It'll bounce and you'll get a fine

>>17307761
What do you think is the best course of action is at this point? I haven't cashed it.

>>17307767
Personally, I'd contact RBC about this. They're using their name, after all

>>17307776
What this guy said. You'll be hailed as a hero

>>17307757
You haven't really given us any details, what are they requiring you to do with this check?

I'll copy and paste the emails I got:
First Email 1/2
>Attention.


Nice day to you and thanks for your response.

We are currently recruiting individuals as Secret Shoppers, you are to send the below information and state that you are interested after reading the details of secret shopper pending approval from the Recruiting department.

It is a legitimate dealing to be a Secret Shopper with us, upon approval your job as a secret shopper would begin almost immediately and this would result to us providing you with more information.


PAYMENT TERMS:

Your payment would be sent weekly (Salary: $400 PER ASSIGNMENT) Also the company is in charge of providing you with all expense money for the shopping and other expenses incurred during the course of your assignment. All the tools you will need would be provided to you with details every week you have an assignment.

>>17307757
This is a complete scam. You cash the cheque and write a cheque from your account, the bank has to honour the cheque within 5 days, but it later turns out to be a fraud. Your cheque is cashed and scammers gone. Then bank wants the money back from you for depositing a bad cheque.

Under no circumstances cash this. Contact the fraud squad and the "issuing" bank.

First Email 2/2
>JOB DESCRIPTION:

1} when an assignment is given to you, you would be provided with details to execute the assignment and in a timely fashion.


Time: Must be done maximum 48hrs after the payment is received


Location: From home/Office {USA / CANADA ONLY}


2}You would be asked and instructed to visit places like Banks,Restaurants, Grocery Stores, Wal-Mart, JC Penney Shops, Cash Money,check cashing stores, Western Union Shops, Cash Point Shops and Money Gram Shops etc. to re-view and check out their services.


3} You would be asked to visit a company or store in your area and they are mostly our competitors as a silent shopper and shop with them to know more about their sales and stock, cost sales and more details as provided by the company then report back to us with details of whatever transpired at the store. But anything you buy at the shop belongs to you; all we want is an effective/quick job and reports.
ASSIGNMENT PACKET:
Before any assignment we would provide you with the resources needed {cash} Mostly our company regional manager will send you a Money Order, Bank Draft or Cheque that you can cash in your bank where you will be required to start your assignment. Then we would be providing you details on here. But you follow every single instruction given to you as a secret shopper. You can earn more which involves nothing more than shopping at a number of selected retailers and assessing their customer service and reporting back, so I want you to get back to me with confirmation of your interest and commitment in working with us.


Full Name as stated on your ID:
Mailing Address (INCLUDING UNIT/APT#):
Current Occupation:
Bank Name:
Phone:
Sex:
Age: 17yrs and Above

>>17307800
but what if you deposit the cheque? doesn't it remain pending until the funds come through?

not OP, just curious as to how these scams and banks work

A poorly written email asking for your banking information? Sounds legit.

>>17307814
Like I said I suspect it's a scam. I guess I came here for advice on what my absolute best course of action to take is.

>what I'm wondering is if there could be any potential legal repercussions if I were to cash the check successfully

Don't worry about being able to cash the check successfully - it is going to bounce.

Here's the best case of what would happen if you went with this...

You deposit check, bank says 'okaythnx'.

A couple of weeks later, bank says 'hey, that check bounced - we're pulling that money out of your account and charging you tree fiddy for a bounced check service fee'.

Best course of action? Throw it away and get on with your life.

Alright well thanks, I wasn't sure exactly who to contact but you guys helped me out.

>>17307811
I guess I wasn't clear. This is a common scam. Secret shopping is a big one, another is when you're contacted to accept a big cheque and pay for an item that's going overseas but seller wants a local buyer.
Idiot gets scammers cheque, usually it appears to be certified. It's a fraud. Because it appears certified, the bank has to make the funds available in idiots account within three days, but it takes three weeks to actually determine that the certified cheque is a forgery.

By then, idiot has written a cheque from idiot's own account to a third party, which the third party cashes and runs away. Funds flow from idiot's account to scammer's account because the bank has to honour "certified" cheque within three days or whatever. Scammer cashes idiots cheque, takes the money, and disappears.

Two weeks later, bank says "uh, that certified cheque for $2000 you deposited? It's a forgery. So we're reversing that deposit to your account." Of course, by then the idiot has spent the money and is overdrawn by the $2000 or whatever.

The scam relies on the banks obligation to honour "certified" cheques before those cheques are confirmed to clear.

I've heard of fucked up stories like this before. If you cash it in all of your bank accounts will be frozen and you will be charged with fraud. I know you aren't planning on cashing it, but NEVER cash a random check from someone you don't know.