You saw the job posting. "Package handler needed. Work from home. Receive packages, reship within 24 hours. $50 per package. Flexible hours. We reimburse all your expenses — shipping supplies, tape, packaging materials, filler, and even gas mileage." It sounded perfect.
It wasn't a job. It was a trap.
These ads appear on Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Craigslist, Facebook Jobs, and LinkedIn — looking completely legitimate. Professional logos, detailed job descriptions, even fake employee reviews. The reimbursement offer makes it feel even more real — like a proper employer who takes care of their staff. Then, within 24 to 48 hours of snagging enough victims, the posting disappears. Hook, line, and sinker.
What Is a Reshipping Mule Scam?
Organized crime networks use stolen credit cards to purchase high-value items — GoPro cameras, Nvidia graphics cards, MacBooks, Garmin watches, luxury goods. They need someone to receive those packages and forward them overseas before the fraud is detected. That someone is you.
You receive the package at your home address. You're told to remove labels, photograph the item, print a new shipping label, and reship within 24 hours. You think you're doing quality control. You're actually laundering stolen merchandise.
And those reimbursements for tape, packaging, and gas mileage? They never come. Neither does the pay.
Who Gets Targeted?
- New influencers looking for brand partnerships and easy income
- People between jobs seeking quick work-from-home opportunities
- Work-from-home seekers on Indeed, Facebook, Craigslist, and job boards
- Anyone who responds to "mystery shopper" or "shipping coordinator" ads
- People who are financially vulnerable and just trying to get ahead
The Red Flags
- You never interview in person or on video
- They offer to reimburse shipping supplies, tape, packaging, filler, and gas mileage — sounds generous, never materializes
- Payment is always "after a few shipments" — it never comes
- The company has no verifiable address or history
- You're asked to use your personal home address to receive packages
- Labels come from multiple different senders
- The job posting disappears within 1-2 days of being posted
- Communication is only through email or messaging apps, never phone
- They tell you to print labels at the library, a friend's house, or anywhere you can find a printer — keeping you resourceful and committed while they stay untraceable
- They instruct you to have a family member, roommate, or anyone at home accept packages on your behalf if you're not there — pulling innocent people around you into the scheme without their knowledge
What Happens to You
The fraudster is overseas and untraceable. Your address is in the system. Your family members who accepted packages are now connected too. When law enforcement investigates — and they do — you're the one they find. You've spent your own money on supplies. You've used your own gas. You drove to the library to print their labels. You receive nothing back. You risk everything. The mule is always the biggest victim in the operation.
The In-Store Pickup Variant
A newer version of this scam targets people near Apple Stores, Best Buy, and electronics retailers. The fraudster buys online with a stolen card, selects in-store pickup, and sends the mule a QR code to collect the item. The mule walks in, picks up a MacBook or iPad, and ships it to the fraudster. Completely innocent-looking. Completely illegal.
Protect Yourself. Protect Others.
Share this post. The people being recruited are not criminals — they're people trying to make ends meet, just like most of us. Awareness is the only defense.
If you've seen one of these job postings, report it to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and the job platform where you found it.
At Glowering Nights, we believe in building real income through real work. That's why we're committed to educating our community about scams that prey on people chasing their dreams.