Long time lurker here.

I am hoping to gain some insight from the collective wisdom here.

So I believe I've been a target of the infamous MoneyGram scam. I wouldn't have bothered you all but I do believe this is getting out of hand and it appears these people are stepping it up a notch.

Received a letter on a MoneyGram letterhead and a cashier's check for $1,729.
According to the directions listed I am supposed to do a two part evaluation where I am supposed to

a) purchase an item for $20 from the nearest Walmart and then email what was the product purchased, how much it cost and details on their "customer service professionalism" in what appears to be the Shortest. Survey. Ever.

Then of course the kicker is that I deposit said check, keep $300 for my "commission" and then send it to some dude in Texas.

So all sorts of red flags, bells and whistles went off and I tossed the "official" looking envelope to the side. I have heard of these scams before and I did a search for some info on the board and I was pretty much comfortablethat my initial skepticism was on point and that I have been targeted by unscrupulous individuals.

But THEN, I got a TEXT from these people THIS MORNING from a 409 area code asking me when will I be completing this assignment.

I responded by asking what is the name of the company and that I was actually going to report them to the FTC. (Not sure if this is the appropriate course of action.)

I have yet to hear a response. Sigh.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/14/2016 06:38PM by ayiticherie.

Yep, you're a target. Thankfully, you're not a victim. Block the text's originating number and either toss or turn over to law enforcement the bogus letter and cashier's check.

You were the intended victim of a scam. I would have told them that I was going to call the bank upon which the Cashier's Check was drawn and after they confirmed that the Cashier's Check was valid and would be paid, that you would schedule the mystery shop. If the bank did not confirm that the Cashier's Check was valid and that there was money in the account, then you were going to contact the US Postal Inspector, the police, and the FTC.

At this point, I suggest that you contact the Postal Inspectors., They have the authority to shut down whatever address or PO Box is being used for this scam.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/14/2016 06:02PM by myst4au.

"Then of course the kicker is that I deposit said check, keep $300 for my "commission" and then send it to some dude in Texas." This, of course, is the scam part.

You deposit the check and in a day or so your bank shows the money as 'cleared' so you can pull it out. However the check is not fully cleared and eventually will bounce. Meanwhile you have sent along $1000+ to that dude in Texas and a few days later your bank lets you know that the check bounced, you have a $35 bounced check charge, any checks or payments you have outstanding bounce at $35 each (or whatever your bank charges) and they want you to get your account back in the black within 24 hours. The scam could end up costing you a heck of a lot of money plus be a black mark on your banking record for having had your account go below $0 and having bounced a large check.

As elcarev68 suggests, throw it away or hand it over to local law enforcement.

Well, maybe deposit that check in a newly-opened-via-mystery-shop Wells Fargo account. Let it sit there 21 days, and see what happens. haha.

If you were foolish enough to deposit the check (as LGRM is teasingly advising), it will bounce. Even if you don't send money anywhere and just let the money sit there until the check bounces, you will still be liable for a bad check fee assessed by Wells Fargo (or any other bank).

I just throw those checks in the trash when they come - since that's what they are - complete trash. Not even big enough to be toilet paper.

I always turn over to the post master. These folks usually have tracking and originating post office boxes on them... so perhaps someone has done something?

One of the companies I (we) work for has a poor system because our info is getting out there. I don't know who I signed up with who shares data, but I wish they didn't. It's a bummer because it's a new scam every month and I know my info had to be leaked from a legit company.

Got the same a couple months ago, called the Credit Union in Colorado the fake check was drawn on, not real account number, they know about the scam. Fun thing is nobody seems to be interested in tracking these things and having somebody waiting whenever and wherever they pick up the money, regardless of if it's in Russia, China, or wherever. I'd just have a covert ops team waiting, and take 'em down all in HD video and broadcast the scene worldwide. Tell whatever place they were in to stop harboring criminals, and make it plain that stuff like that won't be tolerated. Unfortunately, we seem to be more interested in managing (yeah, really) crime instead of putting an end to it. We get what we ask for, don't we?

BTW K-Mart was the target to shop, then making two transfers to two different names in Texas. Both companies could care less, in particular, the people at Sears Holding at the Corp. level did not even know such a scheme even existed. Yes, the executive offices at Sears Holding, who owns K-Mart. Walmart, likewise, cared not a whit.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2016 12:46AM by ap7isback.

That sounds like an interesting way to do business with Hells Wargo...

Thanks for the feedback everyone!

Not sure what good it will do but I filed an online complaint with the FTC and the Postal Inspectors office. Like I said, normally I would have ignored this and went on with my day but when they sent me a text that's when I got alarmed. Happy Shopping everyone and watch your backs!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2016 01:25PM by ayiticherie.