This number is associated with a Secret Shopper Scam. "Call Karen Parker to activate your check". They want you to wire $3155 to "our training agent".  Letter came from IDEAL GROUP a Division of Harry & David with a check for $3955.  The check is counterfeit with the name Harry & David Operations, Inc.  Harry & David is a retailer that does not employ secret shoppers!  DO NOT cash this check!

I did not cash the check but deposited it into my acct and now I had to close my acct because the check is a fraud

THIS IS A SCAM. Google "ftc.gov secret shopper scam" and read all about it. If you fall for it, there are endless ways you can be screwed. One of the worst is they ask you to test Western Union wire services by sending you a check, you cash it at your bank and wire the money to them. The check is fake but it will take days for your bank to find out and in the meantime, *your* cash that you wire them will be in their hands (wires takes short hours to complete). Your account will be in the red when the check bounces and you may be prosecuted for passing a bad check. There are legit sites that you can sign up on to become a legit mystery shopper but THIS ONE IS A SCAM. Complain to the Postal Inspectors here https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx

Oh how I wished I would have seen the information on this site before I got involved in this mess. I will say that I looked the company whom the check was drawn on (Sigma-Aldrich) up on the BBB and the company was given an A+ rating, therefore I believed that this was legitimate.

This is a scam but what most do not realize it these scammers got your information from you or someone using your computer. I went on a survey site and I am pretty sure that is where I saw a ad requesting mystery shoppers and I entered my information and that is how Ms. Karen Parker targeted me.

I received a letter from:     Ideal Group,A Division of Sigma - Aldrich

Assignment coordinator: Karen Parker 1-514-549-5682

This is the second number that this scam artist uses 1-514-549-5682

The check was in the amount of $3992.00. The letter stated some crap about based on information from a previous survey by an affiliate consumer survey they chose me to come on to their team as a mystery shopper. I was asked to partake in two different evaluations the first being investigate 1 of the following locations (Walmart, K-Mart, Home Depot, Sears, JC Penny, and Best Buy). The second evaluation was to investigate Western Union and Money Gram, but here is the kicker after contacting Ms. Karen Parker she stated please go ahead and deposit the check into your bank account and call me back to advise when the funds will be released. I deposited and returned her call to advise that for some unusual reason my bank is releasing the funds the following day (because my bank usually holds out of state checks for 3-5 business days). Ms. Karen Parker then advised that in the morning she would like me to withdraw the funds and call her so that she could give me the information on the Western Union and Money Gram assignments. I questioned her regarding wiring money out of the country and being to professional crock that she is she handle it like a breeze and stated that both companies were under investigation for not following protocol in regards to wire transfers and 9-11 laws. To make a long story short I withdrew the funds and followed her directions to a tea, unfortunately for me and my family the mystery shopper joke was on us. When my bank chose to hastily release the funds the following day I completed the customer service evaluation assignments and wired $3152.00 out of the country to London, UK to two different guys Tom Weimar 37 Page Hill Suite # 20 London, UK N10-1EH and Don Drews London, UK.

Come to find out I deposited the check on the 22nd and on the 23rd the funds were made available, but on the following Monday 27th (Merry Christmas) the funds were back on hold (Oh ya the funds that my stupid as!#$% bank released early (4 days early) to be exact) I called the bank to find out what was going on and why were the funds on hold again only to find out that the issuing bank was refusing to pay on the check because they stated a fraud was taking place against their company.

Now, it is the 31st of December and one can imagine that it is certainly not a Happy New Year for me or my family (really how can someone steal from another and not feel guilty about what they did). I have gone ahead and contacted my local police and files fraud charges against this Karen Parker (o whoever she really is) I have been in contact with the FBI and taken other actions with the others parties involved.

My Hope is to get the word out there to stay far and clear away from this scam. Although, I am working with law enforcement (and I kept every stitch of paper document about everything) I am still in the hole $3579.00 and I hope that they catch these criminals so that I can have the simple pleasure of slapping their faces oh yes and maybe re-copping some of the money they stole from us.

Thanks for all help everyone hasn't out reference this scam. My husband received a letter and check from the same company but the following number, 1-514-549-5772 / 1-855-331-1180 and a lady name Donna Freeman so thanks and I will contact my local police.