I received this in the mail today (I blurred out my name, their phone # and address and the checks routing numbers)



It feels kinda scammy but I have heard of things like this before...

Scam.

Just the fact that they are going to send checks out to everyone for 4900 dollars for you to eat at Fast Food places for no reason. More than likely its a scam so I'd just throw it out.

It does seems like a scam to me. You need to spend $4508 in money transfer and only $90 for retail stores?... It does smell fishy.

There wasn't a return address on the envelope either

I did want to believe though, oh well

Definite scam. There was a column in my newspaper today talking about scams like this. The check is fake, but that usually isn't caught by the banks until well after you've deposited it, it's cleared (which is odd for a fake) and you've made the wire transfers. By then, the bank comes back to you for the money and the scammer is long gone.

Massive scam. Here's how it works:

1. They send you money order/cashier's check/whatever.
2. You put the money order/cashier's check/whatever in your bank account.
3. You send $4508 via Western Union
4. They get the money sent via Western Union.
5. Your bank calls you. Tells you that the check was a fake and you owe them $4508.

wonder how many people fell for this.

If someone wants you to send large amounts of money via Western Union, it is pretty much ALWAYS a scam.

Mystery shoppers are very real - most if not all retailers pay for these services. The mystery shoppers are not employed by the retailers themselves, and the entire purpose is that the stores do not know who these people are.

I can't speak for the validity of this particular company however. I'd definitely hit Google or more importantly BBB to research this company.

Mystery shoppers are real and I have friends who do that, however, the issue here is the money transfer, etc. This is a SCAM and anyone who thinks otherwise deserves to be scammed.

The biggest problem is that people do not recognize this as a scam. Betcha there will soon be some new banking laws enacted regulating the clearing of checks prior to the release of funds.

Most banks place holds on the funds for just this reason.

Yes, this check is 100% guaranteed to be counterfeit. There may be a real company whose logo, name, etc. was hijacked and a phony bank check printed. The scammers blitz the mails with this con and clear out before the authorities catch up to them. Go here for additional knowledge.

I noticed a web page address on the letter- did you go there and sign up, or did this come to you from out of the blue?

If you signed up, and received this (obvious) scam, then really interNIC or someone should have this page info given to them to shut it down before more people are scammed...

-jason

Whats the harm in depositing the check? As long as he doesnt draw against it. See if it clears. If it does, good, if not youre not out anything. You dont have any sort of agreement with this company. as far as you know they sent you a check out of the blue for four grand.
Rule of thumb, if you have to ask if its a scam, it is.

A woman in MO fell for this scam. They opted not to pros. her. Recently in the paper

Obvious scam. You deposit the check, then wire the money through Western Union. 3 weeks later, your bank tells you that the check was a counterfeit.

I've done some mystery shopping, and doing 4 shops (Walmart, Gap, and the 2 money places) would be about $80, not $400. They're trying to appeal to your greed by so grossly "overpaying" for the shops.

It will not clear but if he follows the instructions he is to purchase western union and moneygrams and sent the money. He needs (or a credit card) to do this. Once those are sent, that money is lost.

P.S. It also makes the bank think you're an idiot.

The check will clear within the required timeframe and then a few days later (or as long as 3 weeks for the Nigerian scammers), the check will come back as counterfeit.

http://www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com/index.aspx

www.ripoffreport.com


http://ripoffreport.com/searchresult...&Search=Search

Seriously, ANYTHING that requires you to send the people money back after they send you a check is a FRAUD. No matter how convincing they are, no matter how much you think it might be legit, these scams are being run by CON artists. Con artists get their name because they are professionals at gaining your CONfidence. If they don't get your confidence, they are not doing their job right. No matter how legit you think it is, ALWAYS run it through a google check or one of the sites I linked above. There are a lot of victims who fall for this...learn from their mistakes.

If they were honestly hiring you to do mystery shopping...and there are legit offers for mystery shopping online...I know somebody who does it as a part time gig..., they'd pay you a flat fee and require nothing back. Any of their fees would be deducted out of your check, like taxes or what not.

I really never understand why people fall for this crap, but I see it all the time since I work in the fraud department at a bank. I guess it's the confidence factor that these people develop with their victims, and maybe the victims just don't know better and haven't seen stories like this in the news or online. It always amazes me how many people fall for this kind of thing. I'd hate to see any victims on this site.