Car Wrap Scam – Wall Township
The Wall Township Police Department is alerting the community not to fall for the car wrapping scam. Last week, unknown actors left car wrapping scam fliers on the front windshield of vehicles parked in a parking lot on State Highway 35.
The flier said you’ll make a couple hundred bucks. But when the ‘company’ sends you a check, it’s for much more than that – a couple thousand dollars. The instructions tell you to deposit the check, keep part of it as your share, and wire the rest to another company that will wrap your car.
You may be thinking you’ve scored some quick cash, but this has all the makings of a money scam.
Sometime after that, the check is going to bounce and your financial institution is going to implement its fraud protocol. The money you kept as your share disappears, and the money you wired is long gone and you will not get it back.
Not only is your car not getting wrapped, but you’ll be on the hook for reimbursing the bank for losses associated with the bogus check.
The key to these types of scams is to be aware of illegal payment schemes. Don’t want to get taken by a car wrap scam? Here are tips to remember:
Payment red flag: Never trust a company (or anybody) that asks you to deposit money into your account then wire money from it. That’s a classic wiring scam.
Who are you paying? Never send money to someone you don’t know or haven’t met face to face. Be especially wary if they tell you to use a gift card or wire transfer.
File a complaint: If you suspect a car wrap scam, file a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint, and select Scams and Rip-offs, then Counterfeit Checks.
