Woman Loses $5,000, Says She Was Scammed

(Blythewood) - If you've ever searched for a job you've probably seen the ads saying you can get paid to shop.

It sounded like the perfect opportunity for a stay-at-home mom in Blythewood, but Tessa Garcia said she ended up losing nearly $5,000.

"I was just trying to help out my husband. He's the only one working and he doesn't make a lot," Tessa Garcia said.

When Garcia found the website getpaid2.com she thought she could make some easy money. She was sent a cashiers check for nearly $5,000 and told to make purchases at GAP, Wal-Mart, Western Union and Moneygram--all while surveying each company's service.

"How was they dressed? Was they nice? Or was they considerate? Did someone help you when you needed it?" Garcia said about the questions she was supposed to answer.

Garcia still has receipts showing she wired more than $4,200 to the Canadian address she was told to use. The only problem? Garcia said the company's check never posted to her account.

When we called Get Paid 2 a representative told us Garcia must be the one pulling a scam.

"Well I believe maybe she took the $5,000 and ran off with it for herself," he said.

The person who answered the phone was unwilling to answer any questions about the company and said a manager would have to call us.

News 19 is still waiting on the same phone call Garcia would like to receive.

"I feel bad that people out there are doing innocent people like me wrong. There's a lot of stay-at-home parents or parents that just wanna make a little bit of extra money," she said.

The Richland County Sheriffs Department is investigating the case and they say at this time it does appear Garcia was the victim of a scam.