I received a couple of emails from this guy thanking me for signing up with their shopping detective service. It was so badly worded that it was obviously a scam so I blocked him. Today I received via USPS Priority mail a check payable to me in the amount of $1940 and a "cover letter" with instructions to cash the check, assess the service at the bank so I could report on it. Then take $200 for my fee and travel expense and $40 to shop at Walmart. I can keep the Walmart purchase lol. Then it gave a second "shopper detective" to wire the balance to. I contacted the PA state police and was told to shred it or return it but there was no crime at this point. I then contacted the law firm (after checking to find them as a legitimate firm in NY) whose account the check was drawn on. The check info is legit right down to the signature stamp and check number. Surprisingly their system did not show this check as payable to me!! The scary part is I am very careful of the companies I sign up with, I validate them as legitimate before providing any personal information. Yet they have my name and address and obviously know I do mystery shopping......anyone else getting the email or any unsolicited packages? If so, please at least contact the issuer of the check so these scammers can be nailed down. The advice of the state police was disappointing to say the least. Just ignoring it allows them to continue.

I'm sure the state police did not pursue it because it is virtually impossible to prosecute when many of these scams are originating overseas. What did the law firm want you to do with the check? Going straight to the other victim in the scam is probably the best course of action. Now they are aware someone has forged their checks and if there are multiple instances it may be possible for them to get the authorities involved.

I would drop the check in red Kool-Aid, soak it, and then, when that dries, I would put itching powder on it, seal it back up and send it back.

Tell them, Sorry you ruined the fake check

Was it from out of state?? How about the FBI....don't they investigate cross state line mail fraud?

I received one that was extremely legitimate looking that listed the companies I would be shopping using their logos and everything. I already shop many of these companies. I knew contacting local law enforcement was a waste of time. I handed the check and accompanying letter over the manager at the local Union Bank as that was the bank the check was written on. He assured me it would be forwarded to their fraud department. He said they get their fair share of people ib their trying to cash the checks.

On a side note, my bank is a tiny little country bank in the middle of nowhere. Despite having cashed thousands of dollars worth of checks with them from mystery shopping companies without a single one bouncing, every time I go in, the cashiers ask me, "Are you familiar with this company? Are you sure it is legitimate.". They will not believe me that mystery shopping is a real business.

Recently I had to pay for something and was not comfortable using my personal checking account. Dummy me opted for a money order instead of a cashiers check. Of course the payee lost it.

It was purchased through Western Union and I had to go through the claims department. Western Union sent me a $400 refund check written on Wells Fargo. My bank would not cash (yet they cash all my Podunk mystery shopping checks) because they were convinced this was a mystery shopping scam. I assured them it was part of my consulting business and not my mystery shopping business but "Western Union" spooked them and they would not cash it.

If it came USPS, take it to the local post office and explain the situation. They can either open a federal mail fraud investigation themselves, or refer you to the postal inspector who can investigate this. Any attempt at fraud that goes through the mail can be prosecuted in federal courts by the postal service itself.

I'm a little surprised that when you contacted the firm that it was drawn on, they didn't want to do more to investigate.