An OPP cruiser at the London detachment off Exeter Road.
Huron County OPP is warning of the Mystery Shopping scam with a COVID-19 twist.
The scam was conducted locally and now a South Huron woman is out nearly $2600 dollars.
Police say the victim responded to an online ad for a mystery shopper looking to make some extra cash.
A fake company contacted the victim and asked her to shop at various local businesses and document if they were following COVID-19 regulations.
Investigators say the scammer sent a genuine looking cheque in the mail for almost $3000, which the victim thought was odd as the payment was supposed to be $400 per completed survey.
The scammer contacted the victim about the overpayment being a mistake and the victim was asked to send back nearly $2600.
Funds were sent and the scammers cheque bounced, and now the victim is out that money.
Here are some warning signs to help protect yourself
Be mindful of where you post your resume or who you provide your email address to; Scammers often use legitimate websites to seek out victims.
A legitimate employer will never send funds and request a portion of it back.
Do your research. A simple search on the internet can save you thousands of dollars.
Beware of unsolicited text messages and emails offering employment
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
To learn more about common frauds and how to report a fraud you can contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at www.antifraudcentre.ca or 1-888-495-8501