All week, 2 Wants To Know has shown you ways you can make extra cash, but some of the ads out there promise fast and easy money for simply stuffing envelopes. Too good to be true? Consumer Alert explains what you need to look for when you see these ads.
"They could work from home and get paid $10.00 for every envelope they stuffed," said U.S. Postal Inspector Stephanie Barrett said.
Sounds like a great deal, right? This work-at-home opportunity claimed-- for a $150 fee up front – employees could make thousands.
"So, the victims would receive 200 envelopes thinking they are going to earn $2000 for stuffing these envelops," said Barrett.
But it was a scheme.
"They are only receiving money for responses received and that is less than 1%," said Barrett. "One of the big mis-representations that was left out of these letters, was that people had to buy their own stamps. In the letter, it stated the stamps were paid for…"
Postal inspectors worked the case and caught two sister and one of their husbands behind the scheme.
"Over the 8 years this scheme was run, there were about 25-thousand victims totaling more than $3.5 million dollars in loss," said Barrett.
Inspectors ended up seizing the house and 20 acres of land the husband and wife lived, which was worth more than $1 million dollars.
Barrett said, "Do your due diligence. Get on the internet, Google the name of the company, Put scam behind the company. Look on the Better Business Bureau's website and verify that this company is a legitimate company."
