Can i get arrested for fraud? if i didn't know it was fraud?

I have been getting emails from a company about a payment processor, to which i did apply for on the UK's government job site...

What is making me suspicious is:
1. the website where they want me to sign up to keeps going down ? (im a web developer - could be multiple things).
2. you dont have to pay any fees all fees are payed for by the company! ( what fees if they want me to process payments from home).
3. Once the funds enter your account, your supervisor will notify you and assign you your tasks for the day. At this point you would go to your bank, withdraw the funds and transfer them using Western Union or Money Gram, as instructed by your supervisor.! - (Sounds strange - but ok some people prefer being paid through them - i do with some customers).
4. they make to point to stress that - You would always be aware of where the funds are coming from and where they are being transferred to.

If some one actually goes for this job, and gets caught are they in the wrong ? and can they get prosecuted ?

[AlanJones]

Depends on the attitude of the authorities and whether they decide that you were duped or knew what you were doing was wrong. Victims have in the past been investigated by the authorities.

Of course, the authorities would be the last of your worries - your bank will close your account for money laundering and likely put a CIFAS marker on your credit history. You would find it impossible to get a new bank account or any form of credit (so forget buying a new house). You would also find it impossible to get a job in an industry such as Financial Services.

There is no doubt that this is a fake payment processing job - could you please post the details of the website(s) that you are being directed to.

after having a search i have come across the same TOP PRODUCTS LTD under the website .org and this one is now .biz

I didnt know all that, I just thought it was a slap on the wrist type punishment unless they prove you knew it was a scam.

better update my none computer illiterate people, to watch out

Here is the email, ive been playing them on for a few weeks, and they are desperate for me to join them.

Greetings,

In regards to your recent application for the post of Payment Processing Agent with TOP PRODUCTS LTD. You've shown interest, however I have not heard from you in some time.

This job requires for you to be available Monday through Friday, 9 to 11 am. It's possible to work different hours per day, however all transactions must be completed by 2 PM on the same day you receive the task. Your main job would be monitoring your on-line Task Manager, which you'll create on our site. Once the funds enter your account, your supervisor will notify you and assign you your tasks for the day. At this point you would go to your bank, withdraw the funds and transfer them using Western Union or Money Gram, as instructed by your supervisor. In the beginning you will only receive 2 to 3 transactions per week. Every transaction is followed by an invoice with our company's seal. You would always be aware of where the funds are coming from and where they are being transferred to.

Financial Services Officer Duties:

1) Monitoring an online Task Manager Account;
2) Transferring company funds to the designated destinations;
3) Organizing all documentation for completed transfers.

You don't have to invest money to get started, or on any point of the employment, all fees are paid by the company. You will be receiving commission 8, that should be deducted from the money received, 3 would be used to pay for Western Union or Money Gram and 5 from each task will be yours to keep. Once employed on the regular basis, you will receive a bank account through the company and you will be able to work with large amounts of money, 10k or more, and you should be able to make 3,000 pounds easily.

Detailed Job Description: http://www.top-productsuk.biz/job/finance2?lang=uk

Commonly asked questions: http://www.top-productsuk.biz/job/finance/faq?lang=uk

Please follow the link to register on company website and create a Task Manager Account: http://www.top-productsuk.biz/registration/1

For prompt and correct use of all of the online functions, please refer to the online account manual at http://www.top-productsuk.biz/member/manual/

During the registration, please familiarize yourself with all the clauses of the Contract, if you agree, click on sign the contract.

Sincerely,

Emma Johnson
Phone: 020 3286 8097

[AlanJones]

Tell everyone you know - especially if they are unemployed or looking for a job at the moment. It looks like easy money and the glossy websites fool the uninitiated into thinking that the 'company' must be legit.

It looks like they've been jumping hosts recently in their efforts to avoid having their site shut down, so that probably explains the site being down when you try to access it.

Welcome to Scamwarners nats0128.

I have to say that it's a complete disgrace that UK government employment sites can't recognise jobs that are thinly disguised offers to participate in crime and which they actually promote out of ignorance. Only the other day I referred one job advert that wasn't even thinly disguised.

If you look at all the official UK law enforcement sites every one states that the maximum risk is a 10 year prison term, which makes clear the potential risks, and how serious it is that people who are employed to deal in assisting others to get employment, are apparently clueless.

Though I have links to news items regarding 'money mules' who have been sent to prison it's quite rare in the UK, but even so, your bank account will get frozen and you could be asked to take your account elsewhere. If the bank blacklist you, you won't be able to get a bank account at all, making it difficult if not impossible to receive benefits or salary. Without a bank account you probably won't get a job.

You'll be expected to return any money you've sent abroad out of your own pocket, because it's been stolen from third parties. It's a nasty scam with very unpleasant consequences for anyone who gets duped.

The reason the website keeps going down is that we report this gang's sites and the gang moves them from one hoster to another. I just got six notices from a hoster about other sites of the same gang, saying that they notified the customer (they should have zapped the site without saying anything). This gang has been recruiting money mules since 2009. top-productsuk.org has already been killed at the registrar, and .biz has been reported for fraud. The money they want you to process is stolen; if you accept the job, your bank account will probably be frozen.

Can I ask what site it was advertised on and what the actual job was you applied for? For example data entry clerk etc

There are thousand of these employment adverts being posted all over the world and what the job is called is less important than the description of the work involved, which is usually vague as to specifics but dressed up with lots of techno-jargon and business speak.

As a simple rule if the job doesn't involve a person to person interview then it doesn't exist. It's easiest to give you a simple rule than try to describe every type of wording the criminals use to obscure what the job really is.

It does to me I'm afraid because if it is a site that i use i want to try and ensure that i avoid even applying for any jobs they are advertising

@emsk30

It is important to be familiar and recognize a scam. Scammers will often post on many legitimate job sites including online ads. Key things to know is not to use your bank account, receive or send money by Western Union/Money Gram and not to receive and forward and packages.

Here is a link on some employment scams. viewtopic.php?f=34&t=44

You can also read some post in the Employment scam forum.