A new out-of-state scam that has cost several Putnam residents thousands of dollars is being investigated by Carmel Police.

Police Chief Michael Johnson said his office received complaints in recent days from Mahopac and Carmel residents who had been offered jobs via mail solicitations as so-called “secret shoppers” from a company identifying itself as TNS Global in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Johnson said the “secret shopper” was tasked with purchasing items from various local stores and evaluating the business’ employees:

“The ‘secret shopper’ applicant is mailed all sorts of official-looking documents, including a contractor’s agreement and a code of conduct issued by the company. Individuals are promised a $180 fee for participating in each ‘secret shopper’ exercise.”

The chief told the COURIeR that applicants were all asked to complete “reams of paperwork and to fax forms back to the company. A few days later, the unsuspecting individual is sent a $3,800 cashiers check and told to deposit it in his or her account drawn on the Frost Bank and Trust Company from San Antonio, Texas.”

Johnson said the checks are fraudulent: “Most banks will stop payment and freeze the individual’s account. The majority of the checks take several weeks to be officially cleared by the bank but the applicants have access to the funds within 48 hours.”

Following instructions from the company, the unsuspecting individual contacts the firm in North Carolina and is asked for the account and routing number of his or her account so that future checks can be directly deposited: “Instead the company electronically transfers all of the money out of the account leaving the victim penniless,” the chief said.

Johnson said the case points out the old adage that “if it sounds too good it probably is. Unscrupulous individuals are out there trying to victimize innocent people. Never give your social security, bank or other personal information to anyone without seeing official documentation.”

The chief asked anyone who might have been victimized by the scam or those contacted by a representative of the Raleigh firm to call his office at 628-1300. All calls will be kept confidential.