LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - Most of us are familiar with the mystery shopping programs and if you love to shop it's a quick, easy way to earn a check. But one viewer’s concern to the 11 listens line is whether those checks are real or fake.
Marjorie Bailey received some checks after completing her tasks as a secret shopper. She deposited the checks at her local bank only to find out that they were not authentic. Now she's responsible for paying the amount back.
Bailey reached out to THV11 to find out how to tell if a check is real the moment you receive it. We went to Arvest Bank for answers.
"Does it match up with people who sent the letter to be a secret shopper? Is the name of the organization the same? Are there any misspelled words?" said Tanya James, a private banking advisor.
James said this is something they see quite often, fake checks from secret shoppers. She said it's important to disclose all information when you come to the bank.
"When you're talking to the teller explain to them the check that was received, where it came from if you've received a new job so they can start asking you better questions to determine the source of the check," said James.
She added any time they ask for administrative fees that's a red flag. Arvest Bank said it's not unusual to see these types of scams, especially around the holiday season.
So, let this be a reminder the next time you receive a check in the mail.
If you have any questions or concerns send them to 11listens@thv11.com