The Mingo County Sheriff’’s Department (MCSD) is warning residents about a mailing scam to which two Delbarton residents became victims.

The victims, whom the MCSD did not identify, received a letter and a check from America Consumer and Marketing Reseach (which is misspelled on the letter head) headquartered in Bentonville Ark. It is addressed from a Paul Kennedy, the alleged Manager of Human Resources.

The letter states that it is to inform the individual they have been selected by the company to be an affiliate consumer survey specialist for part-time work.

Individuals are asked to take the enclosed check for $3,499.86 and deposit it into their checking account and contact their coordinators within 24 hours to get details for their assignment instructions.

The letter says the research program is co-sponsored by Wal-Mart and the assignments are being completed in different stores, including Sears, Best Buy, Macys, J.C. Penny, Moneygram, Western Union, Target, Publix, Kroger, Ikea and Nordstroms.

The first assignment is mystery shopping at the nearest Wal-Mart, where the “consumer survey specialist” is to make a maximum purchase of $200. To complete the process, they are to complete and fax a survey to the number provided by coordinators.

For the second assignment, the “specialist” is instructed to send money via Moneygram, located in Wal-Mart, to a person of their choice to make sure there are no overcharges during the transaction. The money is to be given back to the victims after it has been received by the friend.

The victims realized the process was a scam when the friend never received any money from the gram and the check deposited bounced and they are forced to pay the money to the bank, deputies said.

Sgt. Joe Smith with the sheriff’s department contacted Attorney General Darrell McGraw’s Office to report the letter, but was surprised to find out they were already investigating it. Smith contacted America Consumer and Marketing Reseach and said he reached an operator who spoke little English. When the officer identified himself the line disconnected and he said he tried several times to call again with no luck.

The Williamson Daily attempted to contact the company and received a message saying all representatives were busy and was asked to leave a voice mail message for someone to return the call.

The Mingo County Sheriffs Department is instructing individuals who receive letters or have been victimized by the scam to contact the Attorney General McGraw’s office at 304-558-3284.