I got a letter and a check and a letter in the mail today. Flex monitoring and research group out of houston TX. They want me to go and shop at walmart, home depot or jc penny or stay a night at best western or days inn. Then get a money gram and send money to a training agent. Should I try to cash the check? They want me to fill out a paper about how the store of hotal was and fax that and my recipts to them. LandAmerica Partners Title Company Escrow account is the mname on the check.

First off, do NOT send money ANYWHERE first!

Second, did you sign up with this company???

Third...take the check to YOUR bank...ask them to take a look at it...most times they will tell you right off the bat their suspicions....they should try to call on it for you as well. If you choose to deposit it, have them put a HOLD on the funds until you/they know for SURE it has paid.

Do research on company online...make phone calls.

Again, Do NOT send money first! IMO, this is NOT making sense so far....I'd be way leary.

No! I wouldn't do it... if you have to cash a check and then send money to them. It sounds like the ck could be counterfeit and they want you to be left holding the bag.

If you cash the check at your bank and it comes back then you are out the amount of the check and they have it.

I would just be real leary of it.... Maybe someone else has heard of it...

Since you got this letter in the mail take it to your local postmaster - I suspect it's postal fraud.

I have been trying to google the company..... have not found anything yet.... Probably a bogus deal

I haven't been able to find anything either!

That is absolutely a scam. I completely agree that you should contact your local post office. Don't even bother with your bank. Even if they think it's legit and cash it YOU are still the one responsible for all the fees when it bounces higher than a rubber ball, as well as whatever you paid to run the errand this "company" sent you on.

I suggested her bank so they may be able to help her scrutinize the actual item if she still was unsure. I totally agree do NOT cash it...because yes...she is responsible regardless.

DO NOT CASH THE CHECK!! I got a couple of checks like this last year with a letter, wanting me to do the same kind of thing. The letter had a different company name than the check. These all came to me from Canada. The one company's name on the check had a posting right on there website that some of their checks had been stolen and to report any checks directly to the FBI. They are trying to rip you off!! I would report it if I were you!!

Giving the Bounce to Counterfeit Check Scams

and

Tips for Fake Check Scams from the National Fraud Information Center

Sorry, I didn't mean to make it sound like you were giving bad advice, I just didn't want her to have some teller blindly take the check and then she wind up holding the bag.

The situation is unusual to a lot of people {I read a lot about scams, aside from wanting to throttle the people I find their audacity mind-boggling and fascinating}

Sounds awfully scammish to me! Stay away of unexpected checks in the mail!

This is most likely a scam, as I have just recieved the same letter from Flex Monitoring and Research Group although the check is from Northwood Club-Operating and the bank is Amegy Bank Of Texas. The amount is for $3,993.00.
Judging from what they are asking in the letter I would say that anyone who recieves this same letter should hand deliver this to their local postmaster, as I am about to do.

A new crop of mystery shopping scams has popped up all across the United States, offering consumers the opportunity to make “easy money” by cashing a large-sum cashier’s check and evaluating the service they receive.

The most recent scam asks the consumer to cash a cashier’s check and wire the money back to a specified address, typically outside the country. The “reward” to consumers – they keep a percentage of the original cashier’s check as payment.


In these scams, the cashier’s check bounces several days later and the consumer is held liable for the entire amount of the money they wired to the international address – typically between $2,500 and $3,500.

Thanks dudette for the info. I don't recieve much of this trash in my mail but these days I'm sure that with many folks hurting for gainful employment, some might fall prey to this type of thing.

I got one of these from another fake scam thing...deifnately DONT DO IT. Report it to your State Secretary of State office. (check their website to alert them of fraud/scam/comsumer complaints).