Northern Nevada briefly for Oct. 31

AG's office issues mystery shopper scam alert

The Nevada Attorney General's Office is warning that some residents have received e-mails offering employment as "Mystery Shoppers." The company offering the employment position claims "you will be provided funds in advance for any upcoming survey via cashiers checks and wire transactions to cover expenses."

In fact, the consumer will receive a cashiers check from the company and told to cash the check immediately and do a "mystery shopping" investigation of either Western Union or Moneygram by wiring money back to the company. Alternately, the consumer will be instructed to buy one or two small items and then wire the remainder of the money back to the company. Wiring money back to the company who originally provided the cashiers check is a reoccurring theme in this scam.

The cashiers check is either stolen or a forgery and the consumer is instructed to act immediately because the check will bounce and the scammers want the victim to wire money back to them before the bank - and the victim - discover the check is a forgery. If the check is cashed, the victim will be required to pay the bank for the money paid on the forged check, and any money wired to the company will likely end up offshore, in this case Western Samoa.

Before cashing a lottery, sweepstakes or mystery shopper check, call the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection at 684-1169 for information on a possible scam in progress.

Haunted house offered

on Lindsay Lane tonight

Rafael Adrian is hosting his 8th annual Halloween Haunted House at 1137 Lindsay Lane in Carson City.

Adrian said that he was finally given the green light Friday afternoon by Carson City to offer his haunted house.

Doors will open from 7-10 p.m. today.

Adrian is collecting non-perishable items to be donated to Ron Woods Family Resource Center.

For more information, call 720-5789.

RPEN meeting date changed to Nov. 9

The November meeting of the Retired Public Employees of Nevada (RPEN) will be changed to Nov. 9, due to elections on Nov. 2. Hal Keaton, RPEN state president will speak on retiree issues.

The meeting starts at

2 p.m. at the Carson City Senior Citizen's Center, 911 Beverly Drive.

For more information, call Rowena Pogue at 882-6368.