The RESHIPPING SCAM

We would like to alert you to a wide-spread fraud that is occurring and ask your help in spreading this information to your colleagues, as they may very likely become targets of this scam. 

There is currently a scam running where a person fraudulently represents him/herself as an officer from a well-known or Fortune 500 company. This person contacts electronic and networking solution vendors seeking delivery of high-end network and PC system components. These requests are hybrid “reshipping” schemes, which attempt to lure unsuspecting vendors into shipping high-dollar value electronic and computer equipment. 

How the RE-SHIPPING Scam Works   

The fraud begins with an electronic communication, often through email or the vendor’s website. To enhance the appearance of legitimacy, the person(s) perpetrating this fraud will often fabricate or duplicate reference documents, credit references and purchase orders of the company they are claiming to represent. Once the vendor agrees to deliver the merchandise, a ship-to address is provided, which initiates the second part of the re-shipping scheme.  

The re-shipping part of the scheme victimizes individuals in the United States, who are most often unwitting accomplices, by convincing them to receive packages at their residences and then reship the merchandise, usually abroad. 

"Re-shipper victims” are recruited in various ways including work-from-home employment offers, social networking and Internet chat rooms. After establishing the relationship, the perpetrator explains to his/her new friend that, for various legal reasons, his/her country will not allow direct business-to-business shipments into his/her country from the U.S.; or they can avoid having to pay high taxes and delays by shipping person to person. He/she then asks for permission to send recently purchased items to this person’s address for subsequent re-shipment abroad. The perpetrator also explains he/she will cover all shipping expenses, and the ‘friend’ will have to pay nothing for the re-shipping. Many times the re-shippers are victimized also, being coerced into giving money, credit card information etc.  

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP 

Local, state and federal law enforcement officials have been notified of this scheme and have established open communication with the manufacturers of the electronic products being requested.  The investigation has uncovered that many of the first contact emails are originating from overseas, and that previous product deliveries resulting from these emails have been re-shipped, usually within 6 – 36 hours of the original delivery. The investigation has also shown that the end delivery location for re-shipped product is overseas also.  

Please alert your colleagues of this scam. Any time they are contacted by a company that they do not already do business with, they should contact that company – through information that they find on their own, not information provided by the perpetrator – to verify orders are legitimate.  

If any of your colleagues have been victimized by this scam, we encourage them to contact their local police department immediately, file a police report and if appropriate contact their insurance agent.  

Thank you again for your assistance with this matter. Please contact with any questions or with any information you believe may be beneficial.