As an entrepreneur I have checked out and started many businesses. Along the way I have discovered many internet schemes and get scam refund masquerading as legitimate businesses. They are usually advertised as easy and low cost. Here are some of the ones I have checked out. Surprisingly some of these have turned out to be legitimate although most are not.
Most of the companies who advertise envelope stuffing are just out to sell you a list of companies. Some companies are looking for people to mail out brochures. The reason they want you to mail their brochure, is because the return on investment stinks and they want you to waste your postage. Here’s how they work. They give or sell you brochures and have you buy a mailing list. You mail out the brochures advertising their product(s). If a sale comes through they mail you a commission. Most ALL Envelope stuffing offers are work at home scams!
Here’s how it’s supposed to work: You sign up with a mystery shopping company to go into stores and pretend to be Joe Schmoe their average customer. You’re checking to see if they are caring for customers and doing presentations the way the home office wants. You follow instructions on each shop, the way the shopping company wants it done and file a timely, accurate, well written report.
Now-a-days most shopping companies test you and have you sign up for Free on their internet sites. You sign a confidentiality agreement so you cannot share anything about them or the clients with others. When a successful shop is complete they mail you a check or pay you through PayPal. If you buy anything during a shop you usually are reimburse. Many folks get into shopping for the free meals, drinks and goodies.
You can become a certified shopper online at the MSPA Association web site as many companies like to see that you are certified. Many shopping companies do their own testing as well. I did work as a mystery shopper, to see just how much money can be made at it. It is Not a Scam although there are a few companies involve that are scammers. There is one that runs newspaper ads to get you to call in to an 800 number. When you do, they charge you a small fee to mail out a package.
This might be o.k., but it’s what else they do, that is wrong, in my mind! While they have you on the phone, they try to enroll you in a buying club and a business where you have an internet shopping mall. The start up fee, that day, is small but the next month they charge you 9.95 a month for a listing of shopping assignments. Then, they charge you a fee for the shopping mall each month and 14.95 a month for the buying club. Seems like a boiler room operation to me.
Most legitimate companies, will not charge you to sign up, nor will they charge you for the listing of available shops each month. The biggest problem I had with this, is the lack of good shops to go on and the small fees they pay. Once you pay for gasoline it’s unlikely to make any substantial money.