Belmont Man Loses Thousands in 'Secret Shopper' Scam: Police

BELMONT, CA- A 69-year-old Belmont man was the victim of a secret shopper scam earlier this month, according to police.

On Tuesday the man went to Belmont police to report being the victim of the scam claiming he received an email from "National Shopping Service Network."

The victim told police the service sent him a cashier's check in the mail, with instructions on how to use two separate wire services to send the money overseas and then "rate the service" of the two companies.

The man said he received a second check with similar instructions however before he could proceed with any more "assignments" his bank had called to alert him the cashier's checks were fraudulent and they would be taking back all of the funds. Police said the victim lost a total of $3,400.

The Belmont police would like to remind the public to be wary of any unsolicited emails, and while there are legitimate secret shopper companies, they should require a website sign up and never solicit via email.

– By Bay City News Service. Image via Shutterstock.