I'm sure
you've seen ads in magazines, newspapers, and on the Internet
offering easy product assembly work, such as key chains or jewelry,
promising high earning.
The
ad:
The ad will
read something like this:
No experience
or special skills needed! Work as little or as much as you want!
Guaranteed pay checks! No Quotas! Pay Weekly! Make Up to $720
a week! The more you assemble, the more you make! Easy and lucrative!
How
it works:
You pay
for supplies or equipment or a "reimbursable" deposit
to show your sincerity.
Your investment
is typically around $30 to $50 plus shipping and handling.
Why
this is a scam:
After you
send your money, you will get a kit with unclear instructions
and inferior supplies to put the product together.
The company
has no intention of buying the finished product back from you.
They make money from the deposits, not from the product you
are assembling for them.
These products
are usually impossible to put together. And if you do manage
to put a product together, they will tell you that your finished
product does not meet their assembly standard and you won't
get paid for your work.
A
variation of this scam:
You are
promised that you will receive assembly project work or substantial
assistance in obtaining such work. You are told you can earn
between $112 and $700 a week for such work, depending on your
ability and the products you choose.
The fees
range from $50 to $180.
After paying
the fee, you do not receive the promised assembly project work
or substantial assistance getting such work.
Instead,
you'll receive a booklet that contains lists of companies to
contact that allegedly offer work-at-home opportunities. These
companies no longer exist; they require payment of additional
fees; or they have no relationship with the defendants.
When buyers
complain and request a refund, they simply do not respond, or
place conditions on receiving a refund that have not been previously
disclosed to consumers.
Stay away
from product assembly ads. Assembly companies changes names
and disappear all the time. You will lose your money and won't
get paid for any work you do.
Legitimate
companies offering assembly work will look for local people
who can pick up the parts and deliver the finished product.
