Recently, I received a message from a friend. She asked if it was okay to accept packages at home and resend them for a fee per package. It seems she was tempted because her living expenses are tight these days.

When I opened the link, the title sounded convincing. Quality control manager, which translates to a position in quality management.

I immediately called her. This is not a job; it's a reshipping scam.

The FTC issued a warning about this method in December 2025. Let me break it down step by step.

The structure is simpler than you might think. The scammer buys expensive new items like electronics using stolen credit card or bank information and has them sent to my home address.

I receive the items, throw away the original boxes and receipts, and repack them to send to a designated address. That address is often overseas, making it virtually impossible to trace once it leaves my hands.

This means my name and address become a temporary stop for stolen goods. The scariest part is that the point where tracking is lost is right at my front door.

According to the FTC, these ads often come with titles like delivery operations specialist. Sometimes they pretend to be associated with companies like Amazon or FedEx. When familiar company names appear, it can lower your guard.

So, do you get paid? Most people do not. Even after payday, there's no contact, and that company just disappears.

The bigger problem comes next. If you've handed over your bank account number, social security number, and a copy of your ID as part of the application, you could end up a victim of identity theft.

The legal implications are not something to take lightly. The FBI clearly warns that acting as a money mule, transporting someone else's money or goods, is illegal. Even if you claim ignorance, you could face stress during the investigation.

In fact, the FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) have seized domains of such job sites. Those sites were also advertising for package inspectors.

The numbers are even more shocking. According to FTC data, the reported losses from employment and job placement scams jumped from $90 million in 2020 to $510 million in 2024.

During the same period, the number of reported cases tripled. It's astonishing that the amount of losses increased more than fivefold in just four years; I found myself staring at the screen for a while.

For reference, the total reported losses from scams in 2024 were $12.5 billion. The FTC explains that job scams are steadily growing within that figure.

Why has this increase occurred? I believe it's more of a structural issue than individual naivety.

With rising costs, those nearing retirement or mothers raising children desperately need side income that can be earned from home. Scammers are exploiting that gap.

Immigrants with imperfect English may not catch the awkwardness in the job postings. I think it's unrealistic to expect individuals to filter everything out on their own.

So, I'll list the checkpoints I've organized in order. First, if the job is just receiving and repackaging items, be suspicious.

Second, if hiring is done only through chat or text without an interview, stop there. A legitimate company would at least provide a video interview or an offer letter.

Third, if they ask for your account number or social security number before you've even started working, that's where you should draw the line.

Fourth, search the company name with the words scam, review, or complaint attached. The FTC recommends this method as well.

Fifth, don't make decisions alone; talk to someone you trust first. Explaining it out loud can help you see the oddities yourself.

The most memorable phrase from the FTC is this: receiving and resending packages is not a real job.

If you've already received items, do not send them out anymore and keep all messages and shipping labels. You can report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and uspis.gov/report.

If you've already shared personal information, you can check IdentityTheft.gov for step-by-step actions. Contact your bank and credit card companies immediately, and also look into freezing your credit report.

You can report to the FBI at ic3.gov. It's much better to report quickly and keep a record than to suffer in silence.

If you know someone who has received such an offer, encourage them to speak up without shame. Often, the longer they hide it out of embarrassment, the worse the damage becomes.

In the end, that friend cut off contact without even starting. Later, I saw the same job posting captured in a group chat.

If it were me, I would only consider side jobs from companies with verified names, addresses, and people. There's no such thing as easy money tied to a single package with my name on it.