MSC money gram is it a scam?

Got a sizeable chq in mail to send $ by money gram to a couple different locations. Has any one even done this and was it legit.
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It is NOT legit. This is a scam. Ask yourself why someone would send a sizeable amount of money to a total stranger.

If the money goes thru bank what would you do?

Mariska Wrote:
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> If the money goes thru bank what would you do?

Could you clarify that question? I don't know what you're asking.

Are you asking what could happen if you went ahead and deposited the check, even though you have every reason to believe that it's a bad check, and no reason to believe that it's a good check? (Read AustinMom's question, above.)

Remember that, even though a check may 'clear', the money still isn't really there, if it's a bad check. If you've sent some of the money to someone else, the bank will try to extract that money from you. If you have no money that they can take from you for repayment, well, they could file criminal charges against you, if they wanted to.

Excellent post, Ishmael. If you haven't already attempted to deposit it - don't. Others have been arrested for trying to cash fraudulent checks. You won't necessarily be believed if you try to say you didn't know it was counterfeit.

If you have already deposited it, you need to realize that just because the funds show available in your account doesn't mean it was a "good check". The financial institution was required ( in the US it's Reg. CC) to release the hold on the funds in a timely manner. The fraud just hasn't been discovered yet.

RUN from this scam.

There are two types of people in this world: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.

Mariska you are in for a whole world of hurt if you deposit this check and do as they ask. This is a very common scam and after being here a while you while learn that a shopper earns $10 to $20 for a shop and it's generally not just walk in and walk out. I also can't think of a single legitimate mystery shopping company that pays in advance.

Mariska:

Well, besides check fraud and you going to jail/prison (felony), your bank will black-ball you forever and you will end up as a RISK to ALL banks.

The check is sizeable, I can imagine and you just want to know if there is a way around getting into trouble?

Clarify, please.

Wow, I had no idea. I figured if put in and cleared after 5 days I would do the shops they wanted. 2 lg money grams and 2 smaller retail shops.

Don't feel bad about 'losing' the money. Just be glad you came here, and dodged a bullet. It wouldn't have been good. I can't find words bad enough for the creeps that run these scams.

Thanks, too naive I guess.

Don't feel bad, Mariska. It's decent, honest people who would never dream of cheating another person who are most likely to be victims. Your brain just isn't wired to think that way. You know how they say you can't B.S. a BSer? It's kind like that

There are two types of people in this world: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.

LJ hit the target!

I feel used cause they had my name, address and phone number. I didn't even know them but they knew me as a MS.

Mariska Wrote:
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> I feel used cause they had my name, address and
> phone number. I didn't even know them but they
> knew me as a MS.

Not necessarily. It sounds to me like they randomly picked you and all their other victims. You can't imagine how many of these worthless checks they send out , hoping that a small percentage will fall for it. That's how these scammers make their living. If you have been performing real MS jobs, you know that legitimate MS jobs simply do not pay that much and do not pay in advance.

Mariska Wrote:
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> Got a sizeable chq in mail to send $ by money gram
> to a couple different locations. Has any one even
> done this and was it legit.
> Welcome any comments?

If it involves cashing a check and sending money via Western Union, MoneyGram, etc immediately afterwards, it's almost certainly a scam. Real mystery shopping is not like that.

If you are interested in mystery shopping, I would definitely brush up on your writing skills: if you were writing a narrative for a real shop, the editor would tell you "check" and "money" need to be spelled out, "legit" should be "legitimate," and the period after should be a question mark.

It would take more than 5 or 10 business days for the bank to verify the funds on some cheques. As mentioned above by another shopper, no MSC will send you a large cheque before doing any work for them.

Willing to travel, Alberta, Canada

Mariska Wrote:
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> I feel used cause they had my name, address and
> phone number. I didn't even know them but they
> knew me as a MS.

Please take the check and any accompanying instructions
to your nearest law enforcement people. Also call your
local newspaper, they may want to do a public service
story to help others not be taken advantage of; and if you're
in a metro area, your local TV station.

That's the ONLY way to stop this scam.

cease

Mariska: Would you send a check to a stranger for $3298.00. expect them to cash it and send you back most of the money?

If you have your resume on ANY job site, the scammers have access to your name, address and phone number.

If you have filled out a mystery shopping application that was not legitimate, the scammers have your name, address and phone number.

If you filled out a bogus form on line, the scammers have your information

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MSC money gram is it a scam?

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