Beware of con artists as inflation rises

With the highest inflation in more than 40 years, con artists are looking to cash in.

One woman worries they’re targeting groceries to steal your money and personal information.

Here is what you need to look out for to keep your money and food on the table.

Everyone could use a little extra money to grocery shop these days.

Sow hen Britney Kozachynskyi got a text for a mystery shopping gig at a popular grocery store, she was all in.

She’s done it before, after all.

“The next thing I know, I’m getting a package in the mail with a check and instructions, which I thought was really weird,” Kozachynskyi said.

Businesses hire secret shoppers to try their products or services and tell them their experiences.

The Federal Trade Commission says mystery shoppers usually pay for the product, in this case, groceries, themselves and the store reimburses them later.

That lines up with Kozachynskyi’s past experience, so getting a check ahead of time raised a red flag.

“It was for such a large amount of money, it’s for $1,950.89. And then they want you to buy gift cards, which usually for secret shopper missions, you usually just buy like regular groceries, like what you would normally buy,” said Kozachynskyi, who lives in Cape Coral. “They also wanted you to send them the gift card information. So scratch off the silver part, you know, the codes and send it to them and the receipts. And I was like, now that’s sketch.”

She did some research and found other people also got the same package.

And the check wasn’t real.

Kozachynskyi knows everyone is looking for a way to make their dollar stretch so she hopes no one falls for this scheme either.

“This would have definitely screwed me over if I would have deposited it. So, I’m glad I didn’t,” she said.

Anytime a company sends you money and wants you to send it back, the FTC says don’t.

It’s not a real company and it’s not a real check.

If you’re interested in a secret shopper job, make sure the company is associated with the Mystery Shoppers Professionals Association.

They don’t hire or advertise but they do have a list of provider companies.

To access the list, visit their website.