346-366-4252

Received a text message from this number. Here's then content of that text:
Whole Foods Market® is starting an exceptionally huge research project in your general vicinity. This project happens each week, so we need to choose Shoppers to work as a store evaluator. You will get $400 on each endeavor. Every task requires 20-30 minutes of time at the store in addition to time to review your post-visit reports. CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO PROCESS YOUR APPLICATION:
http://rebrand.ly/1klwvc
Steve Carter -(Manager)  Whole Foods Survey

Is this spam?

It appears to be a phishing scam and Whole Foods has no such programs.  The link goes to a  123FormBuilder webform to collect your personal information that scammers will use to scam you with. The form has been reported to 123FormBuilder for abuse.

They sent me a bank check for $2452.50 and instructions to purchase EBay gift cards using $2000.00, then send to them.  Mine was from Steve Carter and his name was referenced on the bank check.  I called the bank and they confirmed it was a SCAM!

I had the same issue with a  $2450 check from Bank of America.  It did not have a street address which makes it a fraudulent check.

Was it mailed?  If so, take the check & envelope to the post office & forward it to the inspectors (mail fraud).

Quote:

It did not have a street address which makes it a fraudulent check.

 No, that is not one of the requirements that would make the check valid.  I know a lot of people including myself that have opened new checking accounts and received checks with no name or address on them to use until the printed checks arrived.  For that matter banks used to (I don't know if they still do) had blank checks available for people to use and fill out if they forgot their check.  Your statement would make everyone of those valid checks invalid.

It’s a total scam. Check is cancelled after you deposit it in your account. Then you spend the money on gift cards which are also cancelled. You get no secret shopper money and your out the $2400 you were given up front. No more secret shopper reviews either.

The check is not "cancelled".  It was no good to begin with which means that it will not clear, commonly known as being "bounced".  The bank is required by law to make the money available to you the next business day except in certain circumstances.  Money available is not the same as the check clearing.

Got a text from this number and looked here if it was a scam before replying to text. If it's too good to be true, it probably is!! Be careful people!!!

Mine came from Whole Foods, cashier's check from America's Credit Union for $2,950 . Seemed "to good to be true" and I never signed any binding agreement. What's to stop me from cashing the check and walking away? Nothing, unless the check is fake. All they wanted me to buy with the money was Nike Gift Cards, then use those gift cards for the "next assignment." But of course, they wanted me to send them images of the cards with the scratch-off number revealed. LOL

What's to stop you? The fact the check is fake. They know if you cash it & walk away, you'd be the one liable. It's not as if they lose anything.
Legitimate businesses don't with like this.

Yes this is a scam!!! The check they sent me was not real

Send me a check for $2950.52, I knew it was a scam, so dont cash the check people or go get those gift cards,its a total scam, they send me a text is how this all started, I went along with it knowing it was a scam. At lease I know they wasted their time and money $7.45 (send the check and instructions priorty mail with the USPS)...:)

This same thing just happened to me what did you do?

I have received a few of these texts. Thank you for the heads up on these scammers.

I have another number from Steve Carter/whole foods to report. 774-993-8317

That's exactly the same text I just got as well... What I don't understand is why haven't there been any legal action taking against these people or person.....another thing , banks won't clear a check in one day. It takes 7days at my bank to clear the check for it to post to the account....so how are these people actually making any money?

Quote:

It takes 7days at my bank to clear the check for it to post to the account....so how are these people actually making any money?

They will get the victims to take money out of their own accounts they deposited the check(s) into. They know the Bank will make funds in the amount of the check available immediately, this doesn't mean the check cleared and scammers know the check will never clear, so they pressure victims into buying gift cards to start with and want "images of them scratched off" to verify the purchase.
Of course that is the whole scam right there, because that is all they wanted is to trick you into giving them those numbers on the gift cards so they can redeem them, leaving you with the bounced check to pay back to the Bank and fee/charges.