Police in Hawke's Bay are waiting to see if anyone has been taken in by an international scam in which tempting four-figure cheques are delivered in the mail.
They have been received in the mail by two women in Napier.
Eastern Police crime prevention officer Paul Miller says the cheques are worthless forgeries: "Duds."
Each woman received a "Lloyds TSB" cheque, made out for $4650, and a letter asking them to deposit the cheques into their accounts, advise the sender via email that it had been done and to await more instructions.
The cheques, dated December 24, were said to be the women's "first assignment payment" cheques, stemming from inquiries each made in answer to a newspaper advertisement offering work-from-home employment.