This scam is not as predominant as it was 3 yrs ago but my experience will offer some insight into what happens when you cash one of these checks. I was new to mystery shopping in 2017 when I was "targeted". My resume had been found on Career Builder during a time I was actively looking for work ( and in need of money) . I received an email inviting me to apply for a job. After a week correspondence by email, text, and phone calls., I received a mail delivery with a conditional offer for employment contingent on the my completion of the attached assignment which included a cashier's check. At the time, I believed I was being diligent. and thorough by calling and verifying the check with the bank. I spoke to a live person and the check verified. I even made sure I called a number different than the one printed on the check. I did not have a bank acct at the time so I went to a check cashing store. Everything went as expected and I carried out the task. I continued to receive additional assignments and even job offers from similar set ups but had a little voice in my head telling me to air on the side of caution and pass. About 2 months after I cashed the first check, I ignored that voice. I went to the same place to cash the 2nd check (verified, etc) but it wasn't so smooth. They pulled up my "account" / profile but went to the back this time to allegedly verify the funds. It was taking way too long and the behavior of the clerk was odd. That little voice told me to not wait and leave. When I asked for my ID and check back, they informed me they were "confiscating " it and announced the police were in route because the check from 2 months earlier was fraudulent. Long story short, I ended up with 2 felony warrants for Criminsl Simulation for which I had to plead guilty to because the law states once in my possession it was my responsibility to know it was fraudulent. Despite my efforts of verification and saving the packaging, emails, and phone records, I still went to jail and have been on probation ever since. Yes a good paid lawyer could have handled the matter but finances did not allow me to pay 5k for an attorney. My bond was 15k!!!! So I sat in jail for a month waiting for a public defender to make a deal with the DA to give me probation by pleading guilty to one of the two felonies. If that's not bad enough....due to it being act involving harm to a financial institution, my chex systems and Early Warning reports indicated I posed high risk resulting in me not being able to get a bank account or even cash a check at Walmart!

DON'T CASH ONE THOSE CHECKS NO MATTER HOW LEGITIMATE IT APPEARS YO BE!!!!