Complaint Review: Shopping Disbursements (A Subsidiary Of Shopping Jobs Inc.)

I was mailed a check for $4998.00, with instructions on who to spend it as a "Mystery Customer" I letter said to call in for further instructions. They said to deposit the check, wait for it to clear and then call back. I went ahead and deposited the check and then a couple days later checked my account and the deposit had been reversed, due to it being a non-negotiable item. I scaned the web and found a warning on the CA Department of Financial Institutions and found the following. With the exception of the bank information on the check, everthing else was the same.

Important Notices
November 23, 2007

DFI Warning Notice - Fraudulent Checks: Alta Alliance Bank

Fraudulent checks drawn on Alta Alliance Bank are reportedly in circulation in conjunction with a mystery shopper employment scam. The fraudulent checks are being received in the mail from Shopping Disbursements and contain a letter notifying recipients that they have been pre-selected for a mystery shopper opportunity. The letter lists the breakdown of the check amount, including Western Union and Money Gram transfer amounts; as well as instructions to contact the Shopping Disbursements office upon receipt of the check.

Counterfeit checks may contain some of the following characteristics:

The toll free number, 1-877-446-3112, which is not a valid Alta Alliance Bank telephone number
Counterfeit checks seen to date have been in the amount of $4,998

The following text is printed at the middle left edge of counterfeit checks: Payable at Alta Alliance Bank, Oakland CA

Counterfeit checks may contain the following text printed within the top border in capital letters:
security notice: red padlocks are heat sensitive and change color when rubbed the face of this document has a colored background on white paper Operator I.D. Cu0068147 is printed at the center right edge
Office AU 0071149 is printed beneath the Operator I.D. text at the center right edge

If you have any questions or have seen any of these checks, please contact the following:
Sedrick A. Tydus
Chief Operating Officer
Alta Alliance Bank
Phone: (510) 899-7518
Email: stydus@altaalliancebank.com

Bobbie
Turlock, California
U.S.A.