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If you have a car, you know how expensive the upkeep can be. Gas, maintenance, parking – the whole lot. So what if a company offered to pay you to drive around – which you were already doing – with their branding wrapped onto your car? It could sound like a good deal.

We’ve heard about some car wrap scams that have targeted college students, a group known to look for ways to make a few extra bucks. The gist of the scam is this: The scammers send emails with messages like “GET PAID TO DRIVE.” They offer to pay you $250-$350 a week if you’ll drive around with your car (or truck or motorcycle) wrapped to advertise a well-known product – or even an event like the 2020 Olympics.

If you bite, they’ll send you a check to deposit into your bank account. Then they’ll tell you to use some of that money so a “specialist” can put the ads on your car. And they’ll tell you to pay by money order, Walmart money services, or by making a cash deposit directly into the “specialist’s” bank account – all ways that are hard to cancel or get your money back.

For a lot of people, it’s only once their money is gone – and no car wrap materializes – that they figure out the “specialist” is really the scammer. And that check they deposited is a fake. Which also means the bank will take back the amount of that fake check…leaving people out even more money. Here’s how that works:

Infographic describing how fake check scams work

Spotted a scam like this? We want to hear about it. Let us know at FTC.gov/complaint.

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The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

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Jeffrey the giraffe
February 15, 2021
Received an email that ask me to use my car for advertisement. They say they will pay me $500 a week to put an Aquafina decal on my car. I spotted the scam right away as I’m quite skeptical of anything that is to easy or good to be true. They say that they are a worldwide advertisement program but it’s a scam straight up.
MoBetta
February 17, 2021
I keep receiving group texts, anonymously/someone I don't know, with a total of 20 other numbers I do not recognize, willing to pay $500 in return for any of us (on the text string) to drive with their "Bang" car sticker. The latest text came from this number 2145421297. I have blocked the sensed and all "participants" of the group text.
Curiousgeorge
February 26, 2021
Has anyone received an offer from Cadbury to put decals on their car for money?
Felisha&5i
February 27, 2021
I have gotten 2 checks in 2 days. One is for mountain Dew and the other is for a secret shopper. Do these thevies ever stop.
pipkkn7
March 02, 2021
So here we are. During this trying time it’s tempting to find additional ways to make money. So I came across an ad for “Aquafina” asking for people to promote their product by adding a car wrap to your vehicle. The gig would pay $500/week. I thought wow if this is legitimate; this could be a great opportunity. I’ve always seen promotional vehicles but never knew how people did it. So I sign up with some basic information... I come home today (1week later) to a fed ex package on my doorstep. Inside was a $5,800 check and a letter. The letter request that I deposit the check into my bank account and withdraw it after it clear to cover the cost of the car wrap. Immediately I’m contacted the number on the letter to only reach a text plus number. I then examine the check and noticed that there was no bank address and the company did not exist. If someone was to attempt to cash that check, Money would be the least of your problems. Be aware and be smart about what you believe. There are a lot of scam out here. If it doesn’t feel right... it’s not.
Cat62
March 05, 2021
Hi, Have any of you heard about Forman Equipment & contracting company for Decal scams?
#23Goldie
March 10, 2021
I received a check for $3864 in a post office priority envelope with nothing in it but a cashier check. I called the bank where the check was from and question it. She told me it was a fraudulent check and to send her a picture of the front of the check. Last night I got a text from a 601 area code asking if I got the check so we could proceed and I said I got a check and I called the bank to verify and they told me it was a fraudulent check. Didnt hear back anymore but I send the phone number to the bank so they could add it to the information from the check.
Marcel
March 15, 2021
Received a Cadbury Chocolate campaign to drive around with a sticker on my car to make 400.00 weekly. I responded and they just texted me 3 weeks later with notification of a $2999.00 check. I was to keep $400.00 and give the rest to the decal technician. I immediately checked the web and found this site. I texted them that the FTC label this a scam and that I was not interested. Then I blocked the number. The idea is to deposit the check, send the balance to them, check bounces and I am stuck with a bad check , a possible felony for passing a bad/forged instrument and they get their money free and clear.
JV
March 18, 2021
A week ago, my wife, who works for a state university, received an email searching for people interested in making $400 a week advertising an upcoming international event (the ICC T20 Tournament) on their personal vehicle. I normally pass these offers by; however, for some reason I decided to give it a shot. I was asked to provide my name, home address, type of vehicle etc. They then informed me that they would send a check for the installation of the advertising. I received a cashiers check that looked legitimate - security features were present, routing number matched, numbers lined up, so I deposited it. This is when I started to doubt the legitimacy of the transaction. As soon as I deposited the check, I began receiving text messages to transfer part of the money to a third individual, not an installation company. Thankfully, my payment app was having problems linking to my bank. I was then instructed by the same individual that I was to go to Walmart and purchase $3000 in Walmart gift cards to pay the installer. This really made me nervous, so I did the research I should have done in the beginning. That led me to this page. I informed my bank of potential fraud. These scams are real. I guess the motto, "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is." applies here.
Eli Carter
March 29, 2021
A guys texting me saying he will pay me and for driving around with moutian dew energy drink on my truck I don't even have a vehicle and He said it was going to be ups and gave me a tracking number also
Smartertntheav…
April 11, 2021
I received a letter and a check for $2,860.00 overnight postal service . The letter said to get the check deposited that second I received it then send them proof it was deposited . I knew it was a scam I put the check and letter together and I am sending it to the investigators who will get these bottom feeding grammer school crooks!
DandJW
April 12, 2021
I just recently had a text message for the Mountain Dew Decal. I did put some info in, just to see what would happen. They sent me a check for $2, 500 something. Whatever you do PLEASE DO NOT CASH IT!! The bank is Wells Fargo and the address in the left corner said Mary's Wholesale Furniture from Jacksonville, Florida. I took it to a Wells Fargo Bank to have a chat with them and they even said it made no sense because of the address. Tomorrow I will be calling Marys Wholesale Furniture to let them know about this issue, so they can fix their account. I hope to talk to the Boss and the Manager at the same time!! I want to be able to get them a warning, so they know. I don't want people to take advantage of this because this can hurt you in the long run.
Mike
April 20, 2021
Have you guys heard about the car wrap for Ben and Jerry’s ice cream?
Donnaperdue
April 22, 2021
I have almost been scammed by energy burn. I destroyed the check
Set
August 08, 2021
Contacted by text few days ago by "Richard" at 17754753260, Cadbury Chocolate auto wrap.. $400 per week. Asked for name address, car make/model, today verified my information, and said sending check for 2400$ 400$ I take for my first pay, and the rest goes to car wrap specialist. Said will keep me updated as to when the check will arrive. Then I found this site, and will take check to my bank to see if it is real before proceeding with anything. If it's good, then great! But very much doubt it is a real check! Seemed very professional and good grammar, etc. but when I google Cadbury car wrap, all that comes up is "scam"
Mrs.T.
August 14, 2021
My 20 y/o son just got a letter and fake check in the mail. The scammers invested $7 in postage to mail a check and sheet of paper in a USPS flat mailer. When my son told me he thought he gave his email to a car-wrap scam, I agreed it was a scam. I wonder if we can get these criminals jailed since they're using the US postal system...
JFH
August 25, 2021
I am 47 years old and just received a text from crystalarnold197912 saying she was from Hershey and they were offering a "paid to drive" option. The text said I would be paid $400 for driving around with a Hershey decal on my car. I immediately googled it and found this. Thanks for the heads up!
sssssm7
August 25, 2021
Be aware of the PepsiCo scam right now. It came through my school email, it pretty much said you get paid $800 a week and they will send you check that will cover the cost of the "specialist" that will come out and wrap my car in whatever add I want. Sounded to good to be true but I still went through it. Though I caught the scam before I deposited the check. Just be aware college students. because they are coming for us!!
Mimisurfs
September 22, 2021
I just got a text message from these folks. It had scam written all over it! I went in and deleted and blocked every number they had connected to to it. I don’t need my car wrapped with a fake Hermes decal on it.
Da597*
September 22, 2021
Received check today for $4,215.00. I'm going to tear it up!
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