Provided by Bucks County Consumer Protection:
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Many of us may have never heard of the “money mule” scam, but this old scam has unfortunately only recently been mixed with the conveniences of modern technology.
Money mule fraud can occur in several ways. In some cases, this may include work-from-home job opportunities, prizes, and even online dating. The scammer will send you money, sometimes by check, and ask you to transfer some of that money to someone else. You’ll often be asked to use a gift card or send money via wire transfer. Of course they don’t say the money was stolen and lie about why they are sending it to the next person. There are never legitimate work-from-home jobs, prizes, or relationships, only fraud and financial loss for the victims.
These criminals are good at creating seemingly legitimate reasons to help move money. In any case, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, so don’t do it. The money may have come from other people you defrauded, and just as you are the criminal trying to scam people into harming you. You may be helping to cause harm. Some consumers may have seen the news about the extremely tragic consequences involved in this money mule scam. As rideshare companies like Uber offer new package pickup and delivery features, these recent news reports suggest that scammers are taking advantage of this new feature to collect funds without ever meeting their victims in person. It highlights the method. The scammer simply schedules a “package pickup” and dispatches a delivery driver to the address of the victim the scammer is targeting. All of this happens unnoticed by the innocent delivery driver who shows up to pick up the package and deliver it to the indicated destination, thinking he’s just receiving another fare. This is a useful feature that can be used to quickly deliver a package to a loved one or as a kind of courier service to deliver short-distance mail instead of the post office, but unfortunately scammers also use this service . . Recently, a delivery driver was shot and killed just trying to pick up a “package” from a fraud victim, while an Uber driver unknowingly sent an incarcerated relative who needed bail. He was forced to send money and was threatened in order to help. The victim of this scam, presumably frightened by the phone threat and believing that the delivery driver was somehow involved in the scam, escalated the situation and shot and killed the delivery driver as he attempted to detain him at gunpoint as he tried to leave. This tragic situation all stemmed from a scam and could have been prevented by simply hanging up without interacting with the scammer. Unfortunately, many consumers are uninformed and unaware of the various financial deception schemes that scammers attempt to perform against them.
There are some easy ways to avoid money mules and various other scams. The first and most important thing is prevention. Therefore, if you don’t recognize the number that calls you, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and let it go to voicemail. You can then retrieve the message and look up the number to properly vet the caller before calling back. If in doubt, call a consumer protection center and ask for assistance in scrutinizing the company, the supposed work-from-home opportunity, the prize, or any number of other ploys the scammer may be trying to trick you into. Please. Second, always remember the old adage, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” This is almost always true, so you may want to hold out hope, but you also need to be realistic and skeptical about unsolicited phone calls.
How can I avoid money mule scams?
Don’t accept jobs that require you to send money. You may be instructed to send money to a “Client” or “Supplier.” Say no. You may be helping scammers move stolen money.
Please do not send money to claim your prize. It’s always a scam and could be an attempt to move stolen money.
Don’t send money back to an online lover who sent you money. There are also other ways to move stolen money that are always scams.
If you think you may have been involved in a money mule or money transfer scam, stop immediately. Notify your bank, wire transfer service, or associated gift card company and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.GOV/COMPLAINT.
The Federal Trade Commission has created an infographic to help consumers understand these money mule scams and provide education to prevent further victimization. Check out the infographic below. If you are unsure whether you have been a victim of a scam or would like guidance or information, please feel free to contact your local resource, Bucks County Consumer Protection. Contact Bucks County Consumer Protection at 215-348-6060 by email at consumerprotection@buckscounty.org or visit our website at www.BucksCounty.gov/CP for helpful tips and brochures .
Monthly Fraud Alert provided by the Bucks County Crimes Against the Elderly Task Force 24-hour hotline: 1-800-490-8505, Bucks County District Attorney’s Office: 215-348-6344, A Woman’s Place (AWP) : 1-800 -220-8116, Bucks County Department of Aging: 267-880-5700, Bucks County Consumer Protection Office: 215-348-6060, Bucks County Coroner’s Office: 215-348-3852, Bucks County Wills Registry: 215-348-6265, Network for Victim Assistance (NOVA): 1-800-675-6900, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/OIG: 1-800-447-8477.
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