A growing number of fake work-from-home jobs are circulating online, often promoted in Facebook groups or job boards with titles like “Flexible part-time job repackaging parcels” or “Earn extra income from home with Amazon returns.”
They sound simple enough, but these adverts usually lead to parcel mule scams that can cause serious legal trouble for anyone who gets involved.
What Is a Parcel Mule?
A parcel mule is someone tricked into receiving and reshipping goods for scammers. The work appears legitimate, involving tasks such as checking items, printing labels, and forwarding parcels; however, the goods are often stolen or purchased using fraudulent payment details.
Criminals use your home address to cover their tracks, so when fraud is uncovered, it can be traced back to you instead of them.
How the Scam Works
- A “job” promises easy, flexible work from home.
- You’re asked for your address to receive parcels.
- Packages arrive; you’re told to remove labels and resend them using prepaid postage.
- Payment never arrives, or stops after one small transfer.
- When fraud is detected, police or courier companies may trace the activity to your home.
Red Flags to Watch For
- No verifiable business address or company registration.
- Contact email from Gmail or another free provider.
- Mentions of Amazon or UPS without official links.
- Requests to relabel or resend parcels are genuine retailers’ responsibility; they never outsource this.
- Vague pay details and no proper interview or paperwork.
What To Do
- Don’t respond or share your personal details.
- Report the listing to the group admin or website moderators.
- Forward suspicious job offers to:
- Action Fraud (UK): actionfraud.police.uk
- Citizens Advice: for consumer protection guidance.
- If parcels have already arrived, contact your local police station and explain that you believe you may have been targeted. Do not send the items on.
Staying Safe
If a remote job sounds effortless, it probably isn’t genuine. Real companies don’t ask strangers to handle parcels from home without contracts or verification. Take time to research any opportunity before sharing your address or banking details, and stick with reputable, traceable employers.
