How the scam works:
Looking for ways to make extra money, you receive an email from a company offering the opportunity to make $300 a week if you have your car wrapped in a well-known brand's logo. "Our world-class partners such us Coca-Cola, Monster Energy, XS Energy, Johnny Walker, and Budweiser will generously pay prospective clients like you", the message says.
The scammers who send this message also post the same offer on sites like Craigslist, Oodle, or Gumtree, create well-designed advertisments, and even contact people who submit their resumes online hunting for jobs.
The offer sounds good, especially since you have the option of removing the wrapped sticker after the number of months you select. If you accept the offer, the scammers will then send a check for a large amount of money, according to the length of time you want to be the mobile advertiser.
The instructions for cashing the check indicate that a certain portion of the money is to be kept as your payment and the rest is to be sent via wire transfer to the company who will supposedly wrap your vehicle. After wiring the money, you'll find out that the original check was a fake and the transaction bounced. Now your bank is after you for thousands of dollars.
How to avoid:
No major brand would hire just anybody to wrap their cars with advertising. Corporations are very careful about their image and typically have huge marketing departments within. Be very careful when you receive this email, as the message might be presented in a very professional manner. The scammers steal images from websites belonging to reputable companies that do professional car wrapping and make you believe it's their business. Delete the email, not every online job opportunity that comes your way is real.
Always do your research and work only for legitimate employers. If you are really looking for a job and seek to make some money online until you find the next ideal job, there a couple of companies that are trustworthy and can offer you great opportunities:
If you are into paid surveys, this is the place. GlobalTestMarket is an industry leader in online research panels, where members are invited to participate in online surveys on numerous topics, and in return are eligible for cash or regular and frequent entry into sweepstakes. Highly recommended, as they also have A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. You can register for free HERE.
Swagbucks.com is the largest online rewards portal dedicated to helping customers earn gift cards, electronics, and exclusive merchandise. Swagbucks can be earned by shopping online, taking paid surveys, buying daily deals, completing trial offers, or playing games. The company awarded over $30 Million in prizes including gift cards, electronics and more to users across the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, and Australia. Highly recommended as well. You can register for free HERE.
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