Better Business Bureau Warns Against Work-At-Home Schemes
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- With the holidays approaching, people are looking for ways to earn extra money. But the Better Business Bureau is warning people to look out for work-at-home schemes as a way to do it.
In fact, a local woman almost fell for a scheme advertised in a local publication where there was pressure to act by midnight Thursday.
"I honestly was going to do it," said Kyni Jones of North Braddock.
She has MS and was intrigued by the ad.
"I was thinking it would be a good thing for me because I'm unable to work," said Jones. "I don't walk and balance that well, so that would be excellent for me just to do at home."
The ad claims you can make a $1,000 a week, paid in advance, just for mailing brochures. And if you check out the website mentioned there's more.
"They're claiming you'd be paid $4 for every brochure that you mail out, which definitely sounds too good to be true," said Caitlin Driscoll from the Better Business Bureau.
She calls it a "scheme" and says there are a number other red flags.
For instance, the ad claims they've been "Helping home workers since 2001."
"But the Better Business Bureau did look into the website URL and the name has been in existence since March of this year," said Driscoll.
It also asks people for $37 to get a "home mailer kit" and as a show of "sincerity."
Driscoll says: "It should be a red flag if you're asked to pay money in advance."
And they want you to register by midnight to get a $13 discount on the fee.
"Schemes use a tactic where they want you to react on an immediate basis," said Driscoll.
She says without a doubt, "It's not legitimate."
KDKA emailed an address on the work-at-home website, but has not received a response.
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The BBB says don't trust something because there's an ad in a paper you read all the time. That doesn't necessarily mean the ad has been vetted, according to Driscoll.
And as for stuffing envelopes to earn money, U.S. Postal Inspectors say practically all businesses use mass mailing machinery nowadays.
As for Kyni Jones, she just wants to make sure no one falls for what she almost did.
"It's sad, the way they make their money obviously is by getting people who don't know the truth," she said.
