Contact 6: Work-from-home reshipping scams

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A new scheme targeting people who want to work from home is growing in popularity. It is called "reshipping fraud," and FOX6's Contact 6 is issuing a warning about it.

"Most of the victims are thinking they are doing it as a 'work at home' job and have no idea they are tied to any scam whatsoever," U.S. Postal Inspector Stephanie Harden said.

That's what the criminals want you to think. They market these jobs to people trying to find work -- usually on the internet.

"Receive packages at their home, re-wrap them and send them -- usually overseas," Harden said.

Postal inspectors say a large percentage of these scams originate in eastern Eurpoe and Nigeria. The goods include computers, cameras and other electronics usually bought with stolen credit cards.

The person who thought they were just making extra money working from home becomes part of a crime, and can even be arrested.

"Credit card companies will contact local (police departments) and say 'there is an address in your county receiving stolen property' because the credit cards are no good," Harden said.

Postal inspectors offer these tips:

Postal inspectors urge asking this question: "Why am I the middle man? There is no reason why a merchant can`t send things to customers directly," Harden said.

If you believe you're a victim of one of these reshipping scams, you can file a complaint with postal inspectors online by CLICKING HERE.