Mail Plus LLC - Miami, FL Job Scam - Mail Forwarding

I just became the victim of the following mail forwarding scam:

1. I received an unsolicited job offer for a work at home mail clerk position via email on 3/5/14 containing a job application and sample employment contract for review, from a Natasha Goodman in the recruitment department at Mail Plus LLC located in Miami, FL.

2. I googled "mailplus scam" and found nothing except what appeared to be a legitimate website - usmailplus.com (and no keyword "scam" connected with the company name). I then checked the Better Business Bureau online and found that the physical address listed on BBB's listing matched the one listed in the job application. The BBB also showed no complaints against the company - so in my mind, it seemed legit. Having been laid off and out of work, I fell for it and filled out the job application, submitting my personal information including drivers license number on the job application on 3/7/14. Fortunately I did not include my social security number or any financial information such as bank or credit card.

3. I received a follow up email from Natasha Goodman on 3/10/14 stating that I had been accepted for employment at Mail Plus LLC.

4. Yesterday, it occurred to me that one of the strange things about the original email was that in the subject it said "response to Monster application". I never submitted a Monster.com application using the email address they sent this alleged offer to. Another strange thing was that it said "Thank you for your email job inquiry" - I never emailed anyone a job inquiry. I decided to call Natasha Goodman to speak to her about this and other questions I had, using the number she listed in the email: 305-853-8134. I just got a generic sounding voicemail greeting so I left a message for her to call me.

5. Last night I further researched it online and discovered viewtopic.php?f=1&p=186935 which contained some of the exact wording I had received, but had a different company name. Fortunately I read this before receiving my first package for forwarding. I was on the verge of signing and submitting the job contract.

6. This morning I still had not received a call back from Natasha Goodman, so I called the phone number listed on the usmailplus.com website instead (888) 968-2624, but regardless of the option I selected from their "phone menu", it just took me to voicemail. I then submitted an email to the address listed on their website, [email protected] seeking confirmation of the validity of this offer. That email promptly bounced back with status as undeliverable: no such address. The "contract" I received was allegedly signed by a Martha Polanco, "the principal of Mail Plus, LLC". I found outside confirmation linking a Martha Polanco to Mail Plus LLC via her personal Facebook page but at this point don't know if she is involved or not.

7. I called my local police dept today and they told me to contact the Miami police, which is where the Mail Plus address is located (10387 SW 186th St, Miami, FL 33157). Miami in turn told me that they could not do anything about it, to go through my local police dept instead. I called my local PD back and they told me that unless I had received stolen merchandise or had money stolen from me, that they had no probable cause to move forward with the case. In addition, I have filed a complaint with ic3.gov. Next I plan to file a complaint with the USPS. Since the scammers now have my personal info, I'll have to start monitoring my identity/credit info for theft or fraud.

I wanted to post this to link the keywords Mail Plus and Scam in the hopes of preventing someone else from falling victim to this scam.

About Mail Forwarding Scams: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/radD ... ingPub.pdf

Initial email from scammer with header:

Delivered-To: #####@gmail.com
Received: by 10.14.215.130 with SMTP id e2csp196654eep;
Wed, 5 Mar 2014 11:29:01 -0800 (PST)
X-Received: by 10.60.173.65 with SMTP id bi1mr1954038oec.28.1394047740265;
Wed, 05 Mar 2014 11:29:00 -0800 (PST)
Return-Path: <#####@hotmail.com>
Received: from snt0-omc2-s39.snt0.hotmail.com (snt0-omc2-s39.snt0.hotmail.com. [65.54.61.90])
by mx.google.com with ESMTP id f4si880781oel.1.2014.03.05.11.28.59
for <#####@gmail.com>;
Wed, 05 Mar 2014 11:29:00 -0800 (PST)
Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of #####@hotmail.com designates 65.54.61.90 as permitted sender) client-ip=65.54.61.90;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com;
spf=pass (google.com: domain of #####@hotmail.com designates 65.54.61.90 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=#####@hotmail.com
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Wed, 5 Mar 2014 11:28:30 -0800
Resent-Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Resent-To: #####@gmail.com
Resent-Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2014 11:28:30 -0800
Resent-From: #####@hotmail.com
X-HM-Routing-Path:uppmY81PYJq9xTWaPfIbRDBKDoQvk/vV3NTRNy/kq+6K3Fjyssr+sKqNQfdkdOweQKvI+tW26j0HzQKb57e+l9zFMMkENwmhwF+QUxdZe902WcH94ugw/kr8OE9FieUR4eKXBwLHV2m1tcD2AOVUSA==
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Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2014 11:27:23 -0800 (PST)
From: "Recruitment department @ Mail Plus LLC" <[email protected]>
To: #####@hotmail.com
Subject: B-----g: response to your Monster application
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/mixed;
boundary="----=_Part_13148_1766585553.1394047643522"
Return-Path: [email protected]
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 05 Mar 2014 19:27:24.0219 (UTC) FILETIME=[EF94A0B0:01CF38A8]

Dear ------,

Thank you for your email job inquiry. We are ready to seriously consider your candidacy. We present you the opportunity to become better acquainted with the detailed job description and our company's activities. You can find a link to the company website in the enclosed application.

About Mail Plus.

Mail Plus LLC is a venture funded online startup with physical presence in Florida which enables its clients to rent a postal address in the USA. Many American stores do not offer the option of overseas delivery. We help our clients to make purchases, pay for it, and get their orders delivered anywhere in the world. Foreign companies that buy and sell goods in the US and ordinary consumers from many countries find this service to be invaluable.

Mail Plus is always seeking to develop its services further through a number of strategies based on innovation. We create value for our customers by going far beyond the ordinary mail forwarding or brokerage services. We do this by utilizing the most up-to-date technological solutions and through efficient warehousing and human resources management approaches. Our remote employment approach allows us to maximize the number of addresses in different states that can be offered to our clients. This also enables us to reduce our storage expenses, to be more competitive and keep our business green.

Job details.

This is a unique opportunity for stay-at-home parents and retired to earn by receiving and processing mail for our customers at their addresses. Business owners who stay at their private offices during the day can get extra income by using their business address for this job. This job doesn’t require an expensive training or paying any startup costs. You can work from any location in the United States except Alaska and Hawaii.

Duties:

- Stay at your home-based workplace from 10am to 6pm Monday-Friday.
- Monitor your online account and maintain contact with our remote operations department.
- Accept, register and repack shipments.
- Forward mail to our customers using prepaid shipping labels from major carriers.
- Prepare and submit reports online.

Requirements:

- Work with minimum supervision and provide excellent customer service.
- A car to deliver shipments to the nearest post office.
- Computer, printer and any digital camera.
- Ability to move packages up to 30lbs.
- Experience in delivery/logistics is a plus, but not mandatory.
- No other employment is allowed besides self-employment with daily presence at your address.

Compensation:

Monthly salary of $2,000 plus bonus $500 if you process more than 50 shipments per month. You will be on payroll with us, and taxes will be withheld from your paycheck. We will send you a Form W-2 at the end of the year, showing your wages and tax.

Safety:

You can feel secure during the work process. We work only with fully paid shipments. The parcels usually contain consumer electronics, clothing, auto parts and sporting goods. You will be able to inspect the majority of parcels yourself. All of our customers go through a thorough verification process which includes phone interview and background checks. On top of that our customers are required to submit two types of ID and 1583 form certified by a notary.

A draft of the employment agreement is attached to this email solely for your acquaintance. To begin the process of your job placement you should fill out the application form which is attached to this email and return it to us via email (please don’t fax it). After that we will get in touch with you and give you further information and the detailed list of your duties. If you have any questions at this point, feel free contact us by e-mail or phone 305-853-8134.

--
Sincerely,
Natasha Goodman,
Recruitment department,
Mail Plus, LLC.
Contact #: 305-853-8134.

Follow up email (with header) after sending them my “job application”:

Delivered-To: #######@gmail.com
Received: by 10.14.215.133 with SMTP id e5csp129630eep;
Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:02:32 -0700 (PDT)
X-Received: by 10.112.142.161 with SMTP id rx1mr22919092lbb.33.1394485351728;
Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:02:31 -0700 (PDT)
Return-Path: <[email protected]>
Received: from mail-la0-f45.google.com (mail-la0-f45.google.com [209.85.215.45])
by mx.google.com with ESMTPS id 1si19547465lam.21.2014.03.10.14.02.31
for <#######@gmail.com>
(version=TLSv1 cipher=ECDHE-RSA-RC4-SHA bits=128/128);
Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:02:31 -0700 (PDT)
Received-SPF: neutral (google.com: 209.85.215.45 is neither permitted nor denied by best guess record for domain of [email protected]) client-ip=209.85.215.45;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com;
spf=neutral (google.com: 209.85.215.45 is neither permitted nor denied by best guess record for domain of [email protected]) [email protected]
Received: by mail-la0-f45.google.com with SMTP id hr17so5099296lab.32
for <######@gmail.com>; Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:02:31 -0700 (PDT)
X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed;
d=1e100.net; s=20130820;
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:subject:in-reply-to:references:mime-version:content-type;
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b=Y9AHI2ugQx0BV+zIyM2gvZQDBtcSkgIOLsYSYuTjD1QSQ7/zguLZPtMCY2xpkMxS5p
rGWB2bkkRXvXpjJ1jI0f7zgdmI5e97Gs6FLyPYjJ9Zb2zELuIN8TwFCvztfTR8cTImvH
n1xVP2gNPG3Vdcr/0M4Cd7Gt7ZWz76N3q6afLT3RzG2XXRKiL4uFDDOQRiEwuraD1LEa
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zFOg==
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X-Received: by 10.112.136.71 with SMTP id py7mr20069307lbb.26.1394485351497;
Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:02:31 -0700 (PDT)
Return-Path: <[email protected]>
Received: from localts ([109.229.87.105])
by mx.google.com with ESMTPSA id bm3sm22801851lbb.12.2014.03.10.14.02.28
for <######@gmail.com>
(version=TLSv1 cipher=RC4-SHA bits=128/128);
Mon, 10 Mar 2014 14:02:29 -0700 (PDT)
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 01:01:50 +0400
From: Natasha Goodman <[email protected]>
Reply-To: Natasha Goodman <[email protected]>
Organization: Mail Plus, LLC
X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
To: "######" <######@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: B----g: response to your Monster application
In-Reply-To: <F25560E30918415F87EFECF940BCDD14@MIKEPC>
References: <[email protected]> <F25560E30918415F87EFECF940BCDD14@PC>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/mixed;
boundary="----------0241060343B31AC56"

Dear ------,

This letter serves as a confirmation of the position of Mail Clerk given to you after the necessary background checks. Read over the main duties and responsibilities associated with the position assigned to you.
Bear in mind that this letter speaks for itself and that there is no ambiguity within it. The following descriptions clearly incorporate all areas of your tasks and functions as a part of the company.
1. Always be sure to check your list daily for incoming deliveries, this will allow you to plan your day according to the estimated times you will receive them. You should always ensure that you are readily available at your address on the hours agreed from 10am to 6pm. During this time, you will be receiving deliveries from various carriers like Fedex, USPS and UPS. Take note that some of the items may arrive before or after the work hours or during Saturdays. Please be conscious of such instances.

2. An online account will be created for you to handle the items on delivery. Furthermore, this will also serve as the main communication method between you and your designated supervisor. To get the utmost use of this resource, you should check the account from time to time throughout the working hours.
3. There should be a regular contact between you and the supervisor via email, online account and phone. It can be a great source of help and guidance in times of your need and confusion. If your supervisor has any inquiries, be ready to respond quickly.

4. Sign every delivery that is sent to your address. If you receive a package or correspondence in our customer’s name, please sign on behalf of our customer.

5. Make sure the goods contained in the packages are in good condition. Sometimes, damages occur during the transit. Do not turn on electronic goods and do not breach last layers of packaging. Take photos to prove that the items match the description and upload them in your online account. You are free to use any digital camera.
6. Download prepaid shipping labels in your online account. Print and attach them to the designated boxes.
7. From your online account, download new invoices and attach them outside of the packages. Remove original invoices.
8. Send any packages and letters from the nearest USPS office as soon as possible. When deliveries arrive before 2pm, you are expected to ship such items to the respective clients on that same day. On the other hand, these scenarios will be dependent on the availability of the invoices and labels in your account.
9. Take note of the tracking numbers seen on the shipping labels in the new packages and enter it to your online account. This will serve as a proof for the shipments.
10. Upon shipment, you can monitor the shipments using your online account. It will help you in reporting to your supervisor about the goods shipped.
11. Always keep records and receipts. This will be an effective resolution tool if issues arise.

Please see the attachment for the final employment agreement and appointment letter.
Fill in the employment agreement and fax it to (888) 980-9664. Let us know in case you have already submitted it.

An online account will be created for you upon your confirmation and receipt of the signed agreement. Your manager will get in touch with you shortly after this. Later you will also receive email from our payroll department with required tax forms you will have to submit.

We are very excited to work with you. Congratulations and welcome to the team!

--
Sincerely,
Natasha Goodman,
Recruitment department,
Mail Plus, LLC.

[AlanJones]

The headers of the second email you posted show that it originated in Russia

Header Analysis Quick Report
Originating IP: 109.229.87.105
Originating ISP: Teleseti Plus Ltd.
City: Pskov
Country of Origin: Russian Federation
* For a complete report on this email header goto ipTRACKERonline

OMG, I didn't see that...thank you for pointing it out to me. Russian Mafia?

Lots of reshipping scams have Russia or nearby countries as a destination. The site is in the process of being reported for fraud.

I received the same exact email from the same exact people. I filled out application, leaving my DL # off the application. I received a third email from a manager by the name of Gabriela Chomsky, saying she was my contact, along with a w-4, I-9 form and other instructions on how to do the job. I tried faxing my paperwork over to them, but kept getting a error code on the number they gave me. So, I tried getting them on the phone, and I realized that no matter number I pressed heard the same voice and message. I was about to send over a completed w-4 and I-9 along with copies of my DL license and SS card. Something clicked in my head, and I just smiled to my self, and decided to do just one more google search and this I checked all the pages. I came across your post, and read about mail forwarding scams. THANK YOU!!!. I kind of figured that getting 2800 a month for just mailing stuff was kind of strange, but I have been looking for some extra cash and this at first seemed so legit. oh well, they do have my name and address, but nothing else. I am not sure what they can do with that, but that is public knowledge anyway. Boy, Russian IP address. go figure..

I am embarrassed to say that I too fell for this one. I am usually very careful - but desperate times have hit. When they said sending you a W-2 and they withhold taxes and such I was caught. I did not put my resume on Monster but found out that Monster will go into your states job service (UI or WFS) site and seek out your resume that you have listed as accessible to employers. Monster then has your info on their site for people to review. I registered with Utah's workforce service job site and marked allow employers to review my resume. Ding Ding - scammers have you through Monster and other employment sites that you register with.

Hi Guys, Thanks for such a detailed information. I only created my account on this website to reply this thread .
Ok, so I had the same experience, recveiving emails from Natasha > Problems with faxing my documnets but eventually I was able to sent those > And then Gabriala sent me Emails with my job confirmation and her contact ID(this whole process took 1 month).
But then, I start receiving bunch of boxes in first week and with really expensive products (Iphones, DSL Cameras ...etc) and I shipped those on same day.
But now its been 3 weeks and I havent heard anything back from her since first week. First week when I was receiving boxes, Gabriala was calling me everyday but since then boxes stop coming and she stopped replying my emails + calls. So I am confuse about whats going on, I contact her regarding my Paycheck but no Answer. Sooooooo Just waiting now

Welcome to Scamwarners arsalankh,

Sorry to say this but you were involved in a re-shipper scam. You will never be paid. This particular scammer has used all your potential up.

This scammer was sending stolen merchandise purchased with stolen credit cards, bank account or Paypal to you. He had you basically launder it for him.

What you need to do now is be Pro-active. You need to contact your local police and inform them that you were a victim of a scam and used. Print out the emails to you, mail accounts used and phone numbers. Give them to the Police.

You will also want to save this information.

You will want to do this before the victims of the holders of the Credit cards, Bank account and Paypal notify the police.

Thanks to everyone who posted on this subject. I Googled the subject before proceeding with these guys and found this thread. I was initially approached via email from a "recruiter" [email protected]. Then I was followed up by a "Harold Romfield" who is supposedly a HR Manager with the application, job description, employment agreement. I will paste the emails below.
__________________________________________________________________________
Hello,

My name is Harold Romfield, I am a Human Resources Manager with US
Mail Plus, LLC. Recently you have replied to our employment offer
regarding the position of Transportation Manager. I'm reaching out to
you with further details about the application process.

Our company has been in the field for over 10 years. Currently we're
searching for diligent employees to work with us on a home based job.
You can find more information by visiting our website
http://www.usmail-plus.com.

There is only three steps to take if you want to become part of our
team.

Firstly, to apply you need to fill out a job application. Make sure
you read the job description thoroughly before you do that. You can
find the documents in the attachments. After filling out the
application form, return it to me or fax it at 302-722-7423.

Secondly, you have to sign the Employment agreement. We will need 2
business days to review your application. I will reach out to you with
the results and the Employment agreement. If you are pre-approved for
the position, you will have 3 business days to sign the agreement and
begin working with us.

Lastly, the moment we receive your mutually signed Employment
agreement, you'll become officially employed with US Mail Plus, LLC.
The first month of your employment will be a probationary period.
During this period, you will have a personal supervisor assisting you
with all your questions and giving you all the advice needed. Your
supervisor will also be responsible for your evaluation and will have
a say when it comes to your permanent employment.

Please reply with your application form attached. You can also ask
questions if there are any. I look forward to your answer.

US Mail Plus at http://usmail-plus.com

The main mission of any developing company is to satisfy their clients. US Mail Plus LLC has been succeed in doing it for many years. Our service distinguishes itself by high-speed dispatch and effectiveness.

The quality of our work is equal for all types of companies. We are always open for communication with our clients and in each case try to take into account your preferences and wishes.

We have all needed features to organize our work with you in the most comfortable way. In the case of our cooperation, we guarantee quality (because of our rich experience), the best service and comprehensive control over all work stages.

Get A Job

It is nice to see you got interested in Quality Inspector’s position. We are sure you can be a good player in our developing team. On this stage, we kindly ask you to listen to the appeal of Harold Crow - Head of HR department.
Application Form

Welcome to our website! My name is Harold Crow. I am a Head of HR department. Thanks for choosing our company among others.

This kind of business is on its developing stage, but despite of this, we keep one of leader’s positions and guarantee our customers high level of cooperation with them. Our company keeps up with the times and advocate steps to improve the environment for this business.

The main goal in cooperation with our customers is to satisfy them and become better every time. We are open to any propositions from your side and always try to do our best you not to regret about your choice to cooperate with our company. Honesty – is one of our main principles of work. Being aboveboard in each business means, we respect clients. And we have been holding by it for all our work period.

The rush to work out lets us engage young specialists, who can always propose creative solution in solving any kind of problem.

Having chosen our company, you will get your order quickest than you can even imagine. Trusted in us, you will not be disappointed.

Mailing Address:
2300 Pennsylvania Ave Wilmington, DE 19806
Phone: (302) 415-3109
Fax: (302) 722-7423

Created 31st August 2015 for 1 year only