MYSTERY SHOPPER CHECK SCAM

You know that old adage "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is." 

I received a large check in the mail with an accompanying letter.  The check looks real.  It's from a real bank, with a real routing number, and a real water mark.  But is this a valid check or is it a scam?

The check I received is made out for Two Thousand Six Hundred Sixty Six and 00/100 Dollars ($2,660.00) and the address listed in the upper left hand corner of the check is: 103 Corporate Park Dr., White Plains, NY 10604. Tel: 1-450-369-0204.  There is a graph like emblem in the top center area of the check and the letters WPS.  Issuing bank information on the bottom left corner of the check lists: The Bank of New York Mellon, New York, NY.  On the reverse side of the check it has the DocuGard watermark which is visible when the check is held at an angle.

The envelope that contained this offer was post marked www.Postescanada.ca and www.canadaPost.ca  and the return address listed:  Wps Group, P.O. Box 10072, NY, NY 10832-1072. 

Letter details:

WPS Market Research
(Equal opportunity Employer) WPS, INC. 103 Corporate Park Dr. White Plains, NY 10604.  TEL:  1-450-369-0311.
It contains a Section A and a Section B.  Section A has a Customer Service Evaluation Tool area and Section B requests Transfer the sum of $1900.00 to only one of the mystery shoppers (out of two that are listed below).  It says that the Mystery Shopper is for Western Union:  My letter listed these individuals as Wendy Sweetwood and Christine Gaughran.  Both of these are listed with a location in New York, New York.  I attempted to look them up on the internet, but wasn't able to locate them through www.whitepages.com. 

I looked up the routing number on the check and it is registered to the Bank of New York Mellon in Pittsburg, PA.  So I called their customer service number: 412-234-7895 and was advised NOT to cash the check, but to take it to my bank and have them validate it to see if it is counterfeit or if it is a real check.

There are many scams going around.  If you receive an offer such as this one, don't deposit the check into your account without first having your bank verify whether or not the check is good and that funds are available.  If you are told the funds are there, wait until the transaction has completely cleared before you spend any of the money.  It is possible for funds to show as available initially, but a stop payment order could prevent a transaction from actually going through. 

Offers from scammers almost always look legitimate.  These criminals make a living duping others out of their hard earned money, so be careful about cashing checks that you receive in the mail, especially those offers that weren't expected.  It's much better to be safe than sorry.

I took the check to my bank on January 29, 2010 and met with a customer service representative.  She had me deposit the check into my savings account and they put an 11 day hold on it.

February 4, 2010, I noticed that the $2660.00 check didn't clear and called the bank to confirm that it was a bad check and to ask them to take action and alert the proper authorities of this scam.  Hopefully, this criminal will quickly be caught.