Today I received an envelope via U.S. mail with a real-looking cashier's check inside for $1290.45, drawn on the First Legacy Community Credit Union in Charlotte, North Carolina. I checked with that credit union and they said the check is a forgery, one of several recently reported. Indeed, the routing numbers at the bottom of the check were incorrect.

Of course, if you get such a check, do not deposit it. Do not spend the money. Instead, contact law enforcement.

The scam appears to be phishing for personal information as it pretends to be from "Amazon Research Inc" in New York and offers prepayment for an $80 mystery shopping visit to Wal-Mart. It includes an evaluation form for the mark to return. However, the return address on the envelope said the "York Civic Centre" in Toronto.

Unlike other mystery shopper scams I have read about online, this letter did not ask for any money to be wired or products to be sent.

Another thing unusual about the letter was the fact that its English was passable.

This scam may be new to this area because the credit union representative said I was the first from Tennessee to call about this.

Updated 11/10/2012: Scans of check, letter, and envelope added.

-- OneTahiti