Home scam victims are often hired to “process payments,” “transfer funds,” or “reship products.”

Victims are often hired to “process payments,” “transfer funds,” or “reship products.” These job scams involve the victims receiving and cashing fraudulent checks, transferring illegally obtained funds for the criminals, or receiving stolen merchandise and shipping it to the criminals.

Other victims sign up to be a “mystery shopper,” receiving fraudulent checks with instructions to cash the checks and wire the funds to “test” a company’s services. Victims are told they will be compensated with a portion of the merchandise or funds.

Work-at-home schemes attract otherwise innocent individuals, causing them to become part of criminal schemes without realizing they are engaging in illegal behavior.

Job scams often provide criminals the opportunity to commit identity theft when victims provide their personal information, sometimes even bank account information, to their potential “employer.” The criminal/employer can then use the victim’s information to open credit cards, post on-line auctions, register websites, etc., in the victim’s name to commit additional crimes.

If you have been a victim of Internet crime, please file a complaint at www.ic3.gov.

If you can answer "YES" to any of the following questions, you could be involved in a FRAUD or about to be SCAMMED

Is the CHECK from an item you sold on the internet, such as a car, boat, jewelry, etc.?

Is the amount of the CHECK more than the item's selling price?

Did you receive the CHECK via overnight delivery service?

Is the CHECK connected to communicating with someone by e-mail?

Is the CHECK drawn on a business or individual account that is different from the person buying your item or product?

Have you been informed that you were the winner of LOTTERY, such as Canadian, Australian, El Gordo, or El Mundo, that you did not enter?

Have you been instructed to either "WIRE", "SEND" or "SHIP MONEY", as soon as possible, to a large U.S. City or to another country such as Canada, Englad, or Nigeria?

Have you been asked to PAY money to receive a deposit from another country such as Canada, England, or Nigeria?

Are you receiving PAY or a COMMISSION for facilitating money transfers through your account?

Did you respond to an e-mail requesting you to CONFIRM, UPDATE, OR PROVIDE your account information.