Complaint Review: Home Assembly

Saw an ad for this "opportunity" in the July/August 2009 issue of Countryside magazine and thought I would share. Apparently this is an oft-repeated ad in MANY reputable magazines, who obviously have neither the time nor the inclination to check the backgrounds of all their paying advertisers.

All they asked for in the ad was a self-addressed, stamped envelope with which they could return information about home assembly work. Not having read the Ripoff Report prior, I thought, "What the heck, I'll give it a shot." Sent off for it and received the SASE back a handful of days later. Please note that from here on, all info in quotes is quoted directly from the flyer I was sent.

All the envelope contained was one cheap sheet of yellow paper printed on both sides. It promised anywhere from $300 to $500 or more (!!!) per week assembling Christmas ornaments, dollhouse furniture, flowers, jewelry, calendars, electronic circuit boards and "different products" apparently to be disclosed in a directory you must pay a "one time fee of $32" to receive. Supposedly this would "supply you with the necessary material you'll need to get started" and pay for their advertising, postage and the directory of "over 50 products to select from."

Once "Sir" received your cash, check or money order, the flyer promised, you'd "be sent enough material so you can make the amount of money that is listed for that product. After you complete the work, you will send it to the company. When your completed work is received you will be paid immediately by check along with another shipment of material for you to assemble."

The rest of the flyer wording was the usual: thousands making money this way, financial security, choose the hours you work, blah blah blah. They even tried to pull some patriotic heartstrings with the catchline "$$$$ LET'S KEEP AMERICA WORKING $$$$"

I've seen and heard of scams like this before, so I probably shouldn't have bothered sending the SASE in the first place. But at least all these jokers got out of me was a couple of stamps. LET THE BUYER BEWARE! Just because it's printed in a magazine you trust doesn't mean it's an ad you can trust.

NotTakenIn
Auburn, Illinois
U.S.A.