Officers with the Boise Police Department Community Outreach Division intercepted thousands of dollars in stolen items that were being shipped through Boise by unsuspecting residents. Officers warn the public to be cautious of work from home offers that involve shipping.
What happened: Community Outreach Division officers were contacted one week ago by investigators in Gilbert, Arizona. Investigators in Arizona took a report of financial transaction card fraud and learned that items were being shipped to a home in Boise. Boise Police investigators, with the assistance of USPS Postal Inspectors learned of a potential reshipping scam occurring with an online retailer. COD Officers and United States Postal Inspectors began to monitor packages arriving at a Boise address. USPS seized almost 50 stolen packages destined for the address in Boise valued at almost $10,000. Photos of the items being shipped are available below. COD officers and USPS postal inspectors visited the address on May 12th and seized an additional $7,000 in stolen merchandise. The residents living at the Boise home were scammed into reshipping stolen merchandise.
Here is information from the USPS about how to avoid reshipping scams. https://about.usps.com/notices/not129.pdf
DON’T BE THE VICTIM OF A RESHIPPING SCAM!
Have you been asked to receive packages at your home or business and ship them to someone else? Postal Inspectors advise:
Don’t do it!
WHAT IS A RESHIPPING SCAM?
Reshipping scams are a hot trend targeting people who visit job sites, dating sites, and chat rooms. You’ll find reshipping scams disguised as bogus work-at-home offers, fake “sweethearts” who need your help, and charities asking you to donate to their cause — in Europe or Africa.
WHY IS RESHIPPING A PROBLEM?
These complex scams usually involve several crimes. Some criminals purchase merchandise with stolen credit cards and need your help to smuggle the goods out of the country. Others send you counterfeit money orders or checks and ask you to reship them to another address. You’ll be given counterfeit postage to reship the illegal items.
RESHIPPING IS A CRIME!
You’re committing several felonies when you help these criminals. And even if you don’t get caught, it’s likely you’ll lose a lot of money. When they send you a money order or check for payment, you’re told to deposit it, keep a portion, and wire the remaining amount elsewhere.
Postal Inspectors warn:
Make sure the money order or check is genuine before you deposit it.
If your bank finds the money order or check is counterfeit, you may be liable for the full amount you deposited.
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM RESHIPPING SCAMS
- Don’t accept packages at your address for people you don’t know.
- Don’t accept calls from people who want you to reship their mail.
- If you’ve already received items from such an offer—don’t mail them!
Report suspected scams. Call Postal Inspectors at 1-877-876-2455 (press 5).
