Absolute SCAM. Daniel Brasford (probably not the real name, email [email protected]) starts the hoax from Craigslist offering a part time position as "Mail Handling Position" and offers $450.00 a week to stamp and send 1 oz. catalogs from your home to individual US addresses from a real company in England. These catalogs, in individual envelopes, will be sent to the part time worker (you) in a bulk shipment of 300 per week. You'll make $1800.00 per month for a few hours work.
Sounds so simple, doesn't it?
If you go to the web site, you'll see a legitimate high-end furniture company that's been in business for some time. This scammer (Daniel Brasford) claims to be the "Personnel Manager" and you have no reason to doubt that. Therefore, you probably won't contact DFS to check that out (you should). It costs nothing to apply and when you do you get a response that you're "approved" and even get your very own "Rep" number - which is A116 for everyone. They then ask you to find out what stamps cost for 1 oz., email them with that info and they'll send you a check. (Couldn't ANYONE in business get that info with a click of the mouse?)
Sounds so simple, doesn't it?
When you do that they send you a check... for $3600.00!!! THEN in a day or so, they send an email telling you they made a mistake and ask you to send them (by wire) all but your $450 and the cost of the stamps, which totals $3018.00. You wire it and feel pretty good, having nearly $600.00 in the bank without doing ANYTHING so far. Life is truly good. A few days later (AFTER you've wired the money) your bank bounces the first check for the $3600.00. It takes a week or so for your bank to verify the $3600.00 check from England.
There was no real check, no real part time job, no company, no catalogs and (one would assume) no Mr. Brasford!!! And NOW your bank is coming after YOU for the $3600.00!!!
So, NOW you're out the $3018.00 PLUS the $3600.00 the bank wants - which is OVER $6500.00!!! and the scammers have $3018.00. Like the job so far?
These types of scams are particularly evil in times like these where people are desperate and looking for anything to help them get by. I've sent a complaint to the company (DFS Trading Ltd.) and the FBI. DFS assures me they are not in this, which I believe. They have some nice upscale furniture and have been in business for years. I think they were targeted because they're an overseas company and the checks would be more difficult for the banks to quickly confirm.
BOTTOM LINE: This guy is not going away (if its even a guy at all) and will simply change the name, change the scam and move on. The old adage is true: If it sounds too good, yada, yada. Making $450 for just mailing 300 pieces of mail ($1.50 EACH and its only about 20 pounds total in weight) DOES NOT MAKE SENSE!! Any company, in business to make money, would hire workers at $7.50/hr. to do that. OR offer $450 for maybe 3000 (about $0.15 each) which would STILL be a great deal for the worker.
Always check things out! Google the name, the company, whatever and look it up on complaint and don't fall for these things. These people are scum and should be stopped, but that's nearly impossible. They know that. Its up to the individual to not be scammed.
0 comments