It appears that I recently foolishly participated in a scam which may be designed as an identity theft initiative. Following are the circumstances that I am able to identify and relate.
In mid- August I received a letter which contained a cashier’s check in the amount of $1495.00 and instructions or assignments to act as a “secret shopper.” I was to call (Personal Info Removed) to activate the cashier’s check and then perform two assignments, i.E., (1) send $1070.00 to an address in the United Kingdom via Western Union (which cost $84.00 as a service charge) and (2) purchase $100 dollars of merchandise at a retail store, i.E., JC Penny.
On Monday, August 27, I did as instructed and called (Personal Info Removed) and activated the cashier’s check, which I then cashed at the South Durango Branch of the Bank of Nevada in Las Vegas, Nevada. I then proceeded to complete the two assignments. Upon completion of the assignments I answered a questionnaire concerning the nature of the services provided by Western Union and JC Penny and mailed the questionnaire and receipts from the two transactions to an address in Palo Alto, California. Again foolishly I did not keep copies of any of this information.
The only information about the source that I am able to supply follows –
1. The telephone contact number was (Personal Info Removed);
2. The return address on the original notification letter is PO Box 574, Palo Alto, CA 94302; and
3. The original notification letter also had the following mailing information –
www.canadapost.ca 120809 23:31 and www.postescanada.ca 3830 M4L 1A5
I spoke with Linda Brown with Bank of Nevada Security at (Personal Info Removed) and was informed that the cashier’s check was a fake. She asked that I submit the above information to the Bank.
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