Sacramento man warns about common fake check scams

A man in Sacramento is warning others about a financial scam that nearly tricked him. Helder Peralta received a letter with a check for $1,795, supposedly from a real bank called the State Employees Credit Union. At first, he was excited, thinking it was a good surprise. However, after reading the letter, Peralta became suspicious. The letter claimed he had a "secret survey assignment" with Whole Foods. He was instructed to buy gift cards worth $1,300 and keep the rest as a bonus. The catch is that the check is fake and will bounce, leaving him responsible for the money spent on gift cards. Peralta encourages others to be careful, especially when in a tough financial situation. He warns that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Sacramento police are aware of this type of financial fraud and advise people not to share personal information in response to unsolicited requests. If someone has already cashed a fake check, they should contact police and their bank for help.