To help broaden public awareness about fake check scams, the United States Postal Service has recently begun running TV ads. For more info, see http://www.fakechecks.org/ "But the bottom line is this: No legitimate company will offer to pay you by arranging to send you a check and asking you to wire some of the money back. If that's the pitch, it's a scam." Read the full article on Wired.com: http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2002/12/56829