The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee are informing residents about a popular scam that is circulating.

The Decatur County Sheriff’s Office released the following photo, and information regarding scam:

"The Decatur County Sheriff's Office would like to inform you of a popular scam that is going on in the country and it has even hit here in Decatur County. Due to the effects on employment that Covid-19 has taken on citizens, “repacking” scams have become popular.

From the Better Business Bureau:

How the Scam Works:

You receive an email offering you a job at a shipping service. The company is hiring "agents" to package items and mail them overseas. The position reimburses "agents" for their expenses and pay a monthly stipend. It sounds like easy money, so you accept the job.

Soon, your first assignment arrives. You are asked to ship something - often electronics - to an address overseas. You send off the items, but your payment never arrives. You've been conned, and you may have just helped scammers move illegally obtained goods.

Watch out for variations on this scam, such as requests that could open you up to ID theft. Some victims reported sending a copy of their driver's license with their "job application," which gave scammers their name, address and photo.

If you feel that you have been involved in this type of scheme, please contact the Decatur County Sheriff's Office. We have been working with other agencies in an effort to stop the spread of this scam. We don't want any of our honest, hardworking citizens to get caught up in a scam that could end up making them accomplices in the crimes that are actually taken place. We also want to return the items back to the companies who have been scammed as well.

Also, if you are contacted by a company for a position, check them through the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org, or even call the company directly and see if they are actually hiring for the position that you have been contacted for. Many times these companies will use names of existing companies but change their phone numbers to make their scheme look legitimate.

To find out more about reshipping and employment scams, check out BBB.org/employmentscam."

 


 

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