musicjunkie002's journey

Applied at Gartner Research Inc for Surveying Job

I recently received an email from Gartner Research Inc offering me a surveying job that promised $450 a week for evaluating a few stores in my area. The catch was that the tasks were not guaranteed every week, depending on my efficiency. The email seemed legitimate, and they only asked for basic verification of my name and address. Last week, I got a starter package delivered via certified mail, which I had to sign for. Inside was a check for nearly $2000 along with details for my first task. Things took a turn when they asked me to purchase three Apple gift cards worth $500 each, without disclosing the reason for the purchase. I was to send them pictures of the cards and the receipts. While I understood the need for secrecy in evaluating customer service, it felt odd. I did some research but found limited information about the company online. I’ve encountered fake job offers before, but this one felt different since they actually sent me a physical package. However, after some advice from others, I confirmed that this was indeed a scam. I had already deposited the check, and now I’m worried about the implications of that. The company itself mentioned they've been receiving calls about this scam recently, indicating it's a new scheme. I learned the hard way that the check is fake, and if I proceed with buying the gift cards, I could end up losing $1500 plus any bank fees for the bounced check. Lesson learned.