The follwoing has just come out from the FTC. Anyone who lost money by cashing fake checks should contact the FTC. You MAY get restitution. It is worth a try,

For Your Information: 04/28/2010
FTC Mails Redress Checks to Fraud Victims Who Lost Money Through MoneyGram's Money Transfer System
Beginning today, a claims administrator working for the Federal Trade Commission will mail more than 34,000 checks totaling almost $18 million to consumers identified as victims of a series of cross-border fraud schemes involving payments via MoneyGram International, Inc., the second-largest U.S. wire-transfer company.

In October 2009, the FTC charged that MoneyGram agents helped fraudulent telemarketers and other con artists who tricked U.S. consumers into wiring millions of dollars within the United States and to Canada – after these consumers were falsely told they had won a lottery, were hired for a secret shopper program, or were guaranteed loans. A press release describing the FTC’s complaint and the settlement agreement with MoneyGram can be found at: [www.ftc.gov].

The redress checks being issued today average $520. They are legitimate checks, and the FTC urges consumers who receive them to cash them within 60 days. The checks are being sent to U.S. consumers who complained directly to MoneyGram about their fraud-induced money transfers within the United States or to Canada. The redress program covers consumers whose transfers were made between the years 2004 through 2008. Consumers should call the claims administrator at 1-877-740-6993 with any questions.

The MoneyGram redress checks can be cashed immediately after they are received. The FTC never requires a payment of money up-front, or the provision of additional information, before consumers cash the redress checks they are issued.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, click: [www.ftc.gov] or call 1-877-382-4357. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,800 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. For free information on a variety of consumer topics, click [ftc.gov].

I may end up getting stoned, tarred, and feathered here, but I sometimes can not understand how so many people can be conned with the various check/Western Union/money order scams.

If someone randomly sends you money, it's not your money. If someone says I will send you a $5,000 money order. Cash it, keep half, and send the other half to me. Why the feck are you cashing and sending? It's not your money.

Unfortunately when you are unemployed, owe bills, etc. it is easy to see $ signs. I have some of the original checks and they look real. It is easy to get suckered in when you are desperate.
The checks I have were sent to "victims" by getting their names off Monster.com and other services of that type. Some "victims" answered an unsolicited email asking for secret shoppers.
The envelope the check was sent in was from Canada and had no return address! That in itself should be a clue. Up until now there was little recourse, but with this announcement from the FTC MAYBE the victims can get some of there money back and Western Union/Money Gram will take a more proactive approach in protecting their customers.
But again, the bottom line is Consumer Beware,

The FTC's action is a start, and perhaps Western Union/Money Gram will indeed tighten up their requirements of recipients. I am a bit surprised that they are being penalized since in a real sense they were unwitting agents in the scams, even though it was their policies that allowed for the success of the scams. Of course the banks are also unwitting agents in this as well and, when you get right down to it, the good reputation of the mystery shopping companies that the checks were forged to represent makes them unwitting agents. The new regulations that have 2 day electronic clearance of checks by banks I fear is going to aggravate the problem rather than help with a solution. And scammers aren't stupid, when one door closes they will find another one unlocked to open. So indeed Consumer Beware!

Lisa, I know what you mean. It is hard to believe that people actually think that someone would be willing to hand a stranger money for basically little to nothing. But they do. They do. While I understand Doug's point about the desperate, and I know that the case against MG deals with enabling scams through unscroupulous employee activities, I still do think that those scammed need to own it too, at least a tiny bit of it.

The checks that come in the US mail in a regular envelope with no return address and a Canadian post mark are sure tell signs this is a scam and the victims should own up to it, but when you answer an email, soliciated or not, and the check comes in a UPS envelope delivered by UPS it is bery easy to be taken. These checks look and feel real, with watermarks and all. In fact, I have $9,000 in US Postal Money Orders that are fake but if you hold them up to the light you see all the securuty features.
These scammers look for every opportunity, be it mystery shopping companies, Katrina, the earthquake in Haiti, etc. These people are lower than a squashed cockroach and one day they will have to answer to a higher being.

A lot of people, even if suspicious of depositing the check, will take it to their bank and cash it, thinking once the bank has cashed it, the money is theirs. Not so. The bank can and will come back to the depositor and take out that amount of money from the bank account, whether the check was cashed or was deposited by their customer. And Judge Judy (I love Judge Judy!) has been full of lawsuits of friends against friends, because Person #1 asked Person #2 to cash a check for her because "she didn't have an account of her own." Person #2 agreed because #1 was a friend. #2 deposited or cashed the check and gave the money to #1 who immediately spent it. When the check came back, the bank grabbed the money from #2 and asked #1 to reimburse them. #1 refuses because "I got scammed, too" and they don't seem to understand that they got and spent the money. I've seen several like this. It's hard to understand how so many people are taken in by this, but I REALLY find it hard to believe that people are cashing/depositing these checks for friends and relatives and handing over the money.

dcrector Wrote:
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> These scammers look for every opportunity, be it
> mystery shopping companies, Katrina, the
> earthquake in Haiti, etc. These people are lower
> than a squashed cockroach and one day they will
> have to answer to a higher being.


I do agree they are disgusting, especially when they look to scam those who have been victims of natural disasters. In those cases I do understand that people are desperate and will cling onto any bit of help.

I'm talking more about the types of people I used to see on an eBay message board I used to visit. They would get the traditional overseas money order scam email and fall for it no matter how many people told them it was a scam. They were sure it was their way of getting easy money. They were more motivated by greed than desperation.

Like dee said in another post, no one is going to just give you money for nothing.

The scams around Katrina and other natural disasters seem to me to be more solicitations of good natured people to help when there is no intention for the assistance to get to the disaster victims but rather to just line the scammer's pockets.

We have an able bodied man who rides his bicycle in to various corners to hold "Homeless Will Work For Food" signs. He dresses such that you would give him a handout rather than have him anywhere near your property working. He does have a home and is known for being a scoundrel. After Katrina his signs changed to "Left Homeless by Katrina. Lost everything. Please help."

I have known such people, even an ex-in-law. Unscrupulous, and think the world owes them. As for the check scam, aside from the desperate and naive, there are those who think it worth the risk, as they may just get away with it.

Maybe those of use who come to forums are just to tuned in to fall for the scams, as we have our radar on high alert all of the time...I do find it strange that a member of the general populace would conceive of an offer of "money for nothing" as real, but have been online since before the WWW was conceived of due to my former life in high tech, so I am perhaps an anomaly.

I just spoke with my younger sister who recently received this. She sent me attachments of the letter explaining pay and a check for over $3000 this morning. It REALLY looks convincing! But it just doesn't feel right reading it. Thank goodness she asked. "We could really use the money right now, but something just doesn't feel right about it. I knew you'd know something and I wanted to ask." I wish everyone who has been a victim of the scam had the same intuition. If you're not sure, ASK!!! And if the situation feels funny, it probably is. She has been looking for a job and has signed up with a few big online job sites - I'm wondering if that's where they got her name.

Like many, these scammers were impersonating a company that I'm signed up with. They MSP has explicit instructions on what to do, but my sister asked, "Can't I just shred it and forget it?" I encouraged her to take action, though not sure if it will work. Does anybody know what the MSP does with the letter, envelope, and check? I'm just curious.

ksbiz83 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Does anybody know what the MSP does
> with the letter, envelope, and check? I'm just
> curious.


I could be wrong, but I don't think they do anything with it. I know two of the sites I shop with have messages on their homepages about it. They are basically like "We're sorry they are using our name, but please don't message us about it as we can't do anything about it." I can see their point too.

ksbiz83, dcrector, who is a member of the forum, is also with Northwest Loss Prevention, a reputable MSing company. He is collecting information on the checks and materials (or was, per [www.mysteryshopforum.com]) to try to get something done about the scams. You might PM him or contact him at the email given in that post.

MSPA is working on a task force to try to put an end to this (or at least try to put a dent ion this and possible be instrumental in catching some of these people). Right now the problem is shoppers are going to various agencies and reporting they have been victimized. One of the things I want to do is to have one contact that these checks and letters go to. If someone reports it to the postal inspector, another reports it to the FTC , another reports it to the FBI and someone else reports it to their local law enforcement we really can't get a handle on the dollar amounts. If we can get one federal agency (I think the FBI would be the best bet) and one agent from that agency to be the point person we can start seeing a grand total and possibly start action.
One thing for sure. If you get one of these checks put it in a plastic bag and don't write on it or touch it. Fingerprints can be lifted if need be.
I will keep you posted as I learn of things and as the task force moves forward.
My main problem right now is getting shoppers who have been vicimized or targeted (or know someone who has)to email me.
The scammers do get names and address from such sites as monster.com and other job sites. They also send out mass emails indicating they need mystery shoppers. Those who respond are targeted.
I just received an email from a shopper who is out $1500. They sent her yet another check that she did not cash. Now they are threatening her saying they would go to the FBI if she didn't return the check or fulfill her obligation (I wish they would...that would make things a little asier). The scary thing is they have her home address. In the emails they do ask for your address (no PO box) and telephone numbers.
Not knowing who we are dealing with it certainly is not a good idea to put down your home address!

Check out the following link to avoid a WalMart Rebranding email scam. Sorry if this has been posted before, but evidently it is still circulating as I just got an email to apply for this shop.

[walmartstores.com]