As people continue to search for well-paying work-from-home jobs, employment scams are on the rise. Now, the FBI and BBB warn of prevalent “package mule” scams.
TAMPA, Fla. — As people continue to search for work-from-home jobs, employment scams are on the rise.
Of more concern, the Tampa bureau of the FBI and Better Business Bureau West Florida are warning of a common employment scam that could land those targeted behind bars.
It’s a trade-based money laundering scheme, dubbed the “package mule scam.” People are contacted by scammers and led to believe they have a legitimate job as a package inspector. These people are asked to receive an array of packages at their home, then check out the package, add a new label and ship it out.
What those targeted may not know is these packages were likely purchased illegally, maybe with stolen credit card information, and they’re being used as a middleman, muddying the supply chain and making it harder for police to track bad actors down.
Most concerning, not only are these people scammed out of valuable time and potentially personal information, once they send the packages out, they’re also committing a crime.
Keith Givens, a supervisory special agent with the Tampa division…
