Fake Check Scam Hits Company In Georgia

Atlanta - September 28, 2009

Consumers across the country have been receiving checks to do mystery shopping from a firm located in Atlanta, Georgia called High Country, Inc. This company, also known as High Country Outfitters, is a legitimate company, however, the offer and the checks are fake.

BBB received a call from this company’s bank asking us to alert consumers that since September 14, 2009, approximately 30 fraudulent checks are being presented on this company’s account each day.

Consumers are receiving fake checks in the mail after signing up online to do secret shopping, home remodeling and other various requests and are depositing these checks in banks across the United States.

Scams involving fake checks typically require the victim to deposit a check into their bank account then wire money back to the scammers. While the check may initially be deposited into the victim’s bank account—leading to a false sense of security—the fake check will ultimately be discovered within a couple weeks and the bank will take the funds out of the account. The victim of the scam is out whatever money they sent to the scammers and will be responsible for paying the bank back if their account is overdrawn.

Mystery Shopping Scam General Advice
The victim believes that they are going to earn a few hundred dollars by working for a company that provides mystery—or secret—shopping evaluations for businesses. The victim receives a letter in the mail along with evaluation forms, a check and detailed instructions. The victim is to deposit the check into their bank account, and then use the money to purchase items from specified stores and evaluate the customer service the rest of the money is theirs to keep for the work they did. Included in the list of stores to evaluate is Western Union or MoneyGram and the victim is told to wire as much as a couple thousand dollars back to their “employer” and rate their experience with the money wiring service.
BBB advises extreme caution when dealing with any company that sends a check and asks you to deposit the check in your account and then send them money. We know of no instance where the consumer actually made money and consider this to be a scam.

Nine counties added for FEMA public assistance including our Neighbor, Stephens County, three new counties gain individual assistance

ATLANTA - Georgia has received approval from the Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) to include three additional counties for individual assistance and nine counties for public assistance in the recent federal disaster declaration.

”The response to the recent floods in this state is inspiring,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “I want to thank Georgians for pulling together to help one another and FEMA for moving quickly and providing assistance.”

Residents and business owners in Bartow, Coweta, and Heard counties are now eligible for Individual Assistance which includes funding to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration also will be available to help cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance. The list of disaster declared counties for Individual Assistance now includes: Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, Heard, Newton, Paulding, Rockdale, Stephens and Walker.

Those who sustained losses in these counties may apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (local time) Monday through Sunday.

Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cobb, Douglas, Gwinnett, Paulding, Stephens and Walker counties are also now eligible for Public Assistance. This assistance provides funding on a cost-sharing basis to local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for the repair or replacement of damaged roads, dams, bridges, water treatment facilities, publicly-owned utilities and other types of infrastructure.

The federal declaration for public assistance also means that affected counties can apply to be part of a Hazard Mitigation Grant program, which provides assistance to state and local governments and eligible private nonprofit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from natural hazards.

”The quick response from FEMA has been key to the state’s recovery efforts,” said Director Charley English of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. “We will continue to work with federal officials to get help to additional areas struck by floodwaters.”

Governor Perdue made the request for a federal declaration after reviewing preliminary damage assessments across North Georgia earlier this week.