The Car Wrap Scam is the new Mystery Shopper Scam...
If you receive a cheque from a company and are asked to deposit it, keep some of the money, and transfer some money to someone else, it is a scam.
Every. Single. Time.
It doesn’t matter if the story is about earning $300 a week to have your car wrapped, becoming a mystery shopper, having your small business provide services such as event planning or wedding photography. The same thing happens. After you deposit the cheque and transfer the money, the scammer takes off. A few days later when the bank realizes the cheque is a fake, you’re on the hook to pay back the money you withdrew or transferred. Remember, even though the funds may be available in your bank account right away, it takes a few days to actually verify that a cheque is legitimate. Until your bank confirms that, they’re really just advancing you the money.
Reality “Check”
Wondering if it’s a scam? Consider this:
- A legitimate business would not pay you more money than they owe you.
- A legitimate business would not ask you to pay for the graphic designer or other service provider. They’d pay their own expenses.
- A legitimate business would not send out large cheques to strangers, just hoping people will only keep a small portion of it.
When in doubt:
If you do receive a cheque, call the company listed on the cheque and ask them. They’re in the best position to verify if they actually issued the cheque or not. Scammers often try to make their pitch seem more legitimate by name dropping well-known companies or brands or using forged cheques from a reputable company.
I’ve received a cheque like this! What do I do?!
Contact your local police or RCMP.
If you have deposited the cheque, contact your financial institution.