If you're out of work, an unsolicited job offer or promise of easy money might seem like a dream come true. But beware - con artists specifically prey on folks down on their luck. Sadly, the negative fallout from the scam can put you even further behind financially, and can lead to legal and credit troubles. Scammers may contact you via email, sometimes by phone, or by placing classified ads. Following are three of the most common scams targeting the unemployed:
Reshipping Fraud
The hook: You are asked to receive shipments to be repackaged and forwarded to another address, usually overseas.
The catch: You will be asked to declare the shipments as gifts on Customs forms - a criminal offense punishable by large fines or potentially even jail time. Typically, the items have been stolen or purchased with stolen credit cards, making you an accomplice to other crimes.
Payment Processing
The hook: You are asked to receive wire transfer payments into your bank account, subtract a commission (usually ten or fifteen percent), then wire the remainder to another account (usually overseas).
The catch: After forwarding the payment, a stop payment may be put on the original transfer - meaning you'll be forced to cover the transfer you made out of your own funds. The transfers are generally part of an elaborate money laundering scam for monies illegally obtained in drug trafficking or eBay auction scams.
Free Money Scams
The hook: An offer of free money ala Nigerian 419 or lottery scams.
The catch: Known in legal circles as Advanced Fee Fraud, you'll be asked to send money to cover expenses. Not only will you be out of pocket for the bogus fees, any checks you do receive will eventually be cancelled by the bank - making you personally liable for any portion that was spent. It can take several weeks for a forged check to be retracted, so don't be fooled if it's past the typical three to ten day hold that banks often automatically impose.