| Beware of this kind of home business opportunity | | | | way of doing business is with a paycheck. These |
| which can cost you a lot of money and get you into | | | | cashier's checks will usually be greater than the initially |
| deep trouble. | | | | agreed amount. Then the employer will ask that you |
| In March, 2007, Chris Hansen of Dateline NBC aired a | | | | send back electronically what was overpaid to you. |
| story called "To Catch an Identity Thief" in which a | | | | The moment you have completed this transaction, |
| man became victim to an international identity theft ring. | | | | another problem arises. The bank will discover that the |
| What made him a victim was that he lost tens of | | | | cashier's check was fake and hold you responsible for |
| thousands of dollars in the reshipping of products | | | | the full amount of the check. In addition, your |
| overseas using his own money. | | | | "employer" has your personal information which will be |
| Reshipping fraud is the newest home based business | | | | used to defraud more unsuspecting people who |
| opportunity scam. Home business shippers are | | | | become "employees" of this illegal money making |
| promised lots of money if they receive, repackage, | | | | scheme. You, the reshipper, can get into big trouble |
| and then ship items that were ordered online to a | | | | because all the goods that you shipped overseas was |
| foreign address. What the shipper is not aware of is | | | | bought with stolen credit cards. |
| that the goods were purchased with stolen credit | | | | Investigate before you invest into a home business |
| cards. In effect, the home business shipper becomes | | | | offer |
| part of a larger identity theft ring by receiving and | | | | If you see an advertisement for a home based |
| shipping stolen goods. This scam has cost victims | | | | business opportunity that seems extremely easy to do |
| thousands of dollars. | | | | (like envelope stuffing) with the promise of big, easy |
| How do reshipping scams work? | | | | money, then you should investigate the opportunity |
| This scam is everywhere. Some advertisements are | | | | before you become financially involved with it. Con |
| placed in newspapers, and you can even find listings | | | | artists prey upon people with low incomes and lack of |
| on as well as other job placement websites. When | | | | education with these bogus job opportunities because |
| you answer the ad, the reshipping "employer" will ask | | | | they are very aware how much they need the |
| that you send your personal information such as your | | | | money. |
| social security number and date of birth. After the | | | | It is up to you, the consumer, to educate yourself |
| employer receives your information, packages will start | | | | regarding home business opportunities. There are |
| arriving at your house with instructions on how to | | | | legitimate offers and there are frauds. Be prepared to |
| repackage and then ship the goods to addresses | | | | have lots of questions about the opportunity before |
| abroad. | | | | you sign on the dotted line. If you do not investigate the |
| When your payment for services performed arrives, it | | | | opportunity before you invest your time, you could be |
| will be in the form of a third party cashier's check. This | | | | the next interviewee on Dateline NBC and be the next |
| should raise red flags on your part since the accepted | | | | victim of a crime of reshipping fraud. |