I am having trouble figuring out if this is a scam

I was on craigslist looking for jobs, so I emailed this company that had posted. However, now I am very suspicious that this may actually be a scam. Read the email and tell me what you think:

3/10/2011

Dear Shopper,

I write to inform you that payment for the Restaurant and Store ratings has been sent to you via FedEx. You should get the check between today and next week Friday. Below is the necessary information you need to do your restaurant and store surveys. The check with the sum of $2367 is for your surveys.

INSTRUCTIONS

(1) Compensation:

You are to deduct the sum of $300 as your compensation to carry out the restaurant and store surveys. Be informed that if this review is carried out immediately, you will be opportune to do another review for our company.

(2) Shopping Review:

You are to spend the sum of $150 to shop for your own personal items. You are expected not to spend above this amount on the shopping rating. You are to look out for the following during your shopping review:

1. Customer Service assistance
2. Atmosphere
3. Recommendation
4. Price
5. Cleanliness
6. Services

(3) Restaurant Review:

You are to spend the sum of $100 for your restaurant review. You are to go to any Restaurant which you will like to survey. Surveys for the Restaurant should be based on the following:

1. Food
2. Atmosphere
3. Recommendation
4. Price
5. Cleanliness
6. Services

This means you will write your review based on the six (6) items provided.

(4) Store Review:

We will need you to rate any of the following Store / Gas stations that offer a Money Gram service, The following Stores / Gas station that offer Money Gram services include:


- Wal-Mart Store
- Wal-Mart Super-center
- Walgreens
- CVS Pharmacy
- Shell
- Texaco
- Exxon Oil


You can also check http://www.moneygram.com for a Store location to choose which store you will be rating.

To carry out the Money Gram Store survey, you will be sending money through the Money Gram services to the Evaluation Manager. You will send the sum of $1710 through Money Gram Services to the Evaluation Manager, below is the Evaluation Manager's Information which you need to send the money:

Name – Torres Rick
Address – 2300 Manor Rd
City - Austin
State - Texas
Zip code – 78705

Once you have wired the sum of $1710 to Mr. Rick for the Money Gram Store survey, You will need to provide us with the following Information to confirm you have completed the Money Gram survey and you can be enlisted for the next survey, Below are the Information you need to provide us via e-mail ([email protected]):

1. Reference Number (8 Digit Number on Receipt)
2. Senders Name and Address
3. Amount Sent

Be Informed that Money Gram will charge a certain amount for you to wire Mr. Rick the sum of $1610, deduct the $107 for the Money Gram charges.

Once you have been able to send Mr. Rick the above details, be sure to send your Full Name and Address which will be the sender’s information during your Money Gram Store survey.

Below are the necessary things to watch for and write for the Money Gram Store survey:

1. Customer Service relationship
2. Atmosphere
3. Cleanliness
4. Recommendation

Here is the Breakdown:

Compensation - $300
Restaurant Review - $100
Money Gram Store review - $1710
Money Gram Charges - $107
Shopping - $150

Total - $2367

You are expected to carry out the necessary Instructions correctly, read through and carry out the whole instructions with 100% perfection.

I do Hope you understand the following Instructions carefully.

Wiseman, Taylor
H.O.D
City Reviewing Company
347-622-4144
[email protected]




Note: Everything shopped belongs to you; these are the bonuses you get from doing reviews for City Reviewing Company.

One hundred per cent scam.

Do not bank the cheque and certainly don't send any cash, as that's all the scammer is after - for you to convert his cheque into cash for his pocket. All the rest is just part of his game.

The cheque is guaranteed to be counterfeit and just banking it can get you in a mess with the authorities but when it bounces you'll be charged back and left in debt.

The scam world is awash with counterfeit cheques and they're desperate to offload them and get victims to cash them for them. It doesn't matter that they only get a fraction of the face amount as it's all profit to them. The money you spend on meals is really your own money - which you'll only discover when the cheque bounces.

I'm sorry to disappoint you but if you read the 'Employment scams' forum you'll see a lot more examples of this type of fraud.