Is a job offer asking me to receive and forward parcels from home legitimate?
No. Parcel forwarding jobs are one of the most common forms of reshipping fraud, used to launder goods bought with stolen payment cards.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Work-at-home parcel forwarding or reshipping jobs advertise simple tasks — receive parcels, repackage them, and ship them abroad. The pay seems reasonable and the work minimal. In reality, the parcels contain goods bought online using stolen credit card details. You become the final link in the fraud chain, and when the cardholders dispute the purchases, the goods are traced back to your address. You may be investigated for handling stolen goods or participating in fraud, even if you genuinely did not know. Legitimate logistics companies do not recruit individuals to use their home addresses as reshipping hubs.
Common red flags
- Job involves receiving parcels at home and forwarding them abroad
- Employer pays you per parcel forwarded rather than through a standard employment contract
- Job found through an unsolicited email or messaging app
- Employer provides shipping labels and prepaid postage
What to do now
- Do not accept any parcels on behalf of an unknown employer
- If parcels have arrived, do not forward them and contact police
- Report the job offer to your national labour authority
- Inform your postal carrier if packages are arriving at your address for this purpose
Frequently asked questions
Am I criminally liable if I forwarded parcels without knowing the goods were stolen?
Liability depends on jurisdiction and evidence of knowledge, but police investigations can still involve you. Stop immediately and cooperate with authorities if investigated.