Its going to bounce, the red flag is overpayment and get a (red flag) "green dot money card" to pay the excess someplace else..   Yup, its rubber like a super ball in a tennis court, going to bounce all over the place!

Then guess who gets stuck for it all? You do! Along with the bank fee's.

If these are sent via the US mail, then they should normally go to the postmaster for mail fraud. However, I think on such a large scale with this, perhaps the FBI should get the complaints..

1 (438) 989-4085
Is the contact number given to me

I did cash and My contact told me to go to a CVS and a 711 and take out 2 $500 green dot cards and call him back when I do for more instructions. I didn't. I'm waiting to hear from my bank if the check clears or not. I just don't understand how a bank can't tell right then and there if the check is bad or not. My bank cashed it without even thinking twice.

same wit me

Got a letter from Canada.

Someone has to help with this it is just not a fair situation the check was good and then they sent it back.

I received same letter to be a secret shopper and a check for $1960.00.   $350 is to be my pay as Consumer Service Evaluator and  $1510.00 is to be spend to send Western Union to Sandra Ballard in Chicago, IL and $100 is be spent at Walmart. The phone number listed is 1-289-892-3243. The Company's name is PGI Prudential Group, Inc in NY and the check is from National City Bank in Ashland, OH. So, if the check is fraudulent, where can we report this?

I received the same check as Mrs Gatwood above. I took it to my bank and found out Check was  a fraud, My western Union contact was a Emily Thrasher, The letter head has a New York NY  P.O Box  but the phone is canada. No Fredal office that can stop this,?

thanks for everyones post!!! i received a check in the mail today (july 1st, 2010) and the check is for 1975 for me to be a secret shopper..... first to send 1400 to a woman named sheronda johnson at new york city, ny.... and it would cost 125 to send the money. then spend the 100 dollars at walmart and keep what i bought as a bonus. then keep the 350 as my salary. i was going to the bank tomorrow to cash it but wanted to research it first! and couldnt find the company online.... thanks to this site and all of your comments..... i will be saving myself the trouble

Thanks for your posting.....I was about cash my check

I got a letter and check for $1975. Claiming that my request of Secret Shopper has been approved. The company name is Prudential Group Inc (PGI Trade Management). I am required to cash the check then Western Union $1525 and second assignment would be to shop at Walmart for $100. I am glad I did the research and found out it is a scam.

i got this letter in the mail stating it was an acceptance letter(secret shopper) which i did apply for online. They did not ask me for any of my personal information and i did not deposit it into my own personal account! I went to a check cashing place and they verified the check as valid, so they cashed it and gave me the money. I was told to then evaluate western union by forwarding 2000.00 to some Tina Fixer in N.Y. Then i was to keep 600.00 for myself (that was my salary) then take 250 dollars to do the secret shopping at a store they assigned me too! After callin the bank the check was drawn from to verify the company and account number..it came back as an invalid account number and they dont even do buisness with the company which was called EFC international..career research. So with that being said..ITS FRAUD!! anything with this phone number on it 1-289-892-3701 of company name EFC.its not valid...report to the police immediately and do not try and cash the check .....even if you are able to cash the check because in the long run it will come back as fraud and you will get in trouble for cashing fraudulent checks!

I got the same letter nd went to deposite the check into my checking account. They cleard the check in five days then I went to get the money out and send them their $3,139.99 and know they frozen my account, I'm going to end up paying the bank the money bank. I dont know what to you and looking for help.

I recieved the same letter, supposedly from electrlux wich is based in TN. the 289 area code is in the Toronto area, and the letter also came from canada.  Its definately a scam.  DAMN CANADIANS!

THIS IS A SCAM, MY 18YROLD DAUGHTER JUST GOT ONE OF THOSE LETTERS AND CALLED THE GUY THEODORE REECE, HE TOLD HER TO DEPOSIT THE CHECK AND SEND HIM AND ONLY HIM OVER 1900.00 BACK VIA MONEY GRAM. DON'T DEPOSIT OR CASH THAT CHECK. REPORT IT TO ELECTORLUX! THERE ARE NO UPFRONT PAYMENTS TO PAY TAXES, TAXES ARE PAID DIRECTLY TO THE GOVERNMENT BY YOU. DON'T LET THESE UNCOTH SOB'S RUIN YOU FINANCIALLY! REPORT IT TO THE COMPANY ON THE TOP LEFT OF THE CHECK (EG: ELECTGROLUX..ECT..) THERE IS A TEST YOU CAN TAKE, BUT TO MAKE IT SIMPLE, DOES THE NOTICE AND CHECK STATE THAT THE SMALLER AMOUNT IS TO PAY TAXES ECT... IF SO THE CHECK IS FRAUDULENT AND THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO SCAM YOU OUT OF THOUSANDS. GRANT CHECKS AND WINNINGS ARE ALWAYS SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL. AND ALL TAXES ARE PAID BY THE RECIPIENT OF THE GRANT/WINNINGS NOT BY THE SENDER

not a call but a letter with a check for 4950.00 and instructions to call to claim the remainder of 37,000.00 . Sounds too good to be true as it is supposed to be grant money , not to be paid back, as we were randomly selected by trolux. we never applied, or filled out any paper work at all. any ideas?