New 'Secret Shopper' Scam Includes Forged Checks

The McCracken County Sheriff's Department has been investigating a new scam.

Multiple people have told the Sheriff's Department about packages they have received in the mail that contained a check with instructions on how to evaluate their shopping experience as a "secret shopper."

The recipient of the check is instructed to deposit the check, withdraw cash, purchase gift cards at Walmart, then provide the card numbers and security codes to the sender. The letter says this is to evaluate the availability of gift cards and the overall shopping experience.

The Sheriff's Department says this is a scam, and although the checks appear legitimate, they are forgeries. 

The packages received have been in red and white flat rate priority mail envelopes with a computer-generated tracking number in a clear window. If you receive one of these packages, do not follow the instructions, but call the Sheriff's Department at 270-444-4719.

Detectives are working with agencies across the country to determine the origin of the scam.