Brothers and Sisters,

Be advised there is a very nasty, very real looking scam being perpetrated during these tough economic times that will certainly catch a few. You'll want to tell all your friends and family about this.

One of our members brought this to my attention, so I've done a little digging to find out just how bad it might be. Arriving in the mail personally addressed to you by hand, it looks legitimate. Note the stamp and mail process codes indicate origination in Ontario Canada. Contained within, a letter from Quest Service Evaluation Inc. explains how a portion of the contained cashier's check is to be your salary for "mystery shopping". The remainder of the amount enclosed is to be spent at specific stores or for specific services. The Cashier's Check is drawn on the Bank of Whittier, a legitimate bank located in Whittier California. The check contains all the security measures to make it look real, but it is not! The account number is fraudulent, the signature on the check is not associated with any employee of the bank. The only portion of the check that is accurate is the banks routing number. If you attempt to cash this check, you will be arrested for passing fraudulent checks. Although you will eventually be released, the hassles associated with proving your innocence will be extreme.

Quest Service Evaluation, Inc., is allegedly located in Rapid City, SD.

The address given in this case;

The phone numbers are registered in Oakville Ontario, Canada!

If you receive any offers similar to this, I strongly advise you to independently locate the bank, either through phone records or online, and contact them directly to ascertain the legitimacy of the check. Research the company to see if they are legitimate. You can do this through the Better Business Bureau, online listings, and phone searches through Dex Online. Do not let yourself be fooled by the prospect of "free" money in the troubled times! Do your homework to insure you are not perpetuating a crime.

Special Thanks to Brother Ralph Burke, Local 161, for bringing this scam to my attention. You should know, he has received three of these that I know of!