I received a check in the mail from a company posing as NDP Research, Inc or NDP Group. NDP Group is a legitimate marketing research company but these people are posing as coming from NDP Group. The check was for $2,400 to participate in a Retail and Western Union Survey. The breakdown was for me to take $300.00 for my participation wage, $150.00 to do a survey at one of three retail stores by posing as a customer (I was even told I could keep the products I purchased as an extra added bonus). Then, I was supposed to take $1,800.00 for the Western Union Survey and send it to a designated destination via Western Union and then lastly take the remaining $150.00 to pay for the Western Union Fees. I was told to be very detailed-oriented when doing the survey and then to call my Survey Coordinator when done at 1-647-975-8730. It all seemed suspicious to me because the envelope had no return address on it when it should have had the NDP Logo on it, also, the envelope was coming from Canada while the $2,400 check was from a Pinellas Credit Union Account in Florida. Knowing I had nothing to lose, I still deposited the check and then called my "Coordinator" who said his name was "Ted." I told him that I deposited the check. He told me that the check should clear the next day and to contact him then to discuss what I must do with the Western Union Survey. The next day the bank put a securities hold on my account and then returned the check. I asked why and they said that the check was coming from a closed account. I called Ted back twice at that number and "got no answer." The bank told me that these are scams in which they can get your bank account information and to come into the bank asap to change my account information. Fortunately for me, I had no money in my account anyway; so they did not get a dime and they bought me groceries for the $80.00 that the bank made available upfront when I first deposited the check. So, if anything, all I might owe back to the bank is $80.00 that I already personally utilitized. I turned out ok, but I am writing this to let people know to please be careful about these bogus checks coming in the mail. Mystery Shopping companies do not send upfront funds for you to do the shopping. Mystery shopping is done at your own expense for which you will eventually be reimbursed. Please inform anyone you know not to cash these checks because they are being used to get your account information and clean you out as they have done to so many unsuspecting victims.
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