"CANTON— The St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department is warning residents of an Indianapolis-based scam in which victims are requested to be “secret shoppers.”

In the scam, people are requested to buy certain items and keep their receipts. The company then sends victims a $1,500 check, which they’re asked to cash. In return, the victims must send a $900 money order with their receipts.

While the check was issued under the legitimate name “Finance Center Federal Credit Union,” the check and address used for the company appear to be false. Similar fraudulent checks have surfaced since 2011.

“Remember, if it seems too good to be true, chances are it is,” Sheriff Kevin M. Wells said in a news release.

Thousands of readers like you have made Northern New York Newspapers the number one ranked website* for local news and sports coverage in the north country.

You can continue on to this article in a few seconds, or you can visit one of our websites:

• Watertown Daily Times
• The Ogdensburg Journal
• Daily Courier-Observer