Beware of Cashiers Checks from Canadian Mystery Shopper Companies!!!

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I take surveys online, and recently learned I need to be careful of the companies I am doing surveys on. I recently received a Cashiers Check in the mail in the amount of $4,997.00 with instructions that it was for "Get Paid To Shop Agency" in Ontario, Canada. They wanted me to keep $500.00 for salary and training, make a $50 Walmart purchase, a $40 Gap purchase and wire transfers using Western Union and Moneygram using the rest of the money. I was supposed to call the number on the enclosed letter to get further instructions from an assignment coordinator. When I called (twice) I was both times forwarded to a message center and left my name and telephone number for them, but they did not call back, so I began to research the company. I emailed the website they had listed as their own, and was informed by Customer Service on that site, that the Canadian based company was fraudulently using their website name, and not to deposit or try to cash the check they had sent me. So I did a Google search on Cashiers Checks from Canada Mystery Shopping Companies... and WOW... this has been going on for a long time. The checks are, in fact, counterfeit but most banks will not know this for at least a week, HOWEVER, the banks make funds available to you within 24 hours. The company tells you that you have 48 hours to complete your "assignments", you make your purchases, then do wire transfers to " a relative" in Canada. Once your bank discovers that the check was bogus, you are now liable for the amount that you were credited!! So, please, PLEASE, if you receive one of these "Cashiers Checks" in the mail... DO NOT DEPOSIT IT!! I also checked my state's Attorney Generals office, they are aware of this scam and instruct anyone who has fallen victim to it to report it to the Secret Service, the FBI and The RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police). Let's hope they are able to stop this scam, as it has been going on since early in 2005!!! Please let your friends and family know about this, and if anyone has fallen victim (ie. lost money) to this scam, please report it to the above agencies. (And remember, if you take online surveys... be CAREFUL!, read every line of what you are filling out, including the fine print!) If you give these guys your address, they WILL send you a check and try to scam you out of your money. I'm not sure which survey it is that I filled out that resulted in my receipt of this check, but I assure you that I will be closely reading EVERY SURVEY I take from now on!!