(3 ON YOUR SIDE) –
Lisa Campbell was expecting to make a lot of money working from home as a “shipping specialist.” It was a job that she found advertised on Craigslist.
“I emailed them my resume because that’s why they said I had to do just like any other job,” Campbell told 3 On Your Side. “I emailed my resume and told them a little bit about myself and then I got a phone call in probably about 30 minutes.”
During that conversation, Campbell says she was hired and couldn’t wait to start her new position. All she had to do was accept packages that were shipped to her and bring them into her home. She would then take a picture of the box and forward that photo to the so-called company proving it was in her possession. After getting the shipment and repacking the stuff, Campbell would take the goods to the FedEx center nearby where she would forward the material using shipping labels that the company had emailed her.
Campbell says she performed the task at least three dozen times and was expecting to be paid close to $4,000 for her time, energy and, of course, gas.
However, when she wasn’t paid, she contacted 3 On Your Side and we knew exactly what was going on here.
Campbell was the victim of something the U.S. Postal Service Inspection calls “reshipping fraud.” Liz Davis is with the agency and is well-aware of the scam.
“They buy items online with stolen credit cards and then it comes to your house so the fraud trail of this crime leads right to your house,” Davis said. “And, you’re literally in possession of stolen goods.”
All this time, Campbell had been accepting and reshipping stolen goods to help scammers get away with their crime and to mislead investigators.
When 3 On Your Side told Campbell what she was involved in, she couldn’t believe it.
“Wow. I don’t even know what to think,” Campbell said in disbelief as she shook her head. “I don’t even know what to think. It’s really disappointing.”
Investigators tell 3 On Your Side they realize Campbell is a victim and was innocently involved. And, with 3 On Your Side’s report, they hope more people won’t fall for it.
“You believe you are a shipping specialist who is going to receive packages and then you have to re-ship them somewhere else. Usually, it’s to a foreign country,” Davis said.
Work-at-home scams are extremely prevalent. So, ask yourself a few questions like, “Did you get hired off the Internet without a face to face interview?” Also, “Did it seem like you were hired rather quickly?” If you answer yes to these questions, you’re most like involved in a scam.
For more information on the “reshipping scam,” go here or here.
