You sometimes come across opportunities from companies that are looking for “regional online sales representatives”.
The products could be of any kind, from electronics to sports apparel. Yes, there might be some legitimate ones, but this is how this scam happens.
The rep is promised 10% commission on every transaction. There is no registration fee and no charges, so you think is a great job, already doing math on how much you can earn per month. You are in!
A week or two after you sign up, you receive an order from a “client”, of $20,000 worth of products or services. Wow, you could make $2,000 if this goes through! The deal does go through and you get your “client’s satisfaction”.
The scammer will send you the $20,000 check and, following instructions, you deposit it in your account, keep your $2,000 and send the rest to the company that hired you. The check that you received and deposited will bounce in a few business days, making you accountable for a $2,000 refund to your bank.
How to avoid: no business that tells you to deposit large checks in your account is legitimate. That is not how business works – you could skip the country with the whole amount. So if you are EVER told to put a check for money that is not yours in your account, that lets you know someone is trying to pull a fast one on you.
***The image above is captured from an actual scam e-mail.