# Stupid question \[unsolicited check in mail\] **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 17, 2014, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083 "2014-01-17T18:18:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mth5765](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@mth5765](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mth5765)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/1 "2014-01-17T18:18:42Z")
I recently received a check from a company called Sure Funding Solutions. I have not done business with this company nor did I request or was expecting a check. I have looked at it and I don’t see where it is fake and also for verbiage this is not real or something to that effect. I also googled every possible variation looking for scams or others who this may have happened to. I wanted to know if it is ok to deposit and if so what are the implications? Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/2 "2014-01-17T18:28:26Z")
It’s a fake check. If you don’t believe me, send me your name and bank account number so I can prove it to you. Regards, Shodan PS - 😉 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/3 "2014-01-17T18:28:35Z")
Look over the check very carefully. It’s most likely a loan that you agree to by depositing the check. ETA: How much is the check for? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/4 "2014-01-17T18:34:22Z")
OK, I apologize for premature snark. **runner pat** is probably correct. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/5 "2014-01-17T18:40:36Z")
Well, it looks like free money… but then there is [this](http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/alpha-consumer/2010/04/21/beware-of-the-latest-check-scam) or [this](http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080605195652AA392fO) Go to your Bank and let them check the cheque. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/6 "2014-01-17T18:48:22Z")
FDIC: [Loan checks.](http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnfall97/loanchecks.html) Also, found this: [Formation notice](http://legal-notice.org/llc-notice/ny/new-york/2011/sure-funding-solutions-llc) of Sure Funding Solutions. However, mail is c/o United States Corporation Agents. I have not found any information as to what they do or even a corporate website despite the fact they seem to be in every state. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/7 "2014-01-17T18:50:02Z")
Was the amount of the check less than $20? If so, it’s probably not worth depositing and any dangers almost surely outweigh the benefit. If it was less than $20, I would destroy it (or something nearly equivalent). Otherwise, I think taking it to my bank and asking them to investigate would be appropriate. You may still want to take it to your bank if it’s less than $20. It sure does smell like some kind of scam. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2014, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/8 "2014-01-17T18:52:54Z")
Doughbag, I would very much like to know how you found those two links. If you Googled something, could you please tell us what it was that you Googled? I’m thinking it would be very valuable to know what you Googled. At the very least, I would find it very interesting to see how your mind works when looking for that kind of scam. TYIA. ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/9 "2014-01-18T15:00:07Z")
**Lazlo Hapsburg** is interessted in how my warped mind works, eh? I typed “unexpected cheque in mail” into google. There is also [this](http://www.bbb.org/blog/2013/02/unexpected-checks-received-in-the-mail-usually-cost-consumers-money/), didn’t open yesterday, but did today… Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/10 "2014-01-18T18:07:15Z")
Moved to IMHO, and thread title edited to indicate subject. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/11 "2014-01-18T18:15:06Z")
My mom got an unexpected check in the mail a few years ago. Looked real, high dollar amount (a couple grand anyway) but she had no idea what it was for. I told her to toss it, no such thing as free money, she’s responsible for fees if it’s fake, etc. She cashed it. Nothing bad ever happened. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/12 "2014-01-18T20:24:57Z")
> [@Lazlo Hapsburg](#): > > Doughbag, > > I would very much like to know how you found those two links. If you Googled something, could you please tell us what it was that you Googled? > > I’m thinking it would be very valuable to know what you Googled. > > At the very least, I would find it very interesting to see how your mind works when looking for that kind of scam. You could also type “unexpected check scam” and get pretty good results, too. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/13 "2014-01-20T01:22:26Z")
Here’s the brief version of a story about a guy who deposited one of those checks (as a joke) and got quite an interesting response (I can’t find the longer, older version): [http://patrickcombs.com/95g/](http://patrickcombs.com/95g/) ---
**Author:** ![Doughbag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Doughbag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doughbag)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-question-unsolicited-check-in-mail/679083/14 "2014-01-20T15:07:17Z")
> [@Silver\_Fire](#): > > My mom got an unexpected check in the mail a few years ago. Looked real, high dollar amount (a couple grand anyway) but she had no idea what it was for. I told her to toss it, no such thing as free money, she’s responsible for fees if it’s fake, etc. > > She cashed it. Nothing bad ever happened. Did the cheque bounce? Did she keep the money?