# Just got obvious scam check in the mail. Should I do anything with it other than shred it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 21, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446 "2012-03-21T21:19:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8dc957/32.png) [@Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Christopher_Robin_Davies)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/1 "2012-03-21T21:19:17Z")
Hello, here is what is happening. Yesterday I got a check in the mail from a company based in New Hampshire which I had never heard of before. The check was for about $2600. The attached letter said it was for a mystery shopping job and had instructions on how to handle it. Specifically it said to deposit the check and then go to a Western Union and do a cash advance for about $1700 to Address X, and also to take $100 and go shopping at Best Buy or Target and in both cases to contact a person named in the letter and give him my report on the customer service at Western Union and the store I chose and supposedly the balance is mine to keep. This pinged my bullshit meter for obvious reasons. I put the check aside intending to shred it but then I got distracted and so it is still on my table. Anyway I am wondering if there’s anything else I should do with this check that is is there a government agency I should report it to. Please don’t bother telling me that it’s a scam; that is obvious. If I were to deposit the check what would surely happen is that the money would never reach my account and I’d get a huge chargeback. Any thoughts on whether it’s worth reporting this to the FBI or whatever? Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/2 "2012-03-21T21:42:14Z")
I’d report it to the [U.S. Postal Inspection Service.](https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/3 "2012-03-21T21:43:46Z")
^^^ That. Take the cheque in and let them handle it. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/4 "2012-03-21T22:28:26Z")
My spouse got a $50,000 check in the mail. No explanation. She asked the manager at a local bank and was told that this happened about twice a month. They had a person looking into it. The bank took the check and we never hear anymore about it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/5 "2012-03-21T22:53:38Z")
I’d save it. Next time you get a Nigerian scam email, look in it for the address he wants you to send your money to. Then mail him the check you got yesterday. Probably illegal, but it’s one of those crimes no one reports. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/6 "2012-03-21T23:44:28Z")
What bank was the check written on? If it’s not a bank where you have an account, you could go to that bank to cash it and see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/7 "2012-03-22T00:14:18Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > What bank was the check written on? If it’s not a bank where you have an account, you could go to that bank to cash it and see what happens. And if you try that, you could end up [keeping Ann Marie Eichel company!](http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2066964.shtml?cat=504) And while you’re there, say hello to [Kelly McGhee](http://www.cybercrimeops.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11164). And the list goes [on](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/30/BUGTGKRHSF1.DTL&ao=all) and on… Don’t get involved in illegal activity even if you are the victim of an illegal act. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/8 "2012-03-22T00:33:35Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > And if you try that, you could end up [keeping Ann Marie Eichel company!](http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2066964.shtml?cat=504) And while you’re there, say hello to [Kelly McGhee](http://www.cybercrimeops.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11164). And the list goes [on](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/30/BUGTGKRHSF1.DTL&ao=all) and on… > > Don’t get involved in illegal activity even if you are the victim of an illegal act. Whoa! Forget my advice! I didn’t think that you would be arrested if you were honestly trying to cash a check. I wonder how it would work if you told the bank teller up front “Can you tell me if this is a real check? I’m afraid it might be bogus.” ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/9 "2012-03-22T00:36:21Z")
Cash it. The day before your bank calculates interest. ---
**Author:** ![crookedteeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b4bc9f/32.png) [@crookedteeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crookedteeth)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/10 "2012-03-22T00:56:20Z")
Similar thing happened to me, but with a fake money order from what I thought was a job offer. I turned it into USPS because that’s how it was shipped and where the counterfeit money orders supposedly came from. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/11 "2012-03-22T01:25:13Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > I wonder how it would work if you told the bank teller up front “Can you tell me if this is a real check? I’m afraid it might be bogus.” You can call the issuing bank and they will tell you if it’s real or not. We got one of those when we were trying to sell a pool table. The ex didn’t want to believe it was a scam. I called the issuing bank. Lady on the phone had me read the routing number to her. I got 3 numbers in and she stopped me and said ‘It’s a fake’. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/12 "2012-03-22T01:54:21Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > And if you try that, you could end up [keeping Ann Marie Eichel company!](http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S2066964.shtml?cat=504) And while you’re there, say hello to [Kelly McGhee](http://www.cybercrimeops.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11164). And the list goes [on](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/30/BUGTGKRHSF1.DTL&ao=all) and on… > > Don’t get involved in illegal activity even if you are the victim of an illegal act. I don’t get what these people did that was illegal. I only read the first one, but what is illegal about attempting to cash a check that you got in the mail? Presumably the bank could tell it was a fake; why was the response to cuff her instead of telling her, “sorry, fake check”? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/13 "2012-03-22T04:38:29Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > What bank was the check written on? If it’s not a bank where you have an account, you could go to that bank to cash it and see what happens. . The left bank of the Mississippi (of the river that is) ---
**Author:** ![FlyByNight512](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/82dd89/32.png) [@FlyByNight512](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyByNight512)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/14 "2012-03-22T05:33:00Z")
> [@spooje](#): > > You can call the issuing bank and they will tell you if it’s real or not. > > We got one of those when we were trying to sell a pool table. The ex didn’t want to believe it was a scam. I called the issuing bank. Lady on the phone had me read the routing number to her. I got 3 numbers in and she stopped me and said ‘It’s a fake’. Not always. A guy I used to work for got a check that he was 95% sure was fake, but the bank said it was fine and handed over the money without complaint. It was six months before the bank figured it out and came back asking for the money - fortunately he still had it, as he thought something of that nature might happen and had been content to sit on it for a year or two to make sure. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/15 "2012-03-22T05:33:54Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > I don’t get what these people did that was illegal. I only read the first one, but what is illegal about attempting to cash a check that you got in the mail? Presumably the bank could tell it was a fake; why was the response to cuff her instead of telling her, “sorry, fake check”? It’s a fraud, and he would be getting involved with a fraud. ---
**Author:** ![Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8dc957/32.png) [@Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Christopher_Robin_Davies)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/16 "2012-03-22T14:52:52Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > What bank was the check written on? If it’s not a bank where you have an account, you could go to that bank to cash it and see what happens. I can’t see that ending well. Plus the check is now in several hundred cross-cut pieces. ---
**Author:** ![Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8dc957/32.png) [@Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Christopher_Robin_Davies)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/17 "2012-03-22T14:55:51Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > I don’t get what these people did that was illegal. I only read the first one, but what is illegal about attempting to cash a check that you got in the mail? Presumably the bank could tell it was a fake; why was the response to cuff her instead of telling her, “sorry, fake check”? You don’t need a teller for that. You can just google “routing number” + the, um, routing number which is what I did. I’m not sure what I would have done if it had been a valid number as the next obvious step would have been to try to verify the account number but I doubt the bank is going to answer that question unless you can prove up front it is your number and asking the question would make you seem like the one trying to pull something. ---
**Author:** ![Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8dc957/32.png) [@Christopher\_Robin\_Davies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Christopher_Robin_Davies)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/18 "2012-03-22T14:56:52Z")
> [@FlyByNight512](#): > > Not always. A guy I used to work for got a check that he was 95% sure was fake, but the bank said it was fine and handed over the money without complaint. It was six months before the bank figured it out and came back asking for the money - fortunately he still had it, as he thought something of that nature might happen and had been content to sit on it for a year or two to make sure. Not only that but there would have been chargeback fees too. The $2600 dollar check would have cost me $2650 or so. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/19 "2012-03-22T14:58:01Z")
> [@FlyByNight512](#): > > Not always. A guy I used to work for got a check that he was 95% sure was fake, but the bank said it was fine and handed over the money without complaint. It was six months before the bank figured it out and came back asking for the money - fortunately he still had it, as he thought something of that nature might happen and had been content to sit on it for a year or two to make sure. Shit, is that really legal? I mean, it’s the bank’s error. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446/20 "2012-03-22T16:18:17Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Shit, is that really legal? I mean, it’s the bank’s error. I don’t know how it is in the US, but here, a bank won’t cash a cheque unless you have an account with them\*. If there’s any problem with the cheque, it all comes out of YOUR account. Banks _invented_ “cover your ass.” \*I think. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-got-obvious-scam-check-in-the-mail-should-i-do-anything-with-it-other-than-shred-it/616446.md?page=2)