BBB Alert: Shipping/Reshipping Scheme Claiming Milwaukee Addresses

July 1, 2014

The BBB Serving Wisconsin is warning consumers nationwide of a shipping and reshipping scam believed to be using Milwaukee office building addresses.

The BBB file opened on “Pick And Send” (which is also doing business under the name “Ship-It-Now”) on May 16, 2014. Since then, our office has been receiving roughly six inquiries per day, from consumers across the country who report being contacted by this company and offered a work-at-home “shipping and receiving operator” job.

Consumers from Missouri and Kansas tell the BBB that, after they accepted the “job”, they were required to send a copy of their driver’s license, and were then sent boxes containing toys, iPhones, iPads, and other items that they were then instructed to reship to Moscow, Russia. Payments of up to $1700 per month were promised but never received.

The telephone numbers this company is using and listing on its websites have 414 and 262 area codes, but are in fact Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIp) numbers. A VoIP call may appear local or have a U.S. area code, but in fact, can be coming from outside the country.

Emails sent to the company by the BBB have gone unanswered. The BBB has not been able to get through to the company via its listed telephone numbers.

The addresses the company lists on its websites are downtown Milwaukee office buildings. However, after checking with building management for both buildings, the BBB has confirmed that neither building has ever had a tenant with these names.

Neither “Pick And Send” nor “Ship-It-Now” are incorporated nor registered with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (Secretary of State), according to its website, and neither can be found as listed businesses in the state.

According to the URL information, www.pick-and-send.com was created on 3/3/14 and has a private domain. Its registration address is Queensland, Australia. The website has been suspended as of 6/26/14.

According to the URL information, http://www.send-it-off.com/?p=index was created on 6/2/14 and also has a private domain. Its registration address is also Queensland, Australia.

Shipping/Reshipping scams typically have the following signs:

1. Company initiates contact with you from a generic or free online web email address.
2. Company website domain was recently registered.
3. Company requires you to receive and ship packages (normally overseas) for a promised commission.
4. Company claims to reimburse for shipping costs or provides a carrier account number (likely set up through stolen financial information or is stolen account information from a legitimate company).
5. Company is not located in the United States or is conducting business only with clients overseas.
6. Misspelled words and grammatical errors appear in the job offer and corresponding emails.
7. Employment starts without a face to face interview. The employer requires personal information without providing a detailed job description.
8. Company information cannot be verified.
Job description promises high income for very little time and effort; no experience necessary.

The BBB urges extreme caution when responding to job ads via email and reminds consumers if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Consumers with cross-border complaints can report them to the Federal Trade Commission: https://econsumer.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ and the FBI’s IC3 website: http://www.ic3.gov/complaint/default.aspx.

Community Watch

» Anodyne Coffee plans to open location in Wauwatosa Village Updated:  7/29

» Initial Reaction Podcast: Menomonee Falls baseball virtuoso Ty Weber and Big Ten Media Day Updated:  7/29

» Wauwatosa West girls basketball coach Ashley Imperiale resigns 7/26

» Store owners, police weigh in on string of protests at Mayfair mall Updated:  7/26

» Tosa police will not release squad video of officer-involved shooting Updated:  7/25

» Wauwatosa school district files lawsuit against WIAA over conference realignment Updated:  7/25

» Protest over fatal shooting forces brief closure of Mayfair Mall 7/23

» Reports into fatal Wauwatosa police shooting delivered to DA 7/22

» Social media story on the storms rolling through Milwaukee area 7/21

» Business Spotlight: Cranky Al's has grown from desperation to a Wauwatosa institution Updated:  7/20

» Initial Reaction Podcast: Wisconsin Badgers football, WIFCA All-Star game 7/20

» Michaelis leads Wauwatosa East past rival West in regional 7/20

» Milwaukee County Chargers earn overtime win over Muskego 7/20

» Activists push DA for disclosure on police killing in Wauwatosa 7/19

» Video: How a Pokémon Go newbie experienced the craze playing in Wauwatosa Updated:  7/19

» Tosa police, firefighters celebrated during First Responders Fest 7/18

» Ray's Wine & Spirits in Tosa celebrates 55 years with public party 7/15

» Wauwatosa's Relay for Life event slated for July 22 7/14

» Wauwatosa Mayor Kathy Ehley receives award for business leadership 7/14

» Video: Mayfair Collection's Bartolotta restaurants billed as 'triple threat' Updated:  7/14

» Bus rapid transit route clears two hurdles 7/13

» A look at the French restaurant Cafe Grace, opening Tuesday in Wauwatosa 7/13

» Wauwatosa West baseball team drops four of last five games 7/12

» Wauwatosa East baseball team falls to Marquette in Greater Metro semifinals 7/12

» Coalition for Justice, Black Lives Matter protest in Milwaukee, Tosa Updated:  7/12

View All Posts Got a tip? Welcome rss

Best Summer Ever

 

We've made it easy for you to get out and go this summer. From hitting the trails for a bike ride or walk, to where to find beer gardens in the area, to the best places to swim in Waukesha County to the best summer drinks and summer reads, check out our 2016 summer guide.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Hidden Tosa

 

"Hidden Tosa" is a semi-regular feature where our Wauwatosa reporter explores the closed down and closed off parts of Wauwatosa.

Advertisement

CONNECT