She was wrong.

Secret shoppers, also known as mystery shoppers, are hired by market research firms under contract with companies to test customer service.

Crawford, the mother of four small children, was anxious to get to work after signing up with a company that advertised on the Internet.

“Mystery shopping? Who would not want to get paid to go shopping?” Crawford said.

But within days of cashing a $4,500 check from her alleged employer, completing her “assignment” and sending the remaining funds back to them; Crawford learned the check was fraudulent.

Even worse, Crawford was responsible for the $4,500.

“I was in tears. I was flabbergasted. I didn’t know what to think,” Crawford said.

John North of the Better Business Bureau has heard about a growing number of similar cases nationwide.

“Be very leery of any organization that asks you to spend money for training or sends you a check and then asks you to send them a portion of that check,” North said.

Banks, credit unions and check cashing stores often are not able to tell if the check in question is legitimate until several days after it is brought in by the unsuspecting victim.

Lou Es Greene, who runs L2 Market Research of Dayton, said there are legitimate research firms in the Miami Valley who use secret shoppers.

Greene’s firm, however, does not advertise on the Internet.

“A lot of people get scammed into that. Oh, it’s easy money. You can get rich. No you can’t. There’s not enough work for that,” Greene said.

She advises people searching for secret shopping jobs to never pay a registration fee up front, to be suspicious if a large check shows up in the mail, and if they are not screened for any conflicts of interest.

Crawford has forwarded information on her case to state authorities, hoping an investigation will stop whoever is behind the check scheme.

“I hope they catch up with these people because it just can’t keep going on,” Crawford said.

READER RESPONSE: To tell us your secret shopper story or to respond to this report, click here.

Jim.otte@whiotv.com