Thought I was signing up to be a secret shopper- Attention this could be CRIME

[minervaspirit]

This is too bizarre for words.  I think I've inadvertantly become involved in some kind of money laundering scheme.  I signed up for what I thought was a secret shopper, was "hired" and today received a check for almost $3000 that I'm supposed to deposit then send money to someone in the Philippines.  I am reporting the whole thing to the Office of the Attorney General.  Probably can't reach anyone until Monday.
This is totally weird.
Has anyone else ever encountered anything like this?  (this is NOT one of the "oh I need help" from a Nigerian prince kind of things.")   
I have a REAL check in my hand.   EVIDENCE!!! lol
 

[paints]

This is an old scam. If you deposit the check, and send them money, what happens is that somewhere down the line, the check will bounce. You're out the money, and the scammers have moved on with no way to recover your cash.

[bowrunner]

I concur with "paints."  I had a check like that once and it looked like a very good check but after I deposited it I never received the money.  I didn't send money to anyone else but just waited to see what happened with the check.  It's a scam!!

[betlynjua]

Oh yes, I've received this so called invitation a fews years ago.  The scammers make it look so legit but it reeks crime.  A family member of my husband actually tried to follow through with it.  The check was cashed and soon all of the embarrassing problems began. 

Good for you to report this.  I should have done that sooner myself. The fact that it's still going on is testimony that many people are still falling victim to this junk. 

[betlynjua]

Oh yes, I've received this so called invitation a fews years ago.  The scammers make it look so legit but it reeks crime.  A family member of my husband actually tried to follow through with it.  The check was cashed and soon all of the embarrassing problems began. 

Good for you to report this.  I should have done that sooner myself. The fact that it's still going on is testimony that many people are still falling victim to this junk. 

By the way, I did not cash the check.

[lgemini]

This a big scam!  I received a check, but it was for an international lottery.  This is a different story, but the same result if you deposit the check and send them the money.

[msmoneybags48]

I had that to happen to me too.  I was excited when I received a check for $3,500 and called the phone number.  I was told to cash it and send the money to someone in Nigeria.  I did nothing to earn it and was suspicious, so I never responded again.  That was in 2009.

[BlackSheepNY]

This is too bizarre for words.  I think I've inadvertantly become involved in some kind of money laundering scheme.  I signed up for what I thought was a secret shopper, was "hired" and today received a check for almost $3000 that I'm supposed to deposit then send money to someone in the Philippines.  I am reporting the whole thing to the Office of the Attorney General.  Probably can't reach anyone until Monday.
This is totally weird.
Has anyone else ever encountered anything like this?  (this is NOT one of the "oh I need help" from a Nigerian prince kind of things.")   
I have a REAL check in my hand.   EVIDENCE!!! lol
 

DO NOT even TRY to CASH THAT CHECK!!!  It IS a SCAM!  Your bank will give you the money but you will be LIABLE when that check BOUNCES, WHICH IT WILL!!!

[skrogman]

Wow!  That is bizarre, but you are handling it very intelligently. Report it.  Since it crosses international borders, your case may take a while, but you are doing EXACTLY right.  These slug people are exactly the slime bags that like to get our e-mail and do their dastardly deeds and need people like you to do exactly what you are doing.

[sak4kat]

I've received such checks before.  I never went as far as cashing them.  I had intuition telling me otherwise.  Later I found out they were scams.  I don't know how this little project has continued all these years.  I think the first time I received a check like this was 17 or 18 years ago.

[bhiett]

There are so many scams and dishonest people out there; always beware of an offer that sounds too good to be true as it nearly always is.  Look up the business or individual making the offer on a Better Business Bureau website and also do an internet search on the entity and any names involved.  If that reveals nothing either positive or negative, search the offer type and add "scam" to the search.  The results can be very eye-opening.

[mjoseph1]

paints is correct, scammers make a killing off this

[dwiley11]

my dad was selling a guitar and wanted 110 for it but got a check for 1500,  the police said what is done is you take what you need and send the rest back,  the check is fake and by the time you realize the money you sent back is the only real money in the transaction.            we realized it the second the check came in.

[ricdsm]

If it seems too good to be true, it is too good to be true.

[kristalie]

This happened to me two seperate times. One for something I was selling and another for a supposed job. Such crap. How do people actually fall for these things?