"Mystery Shopper" Money Orders?

rockin'robin

rockin'robin

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
24,433
Reaction score
544
Today, I received a letter from my friend in Az. ....wishing my boys a happy birthday this month, etc., etc.

She also enclosed 2 Money Orders, each for $920.25...with the message written, saying: "No idea what to do with this...Good Luck!...This was mailed to me, it may be something "frightening"...I don't know...Perhaps it's a test!....People...this is really Odd, huh.".........

It was sent to her by UPS Express Mail, June 29, 2010....Upon reading the instructions...it says: "Deposit the money orders in ur bank...wait 24 hrs. to collect the funds....once you cash the money orders, deduct your $200 from the funds and proceed with effect to the nearest Western Union Location to make the payment to our accountant at our research institute in MALAYSIA...You are also required to take out the Western Union wire charges from my balance, split the funds into equal halves and send via Western Union as follows:

Even gave an email addy:.....markgates00@gmail.com........

Anyone ever received anything like this before?

No, I have not attempted to cash these money orders!....I'm seriously thinking of taking them to my bank manager and also notifying the Postal Service or UPS Express about this...

Thks for any input...
 
It seems like a normal scam where they steal from your bank account, but with you actually sending the money to them.

I think the email name Mark Gates is a little humorous too.
 
It is a scam. It is a way for the scammers to get your bank info, I think.
 
If I were you, I would bring it to your bank and report it.
 
Agreed, we (banks) need to know about this stuff so it can be reported in compliance with Anti-money laundering and fraud etc
 
As a 38 year employee of USPS I can tell you we get this very often and there is a need to contact the Inspection Service branch of USPS. Keep all evidence and do not handle this "mail" too much as to preserve the hand-prints and fingerprints to trace the sender. The envelope is critical since we can pull DNA off of it but more than likly this will be foregin DNA, for which we have no database. Nevertheless, thanks for bringing this matter to the attention of AD.
 
It's a scam, I had one of those. That will bounce and leave your bank with overdraft fees that will leave you dry.
 
I think its a scam too, fake money orders and they say leave it 24 hours then send that amount to them, hence wait 24 hours for it to be credited to your account then you take the money to send out then the bank catches the money orders are fake and like someone said your stuck, not only the overdraft fees but the amount you had taken out too. turn them in as someone else suggested.
 
rolling7 said:
As a 38 year employee of USPS I can tell you we get this very often and there is a need to contact the Inspection Service branch of USPS. Keep all evidence and do not handle this "mail" too much as to preserve the hand-prints and fingerprints to trace the sender. The envelope is critical since we can pull DNA off of it but more than likly this will be foregin DNA, for which we have no database. Nevertheless, thanks for bringing this matter to the attention of AD.
Click to expand...

Let me say...that when I opened the envelope...white powder fell out...it had a slight scent....I found that "odd"...that she/"they" would put white body powder inside the envelope!.....At first, I was confused!...thinking..."is that Cocaine...or Anthrax (sp)???....all the papers had a feel of "powder", and was on my own fingertips....

When you mentioned "finger prints".....could it be possible that this powder would remove them, or "smudge" them?....

I am going to the bank tomorrow, and talk with a representative....bring all the papers...and let them figure it all out...the money orders do "look legit"....

Dunno if "my friend" is a part of this scam or not!....Very strange thing to happen to me....
 
rockin'robin said:
Let me say...that when I opened the envelope...white powder fell out...it had a slight scent....I found that "odd"...that she/"they" would put white body powder inside the envelope!.....At first, I was confused!...thinking..."is that Cocaine...or Anthrax (sp)???....all the papers had a feel of "powder", and was on my own fingertips....

When you mentioned "finger prints".....could it be possible that this powder would remove them, or "smudge" them?....

I am going to the bank tomorrow, and talk with a representative....bring all the papers...and let them figure it all out...the money orders do "look legit"....

Dunno if "my friend" is a part of this scam or not!....Very strange thing to happen to me....
Click to expand...

OK now thats just dangerous. You do not know what that powder is even if its scented or not. I've been in public service over 15 years and I'm advising you to contact your local police department or call 911 and inform who you talk to of whats going on and let them handle it and be sure to inform them of the "powder".
 
It's late....I've put all the paperwork into a baggy...and also the placemat on the table where the powder fell out...I will take it with me to the bank tomorrow, and if they assume the police needs to be involved, then they will have all the evidence....I've washed my hands very well....nothing looks "unusual" on my fingertips....It does smell like a light sent of baby powder.

Should know more about this tomorrow!...Thks very much...will let everyone know what happens at the bank....rockin'robin
 
If youve smelled it youve done been exposed to whatever it was by inhaling it. And not sure about the bank either, like i said youve been exposed and if it is something you may be a carrier, plus if it does turn out to be something the bank may have to be shut down and it and everyone in it be quarantined until its determined what the substance is. Just be careful, now days im paranoid when it comes to things like that.
 
Wheeeee....I called the bank today and explained what I have....they switched (transferred) me to several reps...and the last one told me NOT to bring it into the Bank...to take it to the authorities....

I took it down to a substation (Police) this evening...and had to wait almost an hour...but the man I needed to see would not be available, so they then told me to call a phone #......

So when I got home (not too long ago), I called that number, and am waiting on several officers to come to my home to see what is going on with the package I received....

Should know a little more soon as they arrive....
 
If they show up in some weird and strange looking suits or masks don't be alarmed its just precautionary measures.
 
WTF? Do you realize that could easily have been Anthrax??? That stuff is a time bomb and airborn to the lungs which can spread and kill millions of people.

I got a few choice words about your lack of action, namely not calling 911 on the spot when those white powdery substances was discovered.

I just checked the news and there's already been reports as of this year with white powdery substances being found in their mailboxes.

Yiz
 
rolling7 said:
As a 38 year employee of USPS I can tell you we get this very often and there is a need to contact the Inspection Service branch of USPS. Keep all evidence and do not handle this "mail" too much as to preserve the hand-prints and fingerprints to trace the sender. The envelope is critical since we can pull DNA off of it but more than likly this will be foregin DNA, for which we have no database. Nevertheless, thanks for bringing this matter to the attention of AD.
Click to expand...

and it's the mail fraud too.
 
um..... I'm kinda shocked at the way you're handling the situation especially with unknown powdery substance
 
Yeah seriously.. Should try to avoid touching unknown substances. If you have a friend who works in a processing lab or equivalent, or the local police is willing to run a forensics test (you may have to pay, depends on counties) try to get it checked out.

I doubt they are rich enough to send out biological weapons, or you have an enemy that really wants to kill you. You'd probably know your body feeling weird right now if you caught a good whiff of pulmonary anthrax yesterday. :P


As with all money orders in the mail, I never trust anything that isn't the green domestic slip from the post office. All others I proceed with caution.

http://www.militaryhobbies.com/html/moneyorder.jpg
 
Back
Top