Reshipping scams involve the receiving and reshipping of merchandise ordered online, to locations usually overseas.
The shipper is an unwilling participant and the merchandise has been paid for with stolen or fraudulent credit cards.
Two methods are used frequently to entice victims to unwillingly take part in this scam. The first is through the use of
help wanted advertisments posted on popular Internet job search sites, such as Monster.com. As part of the process, the
prospective employee is required to provide all of his/her personal information, including social security number and
date of birth. Once this employee is "hired," they immediately begin receiving packages at their residence and are then
responsible for repackaging and shipping the merchandise abroad.
Payment to these employees usually arrive in the form of a third party cashiers check instead of a
regular paycheck. Additionally, the check is usually for an amount in excess of what had previously been agreed upon. The employee
is instructed to cash the check and electronically forward the excess amount to an overseas bank account. After the transaction is
complete but before the check has had a chance to "clear," the financial institution realizes that the cashier's check
is not valid. The employee is then responsible for the total amount of the fraudulent check.
By this point, the employee realizes that they have not only fallen victim to a scam but that the operators of the scam are now in
possession of their personal information.
The second method used to facilitate reshipping scams involves the use of Internet. Unknown subjects participate
in chat rooms pretending to look for a special friend or romance. After carefully forging a good relationship, the subject
explains that his/her country will not accept direct business
shipments from the United States. The subject asks if the victim will permit him/her to use the victim's U.S. residential address
to receive and reship recent online purchases. As soon as the victim
agrees, packages begin to arrive for reshipment. Several weeks pass with the victim dutifully sending on the merchandise.
Eventually, victim merchants contact the U.S. "friend" and explain that the recently shipped merchandise was purchased with
fraudulent credit card.
