attention. We want to provide a spotlight for Fountain Valley Mechanical and The Sound Shop and the like. The fact that most papers wont do this actually provided me with my niche. We encourage area businesses to send us updates on their activities, products, employees, etc. Of course, the story still has to be interesting and they're run on a space available basis, but since we don't do community interest, politics, death, disease and mayhem, we make a lot of space available.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, this has not resulted in decreased interest in paid advertising. To the contrary. It turns out the public at large is really interested in the goings on of local shops and the people who own, run and work in them. There are hundreds of small businesses in the area and only a handful are going to have stories published in any given month. The demand for space still far exceeds the supply. The key, as always, it good content. All stories are edited as I see fit, and nobody gets to proof or approve them prior to publication.