Car Wrap Vehicle Advertising Scam via MoneyGram
How scammers pose as advertising companies offering to pay drivers for car wraps, then have them forward MoneyGram funds to a fake 'installer.'
Part of: Car Wrap Vehicle Advertising Scam
Last reviewed: 13 July 2026
The car wrap vehicle advertising scam offers drivers a supposed opportunity to earn money simply by having their car wrapped with a brand's advertising and driving it as usual. After the driver agrees, the scammer sends an overpayment — usually a cheque or transfer for far more than the advertising fee — and asks the driver to keep their portion while forwarding the rest to a 'wrap installer' who will supposedly come design and apply the wrap.
MoneyGram is the payment method scammers push for the forwarded portion because it moves funds quickly and, once collected in cash by the scammer's accomplice, leaves the driver liable for the entire overpayment once the original cheque or transfer is later reversed as fraudulent.
How this scam works on MoneyGram
A driver responds to an online ad or is contacted directly about earning money for a car wrap, and after minimal vetting is sent a cheque or electronic payment covering both their advertising fee and an installer's deposit. They're instructed to deposit the funds, wait for them to 'clear,' and then send the installer's portion via MoneyGram before any wrap installer actually appears.
Because the original payment is often a fraudulent or counterfeit cheque, or an electronic payment later disputed as unauthorized, it can take days or weeks for a bank to detect the problem and reverse it — by which point the MoneyGram transfer has already been collected in cash and the driver is left owing their bank the full reversed amount.
No advertising company or wrap installer ever arrives, and the 'employer' becomes unreachable once the MoneyGram transfer is confirmed sent.
Common red flags
- You're offered payment to have your car wrapped in advertising with minimal application or vetting process
- You receive a cheque or transfer for more than the advertised fee and are asked to forward the excess
- You're told to send the forwarded portion via MoneyGram before any installer has been scheduled or arrived
- The company has no verifiable physical address, and searches turn up little independent information
- You're pressured to send the MoneyGram transfer quickly, before your bank confirms the original payment has cleared
- The wrap installer never actually contacts you or arrives to do any work
How to protect yourself
- Never forward any portion of a payment you've received before your bank confirms the funds have genuinely cleared, which can take longer than the initial 'available balance' shown
- Be skeptical of any car wrap or vehicle advertising offer that pays before any actual wrap work is scheduled
- Research the advertising company independently, including checking for its physical business address and reviews
- Never send money via MoneyGram to a party involved in a transaction where you also received an unexplained overpayment
- If asked to forward part of a payment to a third party, treat that as a strong sign of fraud
- Contact your bank before depositing an unsolicited cheque tied to a job or advertising offer that seems too easy
How to report it
- Contact your bank immediately if you deposited a fraudulent cheque or made an unauthorized transfer
- Contact MoneyGram's fraud line if a transfer was already sent
- Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Report the job or advertising listing to the platform where it was posted
Frequently asked questions
How do overpayment scams like this actually work?
The scammer sends a fraudulent cheque or payment for more than what's owed, then asks the victim to forward the excess before the original payment is confirmed as fake by the bank. When it eventually bounces, the victim is liable for the full amount, including the part they already forwarded.
Why does 'available balance' not mean a cheque has actually cleared?
Banks often make funds available before fully verifying a cheque, which can take days or weeks, especially for out-of-state or international cheques. A fraudulent cheque can still bounce well after the funds appeared available to spend.
Can MoneyGram get my forwarded money back?
If the recipient hasn't yet collected the cash, MoneyGram may be able to stop the transfer — contact their fraud line immediately with your reference number. Once collected, recovery is very unlikely.
Are legitimate car wrap advertising opportunities real?
Some legitimate wrap advertising programs do exist, but they typically don't involve unsolicited overpayments or requests to forward money to a third party. Legitimate installers are paid directly by the advertising company, not through the driver.
What should I do if I already forwarded money and the original payment just bounced?
Contact your bank immediately to understand your liability and any available options, and file a police report and FTC complaint, since you may be responsible for repaying your bank the full reversed amount.