Description

The client was applying for a job on Indeed.com and found the Cargo Checker position with Hawkline Express (Hawkline Freight LLC). She applied for the job because she thought it was legitimate as it was on the Indeed website. She then received several correspondences via email from a man claiming to be HR for the company. His name was listed as Alfred Richardson and his email was listed as being [email protected]. The email from "Alfred Richardson" contained information with a button to click to "initiate the hiring process". The emails also asked for the client to provide the following information if she had trouble using the link : "First and Last Name Address Email Photos of the front and back of your valid government-issued ID A selfie holding your valid government-issued ID" She then received emails from a woman claiming to be Cynthia Chavez and her email was listed as being [email protected]. The email contained a link to a dashboard manual and a video to watch, along with the process of how to receive and process the packages that she would receive. "Cynthia's" direct number was listed as (303) 647-3254 with a company number listed as being (888) 568-5006. The email contained a manual for using the dashboard that would show a list of packages to be processed. With a note that stated "Please be aware that changing your address is prohibited during the first 60 days to ensure package security. You may request an address change once you are no longer in the Probationary Period." The email came off as legitimate to this client, which shows the lengths this "company" took to cover up being a scam. The client did send a picture of her ID to the company, unfortunately, but thankfully she didn't sign the contract they sent to her. This week, the property manager at the apartment complex (where the client lives) found a clear trash bag full of three or four packages, dumped over the gate to the complex-these were the so called packages that the client was told to inspect and then send on. The problem was the client didn't expect to receive a package with a women's jacket that a man in Tennessee ordered with an REI invoice slip, and two "real" gold bars with an invoice from Apmex-reportedly being worth over $3000 each. One package with the gold bar had the client's name and home address on it, the second package didn't have any shipping label on it, and the brown box had a shipping label for "bill to" a man's home address in Johnson City, TN, but the shipping address with the man's name on it and the client's address. The client never handled these packages, and didn't understand why these things were being sent to her, with no way of knowing where to send them from there. Shortly after these packages arrived, "Cynthia" started calling and harassing the client- threatening to press charges and have the client taken to jail because the packages were not delivered. "Cynthia" then also reached out to the client's family member (who was listed on the application) and harassed them by making false claims of the client stealing packages-so the family member harassed the client on the false statements given to her by "Cynthia". The client was scared that she was going to go to jail and insisted she didn't do anything wrong. Because there's security camera footage to show the truth, I spoke to "Cynthia" when she called from the 303 phone number to harass the client again. "Cynthia's" voice sounded foreign as if she had an accent from living in an Middle-Eastern country. Our property manager called Apmex about the gold bars, which were reported to be fakes and part of a scam as Apmex does not ship gold bars and the invoice would have different information on it. Both gold bars had the same invoice numbers and no names of who was to receive them-so the invoices were a forgery by this so-called company. I explained to "Cynthia" where the packages were left and that no theft had occurred-the property manager intercepted the packages. "Cynthia" claimed that she had proof of UPS delivering the packages outside the client's door-which was physically impossible from our security cameras. She also claimed the packages were fake for "training purposes". Then "Cynthia" made the comment again about being tired of the client and wouldn't let me speak-so I decided to let "Cynthia" talk to the property manager. Threats were made about the client going to jail and "legal action" being taken against the client, so the property manager asked for the police report that "Cynthia" was working on to be sent to him as well, as he didn't believe a word "Cynthia" said. Eventually "Cynthia" hung up the phone when we discussed calling the police ourselves. The property manager then called REI coop to confirm if the jacket received was legitimate, and it appears that the man listed on that shipment had truly ordered a jacket-so either this package was stolen by "Hawkline" or the scammer stole the man's credit card to order the item. The client made a police report with the local agency, and the "gold bars" are now the property of the local police department, should "Hawkline" want their merchandise back. It was also advised that, should "Cynthia" call again, that the client tell her the gold bars are now in the hands of the local police department- so "Cynthia" should call them if she wants the items back. DO NOT HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH THESE SCAMMERS.