Book scam?

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Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 10:50 pm

Posted recently regarding a translation of an email received from replying to a job ad in the local paper. The ad reply was apparently in pidgin. A few days later , I got a phone call with the caller speaking what sounded to be the same language. All I could make out was something that sounded like my name , "I ya" , and "boog". I told the caller to speak in English. When they did not , I hung up. Today , upon returning from my unpaid work assignment for welfare , I found 3 packages sent UPS 2nd Day Air on the porch , all from college book stores. So it seems "I ya" was "hired" (no interview or job details ever received) and "boog" was "book".

What is the scam? What should I do with the packages (unopened)?

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 11:16 pm

Call the bookstores and ask them what happened and what you should do.

Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2012 11:35 pm

It sounds like you have been targeted by a work-at-home scam to act as a mule -- someone to receive goods or money and then forward them on.

I suggest you mark each package as "refused" and give them back to the mailman or other delivery service to be returned to the senders.

I'd also suggest filing a report with your local police so that it is on record that you are being victimized. When the shipper has a credit card or fake check bounce back on them, and inevitably that will happen, they will look at you as the receiver and hold you accountable. With a police report on file you have something official to establish that you did not knowingly participate in a crime.

When the scammers call again, hang up. Walk away. They will give up when they realize you are not going along with their scam.

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:14 pm

Had a feeling that was the type of scam. I contacted the bookstores and have heard back from 2 of the 3. Both reported that they received an online order from the same person (they gave me the name) using a credit card and his address. It was nobody I knew. I will be returning the packages unopened and contacting the police.

Can someone explain what the deal is? Why would someone pay for several books (college textbooks are not cheap!) and send them to someone else to then send somewhere else?

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 1:33 pm

My guess is it works like this:
1. Lad gets a hold of stolen credit card.
2. Lad buys a book and has it sent to mule.
3. Mule forwards it to lad.
4. Lad sells book to local school, thus getting some money from the stolen credit card.

Elite Baiter Joined: 19 Jan 2009 Posts: 1435

^^If this is actually the scam, I find it odd that the lad wouldn't buy things like cell phones, IPads or other electronic gadgets (lads love that stuff) which he could sell like hotcakes on any street corner and instead buy unwieldy textbooks to sell to schools where someone might find it suspicious.

I guess I'll never be able to decipher Lad Think.

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 3:16 pm

College books can be surprisingly expensive. For example standard introductory textbooks in areas like chemistry, psychology or art history (just to pick 3) cost about $150-200 hardback editions from Amazon, and often even more from university bookstores.

In large universities there may be hundreds of students taking a given introductory course each term. Students are often desperate to try and save money on textbooks, and there is time pressure involved as well (need the textbook as soon as the class starts) which may lead to less caution about potential "deals". So there is potential for scammers to make money in this way (especially if they are using stolen CC's to make the purchases!).

If they're buying books at the start of term from university bookshops, it's also likely that the shops are swamped with business at that time (everyone buys books at the start of term) and thus have less time to look suspiciously at possible scams themselves.

I agree you should return the packages and contact the police. People caught up in these "work at home" scams can easily get into trouble for handling stolen goods. Juan Freizwidatt's suggestion is right on.

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 3:31 pm

Next you'll be getting a large check to put in your bank account, sending 90% to the lad via Western Union before it comes back as stolen, of course.

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 3:51 pm

Could it also be a dry run to see if you are a good mule? First forward a few boxes of books then maybe a box full of fake/stolen checks or CC's?

My Ex's friend forwarded a box for her scammer and had the police on her doorstep a few days later asking her why she was dealing in stolen CC's.

Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2012 11:09 pm

Filed a report today and contacted UPS. The packages will be picked up Friday to be returned. Had a package arrive today as well via UPS and one by FedEx (refused on the spot). Have also contacted the bookstores to alert them.