How do I find out what is real and what is not?

Any job that you are apprached about on the internet or by e-mail, whether the company name is real or not, is a SCAM. No company will solicit people over the internet and the only way you can get any type of job is to apply for it. If you didn't apply, then it is a SCAM. You could lose thousands of dollars. If you cash that check and send the money off, in a couple of weeks your bank is going to tell you there were no fund in the account or it was closed and your bank is going to want their money back. Just because a check is "real" (and NO bank can tell that even by looking at it and defintely not over the phone), doesn't mean there are funds. If you called the bank listed on the check,you just called the scammers. Of course they will tell you its real.