Two Bowling Green residents reported being scammed out of a total of $14,780 on Monday (12/8).
Bowling Green Police Division took reports from two people in their 20s, who were victims of fraud.
A 25-year-old woman told police she submitted a job resume on Indeed.com, and received a text from a company giving her a job description and instructions on how to apply. The woman said she completed a W-4 account, with her Social Security number, home address, and background check consent release waiver.
The company reportedly responded, telling her she was required to purchase equipment for the remote job, but would be refunded. The company allegedly sent her two payments totaling $5,600. Then the Bowling Green woman sent $2,000 to an Apple Cash account from her bank. She was then asked to send more.
But the woman then discovered both “checks” from the company had bounced back. She contacted her bank and was told her accounts were frozen, but she likely wouldn’t receive a refund for the $2,000 she already sent.
The other scam was reported by a 29-year-old woman, who learned of a male asking for help on “We Chat.” The man reportedly said he needed American money in exchange for Chinese money. The Bowling Green woman told police she needed to send Chinese money back home to her family.
She reportedly met the man at a business in the 500 block of East Wooster Street, and gave him $12,780 in cash. The man then allegedly transferred the same amount to her Chinese bank. Police in China contacted the woman, telling her the money transfer was fraudulent.
Bowling Green Police obtained the surveillance video from the business where the woman met the man. She reported that people on “We Chat” said the man is suspected to be the same man who previously scammed other Chinese students in Toledo.
