The Better Business Bureau is issuing a warning for consumers concerning a ‘car wrap’ employment scam.
This car wrap scam is targeting consumers by contacting them through Facebook Messenger, email or text message.
Scammers appear to be a well-known brand or a company representing the brand.
Chris Babin, Business Administration Manager with the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana, said, “They could contact you offering an extra way to make money, or maybe you’re unemployed or you have employment, but you’re looking for some extra payments and an extra way to make money, and all that you have to do is drive around and ‘let us put our advertisements on your vehicle and we’ll in turn pay you monthly or weekly fee’ for allowing us to do that.”
These scams are connected to popular soft drinks, energy drinks or cell phone companies.
Victims of this car wrap scam are mailed a check and instructed to keep a couple hundred dollars and then wire the remaining money to a company that will wrap the car.
“They tell you to wire a certain amount of money, the majority of that check, to the car wrap company, and they’ll contact you within the next week or two, set up a time for you to bring your car in. You never get contacted. The money is long gone, and the check doesn’t actually clear,” explained Babin.
News 10 asked, “Should the consumer know right away when the so-called scammer asks them to save money just for themselves and (then) send it off?”
Babin added, “Normally, when they say ‘save money for yourself,’ it’s probably not a good thing. They’re allowing you to take this check, and they’re paying you for things you hadn’t even actually done yet. Majority of companies aren’t going to do that. You get paid after you succeed or do something for them.”
According to the Better Business Bureau, this car wrap scam is a combination of two of the riskiest scams from last year, an employment scam and a fake check scam.
Here are some tips from the Better Business Bureau to protect yourself from this fake check employment scam:
You should always be aware of deals that sound too good to be true.
If someone urges you to send or wire money, it’s probably a scam because legitimate companies will not ask you to wire money to them.
Don’t fall for an overpayment scam. No legitimate job would ever overpay an employee and ask you to wire the money elsewhere.
If you have a scam you’d like me to investigate, feel free to send me an email at smasters@klfy.com.
