We’ve got two words for you CAR ADVERTISEMENTS! They sure are an eyesore, but it makes you wonder, why would you want the likes of Redbull, Rockstar, or Coca-cola (just to name a few) emblazoned on your car? It usually comes down to one thing…A HEFTY PAYOUT!
For a number of individuals in the U.S. and Canada, the payout, ranging from hundreds to thousands, may seem amazing but sometimes they’re just too good to be true. In any normal circumstance when this type of ad branding works, a legitimate company will send a check to an individual, where they then will deposit the check, using part of it to pay for the shrink-wrap vendor branding, and the remainder as their payout.
Unfortunately, scammers have been using the car wrap offer to their advantage by cold-calling and SMiShing individuals looking to make an easy buck.
Here’s how it works…
Starting out legitimately, the scammer contacts a victim, the victim accepts the job, the scammer sends the victim a check requesting they deposit it into an account for a graphic artist who will wrap the ad on their car. The remainder of the check is for the victim, as an upfront payment.
Here’s the twist: the graphic artist never contacts the victim to wrap their car, and a week or two later, the victim is contacted by their bank telling them that the check they used to pay for the shrink wrap ad (and to pay themselves) was counterfeit. Now, they have to reimburse the bank for the full amount.
For some victims, after meeting with officials, they have realized that they’ve been scammed, for others not so much.
In instances like these, it’s important to keep in mind that if ever you receive a call or text from an unfamiliar number offering a screaming deal or an easy way to make money, be wary and on guard of who may be on the other end of the line. If they’re offering a deal that sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
