Payment Processing Jobs
August 26th, 2006 by 
Kristy
How’s this for a dream job: Receive payments from a company’s customers, then wire them to the company through Western Union, and receive a fee for each payment processed. Easy work, you choose your hours, and the pay is great. The catch? By accepting this job you become part of a money laundering scheme.
The funds transferred are from some sort of illegal activity, such as phishing or Ebay fraud. When they are transferred between bank accounts it leaves a paper trail. But once the money is wired through Western Union, it becomes virtually untraceable. Which means the paper trail ends with you. And whether you knew about the illegal activity or not, you could still face criminal charges.
Also beware any kind of job that involves receiving packages, then remailing them. If there wasn’t something illegal about them, there would be no need for a middleman.
Posted in Job Scams, Uncategorized | 
48 Comments »
January 3rd, 2007 at 7:21 pm
I got involved in a package remailing scheme! The company is called Florida Warehouse Network Inc. Oh Lord! I received two packages, then mailed them back out as per instructions… These packages went to the Ukraine. After a few days I received a credit card statement in the name of one of the package recipients, at my home address.
I have spoken to the Postal Service, the Secret Service, the FBI, the Inspector Generals office and filed complaints where I could. I am in the process of returning to the vendors, the packages I still have in my possession. I have called the credit card company and severed all communication with the company in question. I also put a fraud alert on my credit with the three credit reporting agencies.
Sigh…live and learn.
January 6th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Sorry you had to go through that, Karla. Thanks for sharing- maybe knowing the story of a real person who went through this will help someone else avoid such a travesty.
February 8th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Hi Karla, can you provide more details? I was just approached by this company to do the same type of job and I’m not sure I understand exactly what the scam entails. Any additional info. you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
March 6th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Thanks’ for the post. I had never heard of this scam. Now I know what to look for. You are providing a great service. Keep up the good work.
March 20th, 2008 at 12:01 am
I was involved in a package remailing scheme, too. A woman from Ghana emailed me and eventually claimed to love me. She wanted me to do a favor for her: act as a middleman for some small amount of things. In a few days my front room started loading up with packages from UPS: womens clothes, electronics, etc. I called all these companies to make sure nothing was being charged to me. Nothing was. This ‘woman’ wanted me to air fed ex all this stuff to Joahnesburg, South Africa. I called Fed ex and found that the shipping was not paid for. And me (the shipper) would be responsible for the shipping costs. I email this ‘woman’ and ‘she’ threatened me with an African curse if I did not send them. Of course, horrible English in all emails. A few days later, I had about 8 law enforcement officers knocking on my door. I told them what happened and supplied them copies of all emails. All the merchandise was sent back to the companies. No harm done to me. Just time wasted. I found out one of the credit cards was registered in Turkey. Probably all stolen credit card transactions.
March 20th, 2008 at 9:33 am
That must have been some experience, Tyler! Glad to hear the curse had no ill effects.
Seriously, thanks for sharing your experience. Maybe it will save someone else from going through the same thing.
March 29th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
A co-worker of my husbands swears by this business. Can anyone tell me if it is illegal. He receives payments from customers who are ordering items from overseas. He processes their payments through his merchant account than transfers the money to the the business (overseas). He claims by processing these payments he receives a percentage and is making a bundle. He was told that all overseas transactions must be conducted in the United States first. Sounds fishy to me not to mention illegal. Can anyone help me figure this out. Thank you.
March 29th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Shelly,
There is no reason that I’m aware of that an overseas transaction would need to be conducted in the U.S. first. These types of schemes usually involve stolen credit card numbers or illegal merchandise. And the processor has no way of knowing if the payment or the items are legitimate, because he is just the middleman. Yet he is the one who gets in trouble because the transaction traces back to him.
In other words, it’s a very bad idea to get involved in anything that you don’t know the details of. These scammers know how to make up good stories, and often get by on them because their victims have no way of truly verifying them.
March 29th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Kristy,
I found out a new detail. The overseas business includes the phone numbers to the people (Americans) ordering the merchandise. He has randomly called a few of these numbers and has verified these customers did in fact place an order. However, he does not know the type of merchandise he is ordering. He also has no clue if the customer is receiving the merchandise.. Won’t that also bite him on the butt because they paid, in essence him, for the merchandise? Is there a government website to check this out. Again, this co-worker claims that an American, buying an overseas item, must have their transaction processed through the States. He is making big bucks, it just sounds to good to be true.
March 29th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Interesting, Shelly. But it still sounds like a well-played scam to me. It could very well be illegal merchandise, or the phone numbers could be to fake customers who are receiving some sort of incentive to go along with it. Not likely if there are a lot of them, but possible. If it’s an overseas company, U.S. government sites probably won’t be much help. If you could find out the name of the company, you could do a Google search and check scam forums for reports of any fishy activity.
No matter what, I would go over the entire thing with a fine-toothed comb before having anything to do with something like this. If it sounds too good to be true, 99% of the time it is.
March 31st, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Kristy,
Thanks so much for your help. I will fill you in if I learn of new details. Currently, we have decided to stay away from it, no amount of money is worth jail time.
April 3rd, 2008 at 11:52 am
hello Everyone,
I was looking to find on line work as a means of brining in some extra income so I posted my resume on careerbuilder website.I recieved an e-mail from a guy stating that he had found my resume on careerbuilder and wanted to offer me a payments processing position, I had to print out and fax the signed agreement(contract)back to him which I did. I received another e-mail stating that I would be recieving checks to my address and I needed to deposit them into my account, withdraw the money, take my 12% off thetop and wire them the rest of the money.
I am aware that their are a lot of online predetors looking to scam peolpe. I am curious to know, since the company did not require or need any of my personal informtion is it legite?
I have recieved the first two checks, but I have not deposited them into my account. I am
going to check with the police department today,to try and figure out if it is a scam or a legitimate business. The company said that they did not want me to think it was a scam, that is why they do not request or need to know any of my personal information such as SSN or Account number,the only information of mine they needed was my address so their customers could forward their checks to my address. Even though I am going to check with the police today,and the company did not request any of my personal information, I would like to know your opinion on if you feel that this is a scam or not. The company informed me that the reaon they needed me was because they will be opening offices in the U.S. within four monthes and feel as though it will be easier to just have someone in the U.S. handle the payments processing util they have established the offices here. The company is Secure Web Solutions (ecommerce and marketing solutions). HHas anyone experienced a scam with this company? Please let me know
April 12th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Tee Tee,
First, let me apologize for not approving your comment and responding sooner. I’ve been without Internet due to moving.
As for this opportunity, it sounds very fishy to me. A reputable company would want more information from you than that before hiring. They would at least want to interview you before offering a position.
Scammers count on people not checking them out before proceeding, and in their excitement about finding a way to make money online, they often do not. By being the one who takes the time to look before you leap, you can often avoid losing money, and possibly your reputation.
But hindsight is always 20/20, right? I’ve been there and done that. The best thing you can do now is not get in any deeper, and bring this to the attention of the authorities. Do check with the police, and add the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission to your list. Best of luck to you!
April 16th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
I have recieved sooo maney of these scams through the internet that I just delete them before I even getaround to reading them anymore. Some claim to be dying christians that want you to help distribute their money. Some want you to be their colection agency. Some want you to be next of kin and split an inheritance. I recieved a check one time from a large Hospital that would have cleared the bank but when the hospital tried to balance there statement the next month I would have been in real trouble. On this one I called the Hospital acounts payable and told them I had a check made out in my name and gave them the number and amount of the check, only to find that the check had been writen to someone else for a lesser amount and had already cleared the bank. I returned the check to them, so they could follow up and try to find the bad guy. You can also subscribe to the FDIC they will fill your in box with bad checks both cashiers and certified and money orders. Beware of strangers bearing gifts.
Bob
May 7th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Ever heard of the company called ecargodeal. I have been mailing packages for them for a few weeks. I have an email contact, she sends me the forwarding information. I mail the packages out to Russia, Czech Republic, etc. They pay me $40 per box, via Western Union. How can I find out if this is illegal?
May 8th, 2008 at 7:37 am
Joe,
A quick web search brought up this on the domain name ecargodeal.com:
http://db.aa419.org/fakebanksview.php?key=25713
It’s a listing in a database of proven fake banks. That doesn’t sound too promising.
Check with your local law enforcement. They probably won’t be much help themselves, but they should be able to point you in the right direction. Also try the FTC. And if you find that it is fraud and that you may be in trouble for participating, you can find help at http://www.fraudaid.com/ .
May 19th, 2008 at 8:09 am
[...] I’m not sure what the purpose of these emails was. It could have been an offer for a payment processing job or some other questionable position, a phishing scheme, or a vehicle for links to a malicious [...]
June 27th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Hi, my name is Rachael.
A few days ago, I was hired from this furniture company in the U.K. and they have asked me to recieve checks from clients, take ten percent and transfer the rest using the western union tranfers. I actually got the check today and an e-mail telling me what to do.
I had a feeling this was a scam so I checked out this blog and the situations were very alike.
I emailed the guy back telling him i can’t do this job. i told him that I will send the check back where it came from or send it to him.
Am I already in deep trouble?
June 27th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Hi Rachel,
Glad you found this post helpful! You should be in no legal trouble whatsoever, because you didn’t cash the check. As far as the law is concerned, you’re the victim here.
I would encourage you to make a copy of the check and report this to the proper authorities. The FTC (or the equivalent in your country if you’re not in the U.S.) might not be much help if it’s international, so try your local police. Sometimes they’re helpful and sometimes they’re not, but if not just keep moving up the line until someone listens.
July 10th, 2008 at 2:27 am
I am starting my own companyand was looking for an internet job to make money. I was found by a remailing scam and id not realize until I had sent out over $10,000 in items and they aid me via paypal. Now paypal has frozen my account and I did not figure out it was a scam until 30 minutes ago. I am going to the police tomorrow to ask what I should do. I still have some of the items, but only $300 worth. There has to be some protection in the law for people like us. TeeTee I want to talk to you since you are in the same boat, please tell us what has hapened so far. cheshireccat@yahoo.com teetee, please contact me, or anyone else that has fallen for this, or knows what to do.
July 10th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Sorry to hear that you got caught up in that J.D. The best thing you can do is be as cooperative as possible and help the police find the real bad guys.
Give the Fraud Victim’s Manual over at Fraud Aid a read. It might be helpful in your quest to clear your name.
July 10th, 2008 at 9:37 am
[...] received quite a few comments on my post about Payment Processing Jobs from people with first-hand experience with these scams. To say this type of con is alive and well [...]
July 16th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I was recently emailed about a payment processor job through ecommerce web solutions to receive checks from their US Customers and to take 12% out of the remaining total. I actually did receive the checks and cashed them in my banking account. A week later one of the checks have bounced and the total amount was taken out of my account. Fortunately, I have a great bank and they are handling the situation told them what had happened and a claim have been started. So I wanted to know am I in any legal trouble for cashing the checks. Because it sounded so legite, signed a contract and everything, no personal information was given out and actually did receive checks. So is this saying all payment processing jobs are scams?
July 16th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Hi James,
I suppose it would be pretty presumptuous of me to say that all payment processing jobs are scams. So I’ll say that 99.9% of them are.
A company that is above board should have no reason to hire people to deposit checks and forward funds for them.
It’s good that your bank is working with you. I would advise you to contact the authorities if it hasn’t been done already. Being proactive and cooperative is the best thing you can do, and should keep you out of trouble. It’s when the cops come knocking at your door that you usually have something to worry about.
August 13th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
There are many of these out there and it’s unfortunate but most things that are too good to be true, are. There was a scam a while back through Craigslist where people asked you to process a payment on their behalf and they would send you a check that was $100 more than the amount due. The first check would clear fine but then the next check you would get would eventually bounce. By that time you have processed the ‘on behalf’ payment and the source is nowhere to be found. My cousin unfortunately got scammed out of $1200.
October 26th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I just fell for this payment processing scam a few days ago on Craigslist in Orange County CA. However, I decided to do some research after accepting their job offer and stumbled on this website. I have not received any checks yet (the company had just “approved” me for employment) and hope that they do not come. I’ve emailed them and decline their “offer”. I guess when the economy is bad (I’m about to get laid off) people are a lot more vulnerable. I’m so glad I found this site, you guys are saving me a lot of trouble and money that I probably would’ve lost. Thanks!
March 4th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
I have been reading about package sending scams and I recieved a package today ..my address and a different name on the package and they sent me a prepaid waybill to send it to The republic of moldova seems something is up with this
Dear Michael,
We are pleased to congratulate you with getting the first package.Last
step:Just put label on box and take it to the courier.
Outside first label in PDF file (the label with barcode. Invoice label
under the main label. just put under main label)
Please, print out the labels, put on the box and arrange by phone
800-225-5345 to pick up the packages by DHL courier or tell us when you
will be at home today or tomorrow,that the courier could come to take away
boxes?
All packages are usually addressed directly to our transport
representative. So names on the packages will be always different. This is
convenient for us because it becomes evident what package belongs to the
current customer.
What about salary: We offer you $30,00 for every SENT parcel.(In a week
can be more then 10 parcels, in a month – more then 50-90 parcels ). You
will receive check or wire transfer (you can choose at your convenience)
at the end of the month.
can someone tell me if this truly is a scam?
Thanks I just browsed apon your website I’d LOVE a reply
March 5th, 2009 at 12:22 am
Michael,
Doesn’t sound kosher in the least. If there wasn’t something going on, why would they waste time and money sending the package to you and paying you to ship it instead of sending it directly to the customer?
March 11th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Can you please tell me if you have ever heard of a company called HC Pacific? I recently got an email from them about being an Independent Representative and collecting payments from clients with outstanding debt to the company. I have called the company and spoken with someone who verified that the person who emailed me is an employee there. They have an address and are listed on the Better Business Bureau. Any information is helpful. It sounds fishy, but i’m not sure
March 11th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Hi Katie,
A web search brought up a company called HC Pacific that manufactures aerospace fasteners. Did you apply with the company, or post your resume on a job search site where they might have found you? And are they offering you a job or requesting an interview? Always be leery of job offers that you didn’t apply for and/or the company doesn’t request an interview first.
I don’t really have enough information to tell you with any certainty if this is legit. If you could provide the answers to these questions, I might be able to be of more assistance.
March 27th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
Hi Kristy,
They do have the job posted on careerbuilder and indeed.com. I can’t remember if I applied for it or not. I just got a call from a guy telling me that my first fedex package will arrive today and he will send me instructions on what to do. I don’t really want to do this anymore because I don’t trust it. I don’t think it is legit. I am scared to get involved. I am not sure if I should just sent the package back to them?
March 27th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Katie,
I’m not sure how well those sites screen job posters, but most do not do a very good job of it. At any rate, if they gave you the job without even asking for an interview, that’s not a good sign. And from the sounds of things they’re pushing the job on you, and that’s a really bad sign. I’d say trust your instincts and send back the package.
May 24th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I have found that finding what you want to do as your career and then “happening to work from home” may be the best way to avoid these scams. I’m a pro photographer working from home and I do internet marketing and coaching, so I avoid doing someone else’s grunt work (or shady work). Maybe my blog can help you figure some of this out.
Best,
Charles Seymour Jr
http://twitter.com/UltimateWAHDads
May 26th, 2009 at 12:39 am
I have a friend who made money remailing packages to the Cayman Islands . He did not know who sent him the packages and just knows they sent him money to mail them and he did. Nothing happened but it shocked me (freaked me out!). I imagined all sorts of things could have happened to him He is over 85 years old. He swears out he didnt spend any of his own money but I am not sure. What scams have U heard involving the Cayman Islands?
May 17th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
Hi Kristy,
Now you have recieved a lot of questions about specific companies offering payment processing positions. Now here is mine.
Have you heard of USI Group Inc? I received an email from them and almost clicked I Agree, but after carefully reading over terms and conditions, I had warning flags that came up in my mind.
What made this company sound almost beleivable was that USI Group, INC had invested a lot of money in creating a very interactive website and they claim to deal with the HR management. What also seemed to be really inviting was the fact that they stated all new contractors had to go through a 30 day probationary period for paid training, and after wards, the instructor you are assigned to may determine if you are eligible for permanant employment. I ran across your sight, and I ended up clicking the I disagree button because it seemed weird. What are your thoughts regarding USI Group Inc?
May 18th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
Hi Bonnie,
A quick Google search brought up reports of emails from a USI Group that are clearly a classic payment processing scam. But it also brought up the website of an apparently unrelated USI Group that does human resources and insurance work that appears to be legitimate. Confusing, huh?
If the job they’re offering sounds similar to what I’ve described (or they don’t bother to tell you exactly what the job entails), you can be pretty much certain that it’s a scam. If it’s payroll processing or something like that, it may be legitimate. I would suggest checking the company out thoroughly if you think it’s worth pursuing. That’s all I can really tell you without having seen the email you received.
May 19th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Thank you for your response, Kristy. Yes, I truly do find it confusing because there are two different human resource companies boasting the similar names (one is for regional, the other for outsourcing). After doing some more exploring on the website link that was sent to me, I find that the job is still alluring, because of how much detail is given pertaining to the job duties. Below is the link. I am still scratching my head on this one, because it all sounds legit. They even offer a personal account with their company once probationary period is over.
http://www.usigroupinc.com/vacancies/payment/faq
May 19th, 2010 at 8:22 pm
HAHAHA Thank goodness I figured out what this was! It all looked so real and legit. Another thing that I would like to point out to anyone who comes across this website, don’t take the quiz! I wasn’t very smart, and took it anyway even when a warning came up stating that I needed to run as administrator, so what ended up happening was every information that I tried to seek out about this company and websites that stated “FRAUD ALERT!” the links were broken! Everything that could possibly have something on USI GROUP, INC, the links were broken. I restored my computer as a last reserve, deleted the link to website, and now I can access all the scam and fraud alert sites. Thank goodness I pressed “I DISAGREE” to the contract and terms and conditions.
May 19th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
Thanks for the update Bonnie! Hopefully others who have been contacted by this outfit will do some research and run across this information and steer clear.
May 20th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
Thank you!! I just received the identical e-mail from USI Group and they definitely take great pains to sound legit. I’m so glad I found this blog before responding. Thanks for being there!
July 8th, 2010 at 11:04 am
I was recently offered a job through career builders as a payment processing agent for a company named Giant Group Inc, http://giant-groupnet.cc/. They claim to pay you 2300 a month for you first month (a trial period to see if your trustworthy) and 3000 a month after. You get money transferred into your bank account, withdraw it, keep 8%(3% for western Union fees), and Western Union the rest to a given name and location. I gave Mark Blackwell my name, phone number, address, e-mail address, bank name, account number, my online banking website, user-name and password. Signed an agreement scanned it back in, and a copy of my utility bill(they said they need that for verification that I was who I said I was). Upon verifying me on 6/28/10 I was given a supervisor, access to an account on their website, and more details as to the “tasks” I would be given. Basically, examples of how I would be given the information and how to use it. It even went as far as to tell me what to say when/if the bank asks where I got the money and so on. They also said it would probably be 7 days until I received my first task, and that the system knew how often you logged in to check your account and handed out bonuses if you did it regularly. I received a bonus, 7/5/10, before I received my first task. On the 7th day, 7/6/10, I suddenly couldn’t log in to my account on their website anymore, I clicked forgotten password and received an email with the exact password I was typing in, but still no access. I automatically e-mailed my supervisor(Norma Lynch) explaining the details of what was going on. I got no response, and still have not. I have been emailing their support, webmaster, even Mark Blackwell that I initially emailed to get the job. NO RESPONSE!!! I have changed my online banking information but I am afraid they have stolen my identity, I am not sure what to do. Has anyone ever heard of this company? What should I do, get a copy of my credit score? Can they keep my info and use it later? Thank you for any information, it is greatly appreciated!!
July 8th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Yes, I would definitely start keeping tabs on my credit report. They can keep your information for later use, so you need to check it on a regular basis and dispute anything that doesn’t look familiar. I also recommend reporting this to the police. Identity theft is a crime, and although it’s not always easy to trace, it’s important to report it to law enforcement. They’re doing this to other people too, and the more reports that are made, the more likely it is that the perpetrators will be caught.
Oh, and never, ever give your online banking information to anyone. There is no reason why any reputable company would need it. In some cases you may need to give out your account number in order to initiate a bank draft or set up direct deposit, but even then it’s important to make sure you know exactly who you’re dealing with and that they are on the up and up.
July 8th, 2010 at 2:19 pm
Since no identity theft has occurred yet, how/what do I report? Is there anyone else to report to besides the police, so there website can be shut down? When I call the phone numbers they gave me its an Australian accent on the message machine so do can the USA police even do anything? I am feel so stupid, thank you for your help, I can’t believe I got myself in this situation….
July 8th, 2010 at 3:23 pm
How about the FTC? You can file an identity theft complaint online with them. They should be able to help, or at least point you in the right direction. If it is international, it might be a case for Interpol. Here is some info from the U.S. Department of Justice website that might be of some assistance to you. Hope everything works out for you!
July 13th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
[...] investigate, I’m not sure what the purpose of these emails was. It could have been an offer for a payment processing job or some other questionable position, a phishing scheme, or a vehicle for links to a malicious [...]
July 13th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
[...] received quite a few comments on my post about Payment Processing Jobs from people with first-hand experience with these scams. To say this type of con is alive and well [...]
August 5th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Hi!
I found this website after I got an email that sounded like a scam to me. The first thing I do when I get this kind of “dream job” is to search the internet all the information I can and I am pretty sure that it is a scam!
This is the email I got:
Dear Mr César Neves,
After reviewing your resume at the totaljobs website, we believe that you are a good fit for a Payment Processing position.
My name is Claudia Miles and I represent IT and Finance Inc.
We are a large company headquartered in the UK. The main field of our business is IT outsourcing services, including the search of clients for potential employees and matching the most ideal candidate for each company’s request.
The position we are offering is a part-time, with a flexible schedule. You are to spend on average 2-3 hours per weekday (Monday-Friday) telecommuting from the comfort of your home.
NOTE: Internet access and e-mail are required.
IT and Finance Inc. covers all expenses–there is no need to invest your own money. This is not a MLM or pay-to-work position.
Once the employment contract is signed, you’ll be employed a training period of one month. During this time frame, you’ll receive all the necessary instructions and training from your supervisor. One week before the trial ends, your supervisor will be making his/her decision regarding whether your performance has been satisfactory enough to offer full time employment.
During the training period, you’ll be paid GBP 1,500 a month. In addition, you’ll keep 8% from each money transfer processed. Total income, considering the current volume of clients, will be up to GBP 2,500 per month. After you successfully pass the training period, base salary will be increased up to GBP 1,800 per month.
If you are interested in this job offer or would like to learn more, please forward a completed form with your updated contact information to: claudia.infinance.job@gmail.com
==============FORM===FORM================
First name:_______________________
Last name:_____________
Country of residence:_____________________
Contact phone:____________________
Preferred call time:____________________
==============FORM===FORM================
Replies will be prompt.
We’ve found your resume at http://www.totaljobs.com. This letter is to confirm that your resume has been duly processed and your skills meet our basic requirements for the Payment Processing Vacancy.
Regards,
Claudia Miles
IT and Finance Company
It does sound egit but I have my concerns!
What do you think? Thanks!
August 5th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
I smell a scam! Most legit employers will require an interview of some sort before they offer you a job, and from the looks of this they are making an offer of employment. And then there’s the offer of 8% from each money transfer, and the email address to which you are asked to reply. Legitimate companies usually have an email address from their web domain, not a Gmail address. (Of course, that’s not to say that those with a domain email are always on the up and up!)