@mps wrote:
I need to know if I am being scammed here. I answered an email to become a Secret Shopper. I was sent a photocopied letter with instructions and a Cashier's Check for $1989 from PNC bank in Indiana. Instructions say to deposit the check, keep out $327 for my payment, buy a $30 item in a store, review the store, and forward the balance to another shopper in Istanbul Turkey, then to review the Western Union transaction. I researched Cashier Check scams and this is apparently a classic. Email lists a popular website link, but his email adresses seem strange. I sent him an email stating I did not want to deposit this check, because if it is fake, I will be responsible to pay it back. I have not contacted the bank yet, as I was waiting for his reply. He urged me to continue the process due to time sensitivity. Is this real? I have not officially signed up on the shopper website. It does not seem legitimate to me. Please help me out if you can.
Thank you.
@LJ wrote:
I have to add, please don't take it to your local police. There is nothing they can do with a check that came from overseas and only wastes their time because they have to take a report and list it as an inactive case pending leads - which never come. Podunk Holler Sheriff's Office certainly isn't going to send someone to Turkey or Nigeria or wherever looking for the scammer. If you were actually defrauded, you can file a complaint with IC3 online but even then it's doubtful it will be acted upon. FBI is interested if you lost $3000 or more.
The best thing you can do is to warn everyone you know and keep warning them.
@cherish wrote:
I am also new to this and I had the same thing happen to me I was sent a large check for 2400 from a company they told me to keep 400 take 20 out of the 2000 and go to the place the wanted to review. Next they wanted me to do a money transfer back to someone else, but it was being transfered somewhere in taxes is this a scam as well?
@AustinMom wrote:
@cherish wrote:
I am also new to this and I had the same thing happen to me I was sent a large check for 2400 from a company they told me to keep 400 take 20 out of the 2000 and go to the place the wanted to review. Next they wanted me to do a money transfer back to someone else, but it was being transfered somewhere in taxes is this a scam as well?
Absolutely a scam. Why would a stranger pick you out of everyone else and mail you a check for $2,400? Had you applied with them and furnished a SS#? Mystery shopping income is taxable and it doesn't pay big fees like $400. Since the check is no good, they are not worried about anything..........it's just more money in their pocket if you fall for it.
@James Bond 007.5 wrote:
The point is the only entity that will care is the bank that the check is drawn on, so that's your best bet to contact, as well as the best use of your time.