Job scam not sure about.. help!!

I send my resume to a job on Craigslist and he said the job is buying phones from sprint, t mobile, Verizon etc. I'll get the money up front to buy the phones for them and I'll even get a driver to drive me around to different locations. They provide the money to buy the phones. I'll t paid on depending how many phones I buy. I have to apply for credit to get the phones on a cheaper price and they'll sale it overseas much higher to make profit. After I've done all this bought the phone applied for credit he said I'm going to receive a bill from the company's I bought the phone from and his company will pay it. And to close the account I've opened I have to report it. That threw me off big time. He says they are legit and been in business for 4 years they even have a website www.cellwholesaleinc.com but Idk what to think about this???

The part they forgot ( on purpose) to mention to you is that you will be held responsible for the bill for the next 2 years.

They also forgot to mention that the money they will "front" to you to buy the phones with is going to be "dirty money". Either stolen, a fake check you must cash, or stolen credit card information. Using any of these could put you in the category of the crime of money laundering. Even if you had no knowledge of it.

See this article for more information about this relatively new "credit mule" scam.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=86585


If they've been in business for 4 years then why is website registered only months ago? and why do they hide the registrant information?? ( The answer is because they are up to no good). Real businesses do not hide details, they advertise everywhere they can, especially when its free advertising!!!
Domain Whois record

Queried whois.internic.net with "dom cellwholesaleinc.com"...

Domain Name: CELLWHOLESALEINC.COM
Registrar: GODADDY.COM, LLC
Whois Server: whois.godaddy.com
Referral URL: http://registrar.godaddy.com
Name Server: NS29.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Name Server: NS30.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Status: clientDeleteProhibited
Status: clientRenewProhibited
Status: clientTransferProhibited
Status: clientUpdateProhibited
Updated Date: 04-apr-2014
Creation Date: 04-apr-2014
Expiration Date: 04-apr-2016

>>> Last update of whois database: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 00:40:24 UTC <<<
Queried whois.godaddy.com with "cellwholesaleinc.com"...

Domain Name: CELLWHOLESALEINC.COM
Registry Domain ID: 1853440740_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.godaddy.com
Registrar URL: http://www.godaddy.com
Update Date: 2014-04-04 18:19:58
Creation Date: 2014-04-04 18:19:58
Registrar Registration Expiration Date: 2016-04-04 18:19:58
Registrar: GoDaddy.com, LLC
Registrar IANA ID: 146
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: [email protected]
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +1.480-624-2505
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited
Domain Status: clientUpdateProhibited
Domain Status: clientRenewProhibited
Domain Status: clientDeleteProhibited
Registry Registrant ID:
Registrant Name: Registration Private
Registrant Organization: Domains By Proxy, LLC
Registrant Street: DomainsByProxy.com
Registrant Street: 14747 N Northsight Blvd Suite 111, PMB 309
Registrant City: Scottsdale
Registrant State/Province: Arizona
Registrant Postal Code: 85260
Registrant Country: United States
Registrant Phone: +1.4806242599
Registrant Phone Ext:
Registrant Fax: +1.4806242598
Registrant Fax Ext:

Thank you so much for your help.

This is what he replied when I asked him about the website. (And about the two year contact he said to report it stolen and his company will pay the bill.)


What he said:
Totally understand. Go for it. Check the llc and how long we've been in business. The reason the site just went up was because were a import export company didn't need a site. It's more for clients that wanted a site.

There are NO contact details such as address or telephone number on the site . Its a definite scam . And what kind of employer would ask you to file a false theft report . They're all big giant red flags .

This is what he replied when I asked him about the website. (And about the two year contact he said to report it stolen and his company will pay the bill.)

IF he would pay the bill, he would pay it himself and get the tax credit for it. ( part of paying taxes is income in minus bills out, then you pay tax on the net income). Even assuming for a minute that he did pay the bills that are in your name ( not his). You have no idea where the money is coming from, and back to the money laundering issue.

What he said:
Totally understand. Go for it. Check the llc and how long we've been in business. The reason the site just went up was because were a import export company didn't need a site. It's more for clients that wanted a site.

its pretty hard to check out a business that has no phone #, no address, or any information about its whereabouts on the website. Even if there was an address so you could go to the Secretary of State's office to see their corporation documents, there is no way to prove that they are imposters or not because of the "privacy protect" on the web site.

Bottom line, stay away from strangers wearing head to toe covering. You have no idea what is under the cover, and I'd bet when you do find out, you won't like what you see ( it won't be as promised). There is a reason they are hiding massive information.

I'm sorry but I am going to be very blunt here. If you take him up on this "offer" you will be making a stupid move that will impact you for years to come.

I can understand that when you are desperately seeking a source of income, you want to believe an offer like this is real. So can the Federal Trade Commission, the government agency that deals with real and fake companies every day. And they make that point in their blog written only a month ago describing this EXACT crime: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/whoa-there-watch-out-cell-phone-credit-muling

Replaced broken BBB link with FTC link MW


There is no "maybe" about it. Your "recruiter" is a scammer. He is a criminal who lies for a living, and steals money from innocent people. And right now you (along with dozens of other people) are his current target.


Picture this scenario: Last week, you went a store and bought a big-screen TV on a payment plan. You have to make 12 payments, and then the TV is yours.
You make the first payment, but when time for the 2nd payment comes, you tell them you aren't going to make any more payments. The company asks you for the TV back, but you don't give it back. Instead you tell them that it has been stolen. Do you think the company is just going to accept that and cancel the remaining 11 payments? I think we all know the answer to that question. They are going to tell you to come up with the money or the TV (and if they waive the remaining payments, they will also charge you penalties for breaking your contract.)

In reality, that is what your "recruiter" is suggesting here. When you get a cellphone that is free or cheap with a contract, the money you pay for the phone is NOT the whole cost of the phone. The company has charged you less than the value of the phone, and the remainder is built into the contract. For example, if you get a phone for $200 with a 2 year contract, the phone itself may actually be worth $500. They sell it to you for cheap because they will get the remaining $300 in your monthly payments. So what happens if you cancel the contract? They have not gotten that $300, which means the phone is NOT paid for. A cell company is NOT just take a loss because a customer claims the phone is stolen (for all they know, you sold the phone yourself -- which is in reality what you did) They legally can, and most definitely will, hold you to the legal contract that you, and you alone are liable for--not the fake company that was invented by criminals for the purpose of stealing money of innocent people. It's your name, and you signed it.

And about the two year contact he said to report it stolen and his company will pay the bill.

And if you were to actually file a police report saying the phone was stolen? Filing a false police report for money is fraud, plain and simple. At that point you have crossed the line and gone from victim to criminal.
Now your one stupid move has added a nice new criminal record to that destroyed credit record. And if you think it is hard to get a legitimate job now, try getting one with a history of fraud charges. You can also forget getting a mortgage for several years at least--and since many landlords DO check criminal records and credit reports, say goodbye to a significant percentage of rental options too. Need a new car? Good luck with that as well.

I'm going to take Hillbilly's comment a step further.

IF he would pay the bill, he would pay it himself and get the tax credit for it. ( part of paying taxes is income in minus bills out, then you pay tax on the net income). Even assuming for a minute that he did pay the bills that are in your name ( not his). You have no idea where the money is coming from, and back to the money laundering issue.

What Hillbilly means is that he would get the phone's in the company's name, not the name of some random individual. As Hillbilly said, this would be a business expense that they would include for tax purposes. A legitimate company that has been in business for 4 years (as this criminal claims) would be able to do this.

In theory, it is possible that a very small business or a sales/commission type of business would require you have and USE a specific type of cell phone for business reasons (though I would take a long hard look at those as well--if they can't even provide the equipment that is necessary for your job, that should be a big red flag) but those companies would not have you give them the phone. They would have you use it for business. There is absolutely NO legitimate reason a business would have an employee purchase a phone in their OWN name and then give the phone to the company. NONE, period.

As far as the "company" paying the bills? NOT going to happen. They want the phone because they are going to sell it and make a profit. If they were to actually pay the bills, they would lose money, not make a profit. It defeats the entire purpose of getting the phone in the first place.

Please post the name and email address this low-life criminal is using. And please follow the link in the FTC's blog to file a report as they requested. While many of the criminals we deal with are in other countries, these particular criminals are right here in the US, and there is a far greater chance that your report can lead to an arrest.

Thanks everyone for your help. He continues to deny he's doing anything illegal. He also said he has a office in Irvine, CA. On there website are the actual people running the business. They have pictures of them on there at www.cellwholesaleinc.com

More likely, on the website are photos of random individuals whose photos were stolen and used on the website. Happens all the time. Criminals prefer to hide behind other people's names and photos.

He is behaving like a typical scammer. Lying is second nature. He has nothing to gain by telling you the truth, but if he continues to lie there is always a chance you will still fall for it and do what he wants.

No that is actually them.. my boyfriend met up with one of them his name was Jaimie. My bf wanted to see what was going on because this all seemed wierd my bf talked to him. My bf asked him how the accounts would be canceled and jamie called Hersh the CEO and he's the one that said to file a false report.

The pictures will be real for individuals holding face-to-face meetings because otherwise a target will get suspicious. Others will most likely not be.

[AlanJones]

They also use stolen images on their website, why would a legitimate business do that?

Richard Roe



Found on various sites, such as http://puretheme.zinan.me/plugins/puret ... m-members/

The man that is in on this scam for sure is jaime ortega-sostre. Seen face to face. He's the last person on the website pictures.

cellwholesaleinc.com is in the process of being reported for fraud.

Great news.. where did you hear this from?