My father received a $3, 000 check in the mail last week from Burke Marketing Research of which I had never heard of. I started doing research and saw that Burke has been in business for over 70 years and has offices all around the country. I check with the BBB and they where they but there where no complaints as well I checked here and I again found no complaints. So I called "Burke" at the number my father was given to call in the letter he received and I asked to speak to Alex Page or Jennifer Owen. The guy on the other line could barely speak English and was obviously not at an office and was at home because I could hear noise in the background as you would hear in home. I asked if he was Alex and he said yes but not right away as if he was thinking about it. I asked if I had reached Burke Marketing Research in Lafayette, CA and he also said yes then he asked why I was calling and I said I was representing my father because he is older and isn't that good with computers and that he wanted me to ask questions about the validity of the company. The guys right away started saying that this is for employment and that he has to speak to the person who the letter was sent to. I told him that before that can happen I want to know a couple things first. So I asked if he had a website he said yes but wouldn't answer which one. He started getting angry and kept saying that this is for employment and he can't talk to me about it...then he hung up! I called back of course and started arguing and told him I would call the FBI and that he was running a scam straight out. Honestly, I knew right away when I called that this was all bull cuz companies who have been in business for as long as Burke has don't have some guy who can't speak English answer the phone from their home without answering and saying at least, "Hello this is Burke...How may I help you", or something like that! He ended up hanging up on me again and then I decided to call the real Burke Marketing in Lafayette, CA and I got a recording saying "If you received any checks in the mail this is a scam and not from Burke Marketing Research" I also called 1800-688-267 which is the Customer Service Number for Burke Marketing Research and I spoke to a very nice Rep., who did ID the company right away, and who told me that she has gotten a lot of calls regarding these check and that the company is working with the District Attorneys Office on catching these people who are using the Burke name. I think it's horrible when people try to deface a company that has done nothing wrong. I haven't done business with Burke Marketing but I'm sure they do something right for being in business as long as they have. IF ANYONE GETS ONE OF THESE LETTERS THROW IT AWAY OF CONTACT YOUR LOCAL POST OFFICE AND TELL THEM YOU GOT THIS LETTER AND THEY WILL SUSPEND SENDING THEM OUT IN THE FUTURE TO YOUR AREA ALSO YOU CAN CONTACT THE FBI OR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR INFO ON HOW TO REPORT THIS SCAM!

Don't be fooled when they say to wait until the check clears, other scams say you have to send money right when you deposit a check and then the check never clears. I don't know how this scam works because I haven't actually seen the letter but Crooks are getting smarter so that just means we need to be ever more vigilant!

Good luck and Remember that when it sounds too good to be true it usually is!