SERVICE RESEARCH MYSTERY SHOPPER SCAM RAPID CITY South Dakota

Hello,
The other day I recieved a letter in the mail ,inside was a check for $4,992.00. The letter stated that this was the money to do my assignments with. It explained that I was part of a small pre-selected group (meaning no registration fees) to represent their company as a mystery shopper.

Now this was strange to recive (and very exciting, since I had been looking into getting into the mystery shopper line of work), so I decided to check it out online. There were no scam alerts regarding this company , but I still wasn't satisfied, so I called the phone number on the check (for the bank it was drawn from) ,which was apparently a phony number as well (1-866-403-7522), and it was drawn from the Bank of Oakfield (Oakfield , WI).
They said it was a legit check ,and since there was no other proof to be found I was beginning to thiink it was the real deal. I called the phone number for the S.R.Inc. the 1st number is no good , the second number finally got me in touch with the listed coordinator (1-289-888-2653 Ext. 300), and she told me to deposit the check and then contact her the next evening.

This morning I took the check to my bank and made the deposit , but was still concerned about them possibly being able to access my account after I made the deposit. I asked the tellers about that ,and one came over and looked at the check and said there would definitely be a hold put on it. She said she didn't trust it either and so she found the phone number for the bank online, and called them. When she told them that she had a cashiers check there, the person on the other end asked if it was for the amount of, $4,992.00, when she said it was they told her that they had a stack of them there at their branch office and that it was a scam.

It is only by the grace of God that I questioned the check and that she saw it and called them, otherwise I would have been left holding a rather unpleasant bag and owing the bank $4,552 - $4,642 total plus what ever else I would have possibly spent plus whatever charges were incurred by thinking that I had that extra money in my account.

The clicker that alerted them to the fact it was a scam ,was that it had a couple of money transfers listed,as part of my "assignment".

Be wary people , there are so many crooks out there and they don't care who gets hurt as long as they get some money.

Steve
olive hill, Kentucky
U.S.A.