Avoiding Shipping & Money Laundering Scams

What is shipping/money laundering scam?

Money laundering schemes are often portrayed as complex operations associated with banks and large corporations. Few people would think of online job boards as a vehicle for such scams, but scammers are increasingly finding use in deceiving job seekers using job boards.

A money laundering scam is an attempt by a fraudster to steal money by claiming a business opportunity that requires the job seeker to make transactions on behalf of another person. Once the job seeker responds to the ad, the scammer makes an offer of employment, which involves using the person’s bank account to transfer illegally obtained funds.

Similarly, shipping fraud relies on persuading unwitting individuals to facilitate the commission of crimes. In this case, the job seeker would accept a job offer that would require him to repack and reship the stolen goods.

How does the shipping scam work?

Shipping scams are also referred to as “mail forwarding”. It is implemented by having workers accept packages (which usually contain stolen items), then repackage and ship them back. The individual repacking the items is charged with paying the shipping fee while the scammer presents them with a bogus check in return.

Similarly, money laundering scams rely on people answering a false job advertisement to use their personal bank accounts to transfer fraudulently obtained funds. Normally, the person making the money transfer on behalf of the fraudster is expected to use a portion of the money as compensation. However, this is not an infallible way to make money, as the money will be confiscated if the authorities discover the fraud. Additionally, the carrier can face significant legal consequences for participating in the scam.

How to distinguish between real and fake job offers

The most effective way to avoid shipping and money laundering scams is to know the real offers from the fake ones. The first sign of a questionable job offer is a solicitation for money. Getting a new job can be a lot of things, but money is rarely (if ever) one of them. A trustworthy employer will not ask you to pay any fees or costs up front for a job offer. Ziprecruiter is built on the principle that job seekers should never pay to get a job.

Do you know where fake job offers come from? dummy companies. After reviewing the job offer, do an internet search to find the company’s website. Also look for company reviews. If you find a company website, match that information to the content of the email and proceed with caution.

Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, and other free email accounts are great for personal use. However, you should be wary of any employer contacting you from one of these email service providers about a job offer. Generally, company employees will use their company’s email address to contact you about a job offer. Fake job offers are more likely to be sent via a free email address.

suspicious websites

Frankly, most aspects of shipping and money laundering scams would be suspect. However, one of the most prominent red flags is a suspicious website. These scams rely on luring the job seeker to an exotic location or having the job seeker receive or ship money to a foreign address. When it comes to legitimate job offers, even companies with several subsidiaries are unlikely to ask a job seeker to transact on shady websites.

What is plagiarism?

Another way to learn about shipping scams or money laundering is to stay well informed of the latest news developments. And earlier this summer, wtop reported in plagiarism, a scam in which an offender uses a federal phone number to solicit money from unsuspecting people. The number appears on the target’s caller ID, leading the call recipient to believe they are being contacted by a legitimate source. The fraudster, who facilitates the scam by manipulating the caller ID function, convinces the recipient of the call that they are required to settle some form of debt, such as a fine or penalty fee. Once the target provides their information in hopes of resolving the issue, the fraudster uses that information maliciously.

Precautions to be taken

You can protect yourself from shipping scams and money laundering in several simple and effective ways. One way is to scrutinize all job offers thoroughly. It can be hard to turn down a new job opportunity, but carefully evaluating a job offer can mean the difference between keeping your information safe and exposing yourself to personal and financial risks. Research all aspects of the opportunity, including the company, employee ratings, company location, details about the point of contact, and what you are required to do in order to secure the position.

Another way to protect yourself is to stay away from “easy money”. Remember, nothing beats hard work and reputable employers know this. If the job offer includes great compensation for very little work (for example, repacking and reshipping miscellaneous items for $5,000 per week), it is unlikely that the offer will be legitimate.

Where can you report

If you or someone you know has been targeted for shipping and money laundering fraud, reporting it can help prevent this from happening in the future. The Financial Crimes Task Force (FCTF) is affiliated with the federal government and deals with financial crimes, including shipping fraud and money laundering.

the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which uses anti-money laundering tactics at various levels, can also be a point of contact for fraud reporting.

ZipRecruiter Help keep our community safe

At ZipRecruiter, we care about our community and its safety. If you encounter a suspicious job posting, please let us know by clicking the “Report Job” link at the bottom of the posting, or email us to report any spam or fraudulent activity on ZipRecruiter at trustandsafety@ziprecruiter.com.