The Timken Company (USA) and NTN Americas (USA) have both been targeted by an old, recycled fraud scheme offering nonexistent refunds or "mystery shopper" positions. What they share is asking the victim to cash a check and send the majority of the proceeds back to the scammer, but keep a chunk for themselves.

NTN said letters accompanied by fake checks have been popping up across the United States, claiming to be from NTN and usually offering $1,999.99 for the person to become a mystery shopper.

The company has no such program. NTN said: "This is a scam. If you received such a letter, NTN recommends that you keep all materials and contact your local police department to report the crime." The company goes on to say, "It is unfortunate that dishonest persons would attempt to defraud you. NTN is cooperating with local and federal law enforcement to put a stop to this scam."

Recipients are instructed to deposit or cash the check at their bank, then immediately wire or send the majority of it to a third party. Unfortunately, recipients then find the check bounces and they've just sent their own money to a scammer.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has been investigating this scam in all of its variations. Their notice and examples of how it works are here : U.S. Postal Inspection Service : Mystery Shopper Scam
Timken is the victim of a variation on this scam, this one involving their UPS address and account number.

In this case, scammers use Timken's identity more directly, and usually targets businesses advertising online. They are contacted by the scammer for their address, then receive a check via UPS for work to be done or a product to be purchased; the sender often seems legitimate and often appears to be Timken, using their UPS address. The letter says the company is being paid in advance for work, but the work has been canceled; if it's a product, they say shipping arrangements have fallen through. So the company should cash the check, keep $500 or so as compensation, and immediately Western Union or Money Gram the remainder to a UPS box. While various company names appear on the checks, the return address is almost always Timken's UPS delivery address -- PO Box 8826, Canton, OH 44711-8826.

After the check has been deposited and the money wired to the scammer, they check recipient finds the check bounced, and they are responsible for covering the full amount of what they wired out.

Why UPS? For decades, scams like this often use UPS or FedEx for their deliveries in order to avoid running foul of the U.S. Postal Service 5251R9N7, steering clear of mail fraud prosecution and the Postal Investigation Service.

Kansas BBB notice : fraudulent Timken check scam

A real-life account of how this scam works is here : Jun Chong Martial Arts, part 1 Jun Chong Martial Arts, part 2