The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is warning people about an ongoing “sophisticated” and “complex pyramid scheme” job scam.
In 2022, EPS initiated an investigation after several people fell victim to a “task-based employment scam that involved accessing a fraudulent internet platform,” police said in a Thursday news release.
Scammers contacted people on social media about job and investment opportunities they could do from home and positioned them to complete Amazon orders.
EPS said the fake role required victims to log onto Sharegain, an online investment service, to invest funds based on the size of their order and process 20 to 40 tasks per day to earn guaranteed investment returns.
“The scam is sophisticated, as it uses Amazon’s name recognition to manipulate victims into a complex pyramid scheme that initially yields investments, which builds trust and credibility, but results in greater losses,” said Const. Brian Mason in an EPS news release Thursday.
“If anyone is randomly recruited for a job or investment that guarantees quick results and high payouts in a short period of time, it is likely a scam. If it seems too good to be true, it usually is.”
Victims access fake Amazon orders and process them for reviews and shipment.
“Each order earned a commission percentage depending on the victim’s investment level, with larger orders requiring greater investment but yielding higher returns,” EPS said.
Scammers have also encouraged some victims to allow access to their accounts in return for higher investment returns, police said.
More than $84,000 has been lost by more than 30 reported victims in Edmonton, with police suspecting there are more people impacted. Many victims remain silent due to threats of deportation or changes, police said.
While the scam is targeting Edmontontians, several international agency partners are also involved, including Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Amazon is also aware of the scam.
“Scammers that attempt to impersonate Amazon put consumers at risk. We will continue to invest in protecting consumers, and appreciate Edmonton law enforcement for their swift action,” said Jamie Wendell, senior corporate counsel at Amazon.
People can report scams that claim to be Amazon here. The company says it will investigate and help “hold bad actors accountable.”
Three Edmontonians have been charged with fraud over $5,000 in connection to the online scam.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted by this scam is encouraged to report it to EPS at 780-423-4567.
