*Update* Seems to be that they’ve went and changed to another name. They are now using Excel Marketing, and I plan on keeping people updated. Read the comments to find out about what people have said!!!
Hi all,
[ad] Just got this nice little letter from Nationwide Marketing. This was sent snail mail, or Postal mail. I came home today to find I got mail from 30 Centurian Drive/Markham, ON L3R 8B9 Canada. I opened it up and find a check from Nationwide Marketing. it’s the old routine, they want you to cash the check send them $3,500 and you keep the rest. The fake check that I know is faked, I call the bank in question. It says you have to do a 2 hour evaluation training and get paid training for 200$ per Hour. The fake check was for $3,990.00 and $3,500 was supposed to be sent through a Wal-mart Money Gram. The so called position was Customer Service Evaluator (Rep ID#: KB0C0608). I am supposed to call 1-905-598-1519 I received this assignment to validate the enclosed payment.Thank goodness I did a little searching and found out this was a scam.
A little more information about this so called fake check is:
Nationwide Marketing
PO BOX 91
Minneapolis, MN 55440
Keybank of UTAH in Price, UT
Check Date 10/06/2008 Vendor ID 6280748 31-0300/1243
Routing number is : 124303007 Bank: KEY BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Peter Goldman Is the So called Co-ordinator.
Along with the letter and check there was a Customer Satisfaction Evaluation Tool (CSET), I’m assuming this is a way for them to get the important information of the money gram. We are supposed to fax that after the completion of the assignment.
I did posted this to get the word about this scam. I encourage all of you leave comments about this and warn people of all the variety of this scam. Thank goodness I did research or I could of been a victim too, thanks Google!!!
There was another form of this starting up and I wanted to let people know:
Well, guess what . . . I just got a “Customer Service Evaluator” letter, check and survey sheet in my mail! The post mark is from Canada, and the check is from The State Bank of Faribault, Minnesota and the survey company letterhead says that they are located in New York. The phone number I am supposed to call is 1-416-831-1673 to let them know that I have gotten the check. Then I keep $100 and wire the rest back using Money Gram.
I did a google search on the name of the company, and they have a scam alert on their site telling people that the letters that they are getting in the mail are NOT from them.
http://www.surveyclub.com/e/ScamAlert.aspx
They should really check WHO they are sending these letters and checks to before they drop them in the mail![From Shawn Mosch]
This came from the scam victims site and wanted to inform people of this scam too!
[gsom-optin]
i got the same thing as well what type of research did you do i called the bank and they said it was a good account?
I got this same CRAP in the mail today. I have no idea how they even got my info. I went to my shredder immediately and got rid of this mess. SCAM! Do not believe any of this. Thanks for posting what you did. I hope no one falls for this junk.
omg!! i got this same thing in the mail…i knew it was a scam just by looking at everything. plus it all sounded too good to be true. i decided to get online and i couldnt even find this company. good thing this website popped up on my search…
I got the same letter. Of course, i had to research it first . I am just amazed that so many others have received the same thing. How many times has something like this been shown on the news to show some poor victim. I love technology.
I had call about an ad in my local newspaper saying “customer service position” Graet opportunity for advancement, competitive pay and benefits, no experience required, will train, call 905-598-1701…. well, I needed extra money to help with the cost of fuel, etc…. I got the same letter everyone here was talking about…. I made some calls myself and found out it was a scam, I called the attorney general's office in Minn,Mn. on the letterhead….She told about this scam…I contacted my state's consumer affair's department and let them know, I also contacted my local tv stations to let everyone out there know about this scam…When times are tough, we don't need scams like these out there.
I am so glad to hear that you found out it was a scam! Too many people are becoming victims now a days . . . with money being tight, people sometimes do not do the research into a company like they should, and then they get scammed and the little bit of money that they do have is gone also.
Thank you for helping to spread the word about this issue and educate people about these scams!
If you call the number actually listed on the check, it is a person connected with the scam, so they will tell you that the check is good so that you will go forward with the transaction. What you need to do is look up the phone number to the bank on your own . . . don't trust the information printed on the check.
I did that. I did a reverse lookup of the routing to find the REAL bank and called them myself!! 🙂 anyone can do it, just google the routing number and it should pop up it's the middle numbers on the check!! 😉
I am glad that you did find the number yourself . . . too many people just look at the check and say “the number is right there . . . I will call it” and it ends up being a number to the scammers.
Not to mention the fact that the idiots who printed the check couldn't even spell correctly. Just above the worded value of the check it says: PAY EXCTLY. Also, a marketing business with a P.O. Box for an address is a big red flag!! Freakin' crooks!
I got the same letter today. It told me to take it to my local Wal-Mart, I called them to notify them of the scam and will be sending them a copy of the information so they can send it to their attorney's. I laughed as soon as I opened the letter because I knew it was a scam. Glad to hear others have realized this as well. Keep spreading the words so those who can not identify fakes at first don't get thrown in jail for this scam.
I just received the same letter today!!! thank goodness you posted this I thought it sounded fake too and started doing research!!!
if our curious as to how you got this information. Should check out my post:
http://www.paulstechtalk.com/2008/10/are-you-asking-to-be-scammed.html/“ rel=”nofollow”>http://www.paulstechtalk.com/2008/10/are-you-asking-to-be-scammed.html/
It is sure to explain out they might of gotten your address!!
does anyone know how they got my mailing address and how i can remove my info from lists like this and any other contacts such as phone or mail? im worried about identity theft. thanks!
See previous Message:
http://www.paulstechtalk.com/2008/10/are-you-asking-to-be-scammed.html/“ rel=”nofollow”>http://www.paulstechtalk.com/2008/10/are-you-asking-to-be-scammed.html/
That's how I think they got my information!!
i got the same exact thing in mail the other day, live in illinois, should i report to anyone?
You could report it to the police or take it to your local Key bank branch and let them know!!!
hii..i got this mail too and i call this number 1-905-598-2054 and that person said..cash the check and go wal mart..or something..but any way i didnt do that anything so now i find out this is scam..i guess i throw away this mail rite? email me at tonyinsactown@yahoo.com i wann know if its ok to throw away it this mail.
Thank you for posted this forum. I got the same check you got. Everything was the same, the vendor #, Routing # and check #. The amount of the check was also the same. I was excited when I opened the letter and see a check of 3,990.00 but I feel a little wierd. We need to get the words out as soon as possible.
I just received the check in the mail with all the same details. I researched the bank suntrust and they said it was a valid check. Of course anythnig like this is a scam. I even humored them and called the number. It's a residence and they tell you to cash it at your bank. Thats a red flag all in it's own. I thank you for posting your comments about it also.
I just got this check in the mail. It was supposedly from “Shaddow shopper”! If you look on Shaddow Shopper's FAQs, it says they never contact you via airmail, only email or their website! Crazyness!!!
I just got the same letter and check but the bank name was different it was SunTrust, byt it was by the same guy. This is crazy.
I just received the same thing. I'm glad I looked on old-faithful internet before I acted on this (too good to be true) deal.
Yes it seems that it is becoming more and more popular to do scams with the economy like it is!!!
I got one too, and my check sounds like they have done some upgrading. I used to work for a bank and in the fraud area, and these are pretty good. Although the cashier's check says it was purchased by someone named Patricia Collins. I have never seen that on a cashier's check before. I knew it was a joke, because I haven't applied for any Customer Service Rep. positions.
Yes it does sound like they have upgraded the checks. Did the letter
look like it had the imprints of check on it?? That is the way mine
came. Like they made it and didn't wait until it was fully dried!! They
just slapped it in there and mailed it off!! LOL
I must remind you, that you don't have to apply for a job to have your resume on the internet. That is probably how they got your home address. They know the economy is getting bad they are just trying to get what they can before it goes all the way down to the bottom!! 😉
I WAS SCAM TOO THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A CUSTOMER SERVICE ELVATOR POSTION AND YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE A SECERT SHOPPER FOR THIS COMPANY DONT DO IT THIS IS SCAMM…
ALSO BETTER BUSINESS BURAU
Same scenerio
. I was looking for a job and called the listed number to “apply”. The number was a cell phone. They told me they would send an application( Red flag right there, they would not give me any info on the phone)-
Soon after, I rec'd a legitimate looking check from” Nationwide Marketing”. There was no fine print that stated any” obligations” upon being cashed. All I had to do is fill out a customer survery for Walmart for a “Money Gram”-
I googled the Co. and found, as i suspected a scam- I pity those desperate in these economic times that will fall victim I am naturally suspicious by nature and did not cash it- Thanks for the heads up- I just wish ww could make heads roll on this one-
IF IT SOUNDS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE________
i also recieved a similar letter that said i needed to cash this check from key bank national association i googled called a few banks and found out this was a scam, mine was from akron oh and the key bank was out of cleveland oh. i found a number for the fraud alert from the fdic on this bank and called the number listed the girl i talked to asked me for the account number on the check which on my check was 033500016233 i was told that it was fraudulent and that if fi wanted to pursue this any more i could also file a report with my local law enforcement agency all i did was googled keybank national association and got the fdic scam alert info. i also called the number back that was on the paper and confronted the girl there about it and she of coarse denied the allegation and said that she'd let me know when this got staightened out.
Yea they will probably never get back to you. Did you leave a number to GET BACK TO YOU? I did find out who to call they said the same thing!! 😉
Hello, i apploed fr a customer service job, and voila, yesterday received the same letter, same check fr same amount of money. I knew it was too good to be true. I tore up the check.. and letter. Shame on these cruel heartless people. Glad you found out before something bad happened.
I got the same thing today. I knew it had to be a scam. How dumb do people think we are? DUHHH!!!!!!!!
we got the same bs in the mail thank you for verfiying this scam
My bad, did not verify properly. I have made this mistake of sending the money and lost $3570.
Could you please let me know, how to recover the money? I have police complaint and do you think, they will help me gettig the money back?
Thanks
i received the same exact letter but i had a different bank. the check was from a bank of the west in mountain view california. i searched for the bank number and called and they said it was a counterfiet check. the name patricia collins is the purchaser and the authorized signature is barbara miller. my position was for customer service evalutaor. i have a rep id also with the letter. they said PLEASE BE INFORMED THAT THIS IS A TRY-OUT TRAINING ASSIGNMENT THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE WITHIN 48 HOURS. THIS TRAINING ASSIGNMENT TAKES ABOUT TWO HOURS TO COMPLETE AND IS PAID TRIANING. TRAINING MPAY RATE REMAINS $205 PER HOUR. THEY WANTED ME TO CALL THIS NUMBER ON THE LETTER TO VALIDATE THE CHECK AND THEN GO CASH THE CHECK AND SEND A MONEY GRAM. ONCE I AM DONE WITH THE TRANSACTION I WOULD NEED TO CALL THEM WITH THE REFERENCE NUMBER FOR THE MONEY GRAM. I DID NOT MAKE IT TO THE BANK. I CALLED THE BANK ON THE CHECK AND THEN I CALLED THE NUMBER IN THE LETTER. THE LADY TOTALLY DEINIED EVERYTHING AND SAID THAT THE CHECK IS NOT IN THE SYSTEM BECAUSE I NEEDED TO CALL FIRST TO VALIDATE THE CHECK. THEN I HAVE A CSET FORM TO FILL OUT. I KNEW FROM THE MINUTE I GOT THE LETTER IN THE MAIL THAT IT WAS A FRAUDULENT THING. FOR ONE THE STAMP AND POST MARK IS IN CANADA. SECOND THE CHECK WAS FROM MOUNTAIN VIEW CALIFORNIA. THREE MY HUSBAND HAD A UK LOTTERY CHECK WHICH WAS COUNTERFIET AS WELL SO I WASNT STUPID. I DONT KNOW WHAT MAKES PEOPLE THINK WE ARE STUPID. I MEAN THERE IS SOME PEOPLE WHO WILL TRY TO CASH IT BUT THEN IN THE LONG RUN THEY WILL HAVE YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER FROM YOUR BANK BEING THE CHECK WAS PROCESSED. JUST BE CAREFUL OUT THERE.
i got the same letter in the mail but a different bank. this bank was bank of the west in mountain view california. i searched for the bank online and got a main number. i called and they said the check is counterfeit. the number on the letter i needed to call was (902)781-2451..the lady i spoke with tried to tell me there is a security on the checks and you need to call them first to validate the check. these people need to check who they messing with because alot of people will catch them in the act. and why fax the cset form. why didnt they have a mailing address or an office location. plus the number i called sounded like a cell phone not a landline.
The letter I got said excel marketing inc. it said i had been selected to be a secret shopper. I was to send money thru money gram at walmart to a patricia collins in the amount of 3490.00 there is a 95.00 money gram fee and i was to keep 410 for my 2 hour training session and the checck that came in the letter looks real and actually says cashir's check on it. this check is on Bank of the West which is actually a bank in california( it's like the 5th largest bank in calfornia) but a red flag went up when i saw the check and though time are hard now and ant nobody going to just send you money for something as simple as this if it is a real check. but i had been searching online to see if i could find something out about this place and there it was mail scam alert. and one poor lady deposited the check and they took 3700.00 out of her account. The bank said that the check is counter fit it says to send the money to patricia collins and the authorized signature was barbara miller. if you get one of these letters trash it they just want to steal your money it says that peter goldman is the co-ordinator, they change up there letters info and location do not attempt to send this money. all checks need to be handed over to the local police.
I got the same letter from this “company” as well, what really threw me off was the fact that I am a marketing student in college right now and though that they may have gotten my name from one of my professors!!!
I got the same old line about cashing the check blah blah blah, only the letter said that the $3,000 that was to be sent by moneygram could be sent to a person of my choosing and that I was to contact Mary Parker or George Frank at 1-438-882-5500 and the check came from Trustmark National bank in Jackson,MS.
I am really irritated right now! That money could have paid part of my tuition for a semester! At least I checked it out and found out it was a scam before I did something stupid! Should have known better than to think I could be that lucky!
I got basicaly the same thing as everyone else. Sounds way to good to be true, so i called the number just to play with there minds a little and the number was no good thats funny.
Just got the same letter the company is now under C.E. Company the samething as others but I thank God I looked this up because I would of lost all the money I have and more.
I received something very similiar however, it was from a different company but asking to do the same thing. However, I somewhat live under a rock and was not aware of scams of such nature and since it was a cashiers check i took it to my local carry out and cashed it. I have not heard anything from the carryout nor from the company about my next assignment. I am scared because I was not aware it was fraudulent and I am afraid that it will come back to bite me in the rear end ya know? What do I do? I do not want to be part of a scam but the damage is done and well frankly i cannot afford to be in legal trouble off something i did not know was illegal….
Only thing you can do is wait and see but you should at least get ready for a lawsuit or a return check depends on how the authorities want to handle this. If you go talk to the police you might be able to get away with just paying it back without the need for the legal trouble!
I received something very similiar however, it was from a different company but asking to do the same thing. However, I somewhat live under a rock and was not aware of scams of such nature and since it was a cashiers check i took it to my local carry out and cashed it. I have not heard anything from the carryout nor from the company about my next assignment. I am scared because I was not aware it was fraudulent and I am afraid that it will come back to bite me in the rear end ya know? What do I do? I do not want to be part of a scam but the damage is done and well frankly i cannot afford to be in legal trouble off something i did not know was illegal….
Only thing you can do is wait and see but you should at least get ready for a lawsuit or a return check depends on how the authorities want to handle this. If you go talk to the police you might be able to get away with just paying it back without the need for the legal trouble!
We recieved a similar letter in the mail today. Said that the co-ordinator was a Karen Collins and to call her number if we have any questions. We dialed the number just to find out that is was a non existing phone number. It had the same synario, money gram $3228.00 to a Jennifer Gardner of Ontario Canada. A start off salarie of $500.00 and $100.00 to shop with. They made the check appear lagitimate with the check being issued from Obagi medical products, INC. “an equal opportunity employer” but when I looked up that site they do not deal with mystery shoppers. This check was also out of Canada and had a bank on California. What a bunch of buzzards to prey upon the finacially weak.
SCAM ALERT!
Well, well, I see that I'm not the only one living this horrible experience as I have fallen for one of this stupid scams. I have partaken in the mystery shopper job and guess what? I cashed a check of 2,900 dollars and sent an amount to China and 300.00 dollars were to be for e for carrying this job through. I now know that I'm in for trouble with my bank as I will most likely have to pay it back. I just received another check from another supposed to be employer that hired me to do some work at his house while he was away but he wanted to forwardm e some money first since I showed him my trust by sending him my phone number and address. I have three MoneyGram checks to cash at Walmart each for an amount of 1,500 dollars and the money is to be sent through MoneyGram again to another party in the States which ofcourse I'm not going to do this time around. As I have read most of the comments here I know for sure that all this easy money to make is too good to be true so I will patiently continue looking for work the ol fahion way and resist the temptation of such legitimate looking checks. I AM GOING TO INVOLVE THE POLICE WHO HAS A JOINT SCAM INVESTIGATION WITH THE STATES.
Canadian MoneyGram Fraud Alert
Many scams ask for payment to be sent to Canada via MoneyGram, most likely because these scams target people in the United States, and money sent across an international border is harder to trace. If you suspect that you are a victim of a scam, call PhoneBusters toll free at 1-888-495-8501. PhoneBusters is a joint effort of U.S. and Canadian law enforcement to fight telemarketing fraud.
SCAM ALERT!
Well, well, I see that I'm not the only one living this horrible experience as I have fallen for one of this stupid scams. I have partaken in the mystery shopper job and guess what? I cashed a check of 2,900 dollars and sent an amount to China and 300.00 dollars were to be for e for carrying this job through. I now know that I'm in for trouble with my bank as I will most likely have to pay it back. I just received another check from another supposed to be employer that hired me to do some work at his house while he was away but he wanted to forwardm e some money first since I showed him my trust by sending him my phone number and address. I have three MoneyGram checks to cash at Walmart each for an amount of 1,500 dollars and the money is to be sent through MoneyGram again to another party in the States which ofcourse I'm not going to do this time around. As I have read most of the comments here I know for sure that all this easy money to make is too good to be true so I will patiently continue looking for work the ol fahion way and resist the temptation of such legitimate looking checks. I AM GOING TO INVOLVE THE POLICE WHO HAS A JOINT SCAM INVESTIGATION WITH THE STATES.
Canadian MoneyGram Fraud Alert
Many scams ask for payment to be sent to Canada via MoneyGram, most likely because these scams target people in the United States, and money sent across an international border is harder to trace. If you suspect that you are a victim of a scam, call PhoneBusters toll free at 1-888-495-8501. PhoneBusters is a joint effort of U.S. and Canadian law enforcement to fight telemarketing fraud.