The Grifter’s Playbook — Part 5: The Financial Setup
Subtitle: When the “job” is just a laundering scheme with a paycheck on the leash.
This one’s dressed sharp. It’s got a legit-sounding title. It pays more than what you’d expect. And it sounds like easy, remote work.
But the moment they ask you to move money, buy gift cards, or cash a check and “forward part of it”—you’re not employed.
You’re a financial fall guy.
Let’s walk through the grift behind “the money job.”
1️⃣ They Offer Way Above Market Pay “We’re paying $42/hour for remote data entry, 10 hours a week.”
Pause. Average admin pay? 20/hour in most states. No experience? No interview? And they're throwing you double the rate?
That’s bait. That pay isn’t about rewarding skill—it’s to distract you from the trap you’re walking into.
2️⃣ The “Check Forwarding” Scam This is one of the oldest con tricks in the book:
They mail or digitally send a fake check
Ask you to cash it, keep a cut, and send the rest via:
Gift cards
Wire transfers
Crypto wallets
The bank temporarily clears the check, so it feels real Then it bounces. And you’re on the hook for every cent.
3️⃣ They Make You an Unwitting Money Launderer “We need you to handle transactions on behalf of our international team.”
You think you’re a contractor. But you’re now laundering stolen funds through your account.
This isn’t a side hustle. It’s a felony—and you’ll be the one explaining it to the bank, not them.
4️⃣ The Gift Card Scheme “We’ll reimburse you after you purchase $500 worth of cards to test our vendor system.”
This one’s slick. You think you’re “quality testing” something. But you’re just buying gift cards that they use or resell the moment you send the codes.
You will not be reimbursed. And you just handed them clean, untraceable cash.
5️⃣ They Use Guilt or Pressure to Rush You Once they send money, they flip:
“We need this done TODAY.”
“Accounting is waiting on you.”
“If you can’t handle this, we’ll find someone else.”
That pressure isn’t professional. That’s psychological cornering. They want you to act before you think.
🎯 Bottom Line If the job revolves around money—but doesn’t require any skill? It’s not a job. It’s a setup.
Scammers know you’re trying to survive. So they dangle cash to drag you into fraud.
But when the bank flags you? When law enforcement shows up? The scammer’s gone. You’re the one holding the receipt.
💡 Raccoon Rule: If the pay is double and the task is vague, you’re being used. Don’t forward money. Don’t buy gift cards. Don’t move a damn cent.
If you’re gonna get paid—make sure it’s for work, not for being a pawn. 🦝
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