Assemble Booklets at Home? Yeah, Right…

August 29, 2007 · 213 comments

Premier Mailing Service, Inc.’s Work At Home Scam Busted

My husband got a letter in the mail just the other day - addressed directly to his more common nickname instead of to his formal name (which makes me wonder where they snagged our address) offering him *UP TO* $4,500 a week for assembling “Get Credit Now” booklets at home.

If you’ve been looking for work at home opportunities - chances are someone down the line has gotten your mailing address and sold it or passed it along down the line. Or maybe like me - ten years later your spouse gets a work at home offer in the mailbox.

I can safely say that ANY letter that comes to your home address totally unsolicited and offers you a work-at-home opportunity is a scam. Here’s how you can tell this one’s a scam even before you Google it!

They Want $$ from You…

The tallest and brightest red flag is the fact that this one page letter ends with a ‘registration form’ that looks more like an ORDER form. Yep. They are asking for money. (A $45 refundable deposit plus $5 shipping.)
What’s the money for - well, that’s the second red flag. Here’s what they say:

We would love to get you started without any registration fee, but to make sure that you’re a serious home worker, we’re going to require a $45.00 REFUNDABLE FEE. This fee will be returned to you after you’ve mailed off your first one hundred booklets.”

There are a LOT of problems with this rationale. IF they are taking your money only to disqualify people who are not serious about working from home, why not make it even tougher to get in. Why not require folks to attach a resume or brief work history and then answer an essay question. It takes me a lot longer to write an essay than it does for me to write a check.

There’s No Return Address on the Envelope…

Always a clue! Not including a return address on the outside of the envelope is just bad business. AND, the address they give on the order form (I mean, registration form) is a post office box. While there’s no harm in having a post office box through which to conduct business - there IS harm in having ONLY a post office box to contact them for their refund guarantee. To make matters worse, the company address inside the letter is in Naples, Florida. The post office that processed the letter is in Corpus Christi, Texas (and I live on the east coast). At the very least, I’d mail something to the PO Box to see if I got an answer. I might also mail stacks of monopoly money to the post office box address if I were bored enough and had an extra stamp to spare. After all, the letter didn’t specify it has to be real, legal U.S. tender.

Their Guarantee Isn’t Backed Up with Specifics

Their “unconditional guarantee”…

Register with our program now, and start stapling our booklets at home. If you’re not making the kind of money that you desire after working with us for sixty days, just return our instruction manual for a full refund of your registration fee, plus an additional $35…just for giving our program an honest try. We stand by our promise…but more importantly, we’re confident that you’ll make good money working with us.

They make the guarantee sound too attractive, offering an additional $35, to ease your gut-instinct fears and keep you from noticing that they don’t tell you exactly how to go about getting that refund.
They also forget to tell you that they aren’t going to reimburse the $5 you sent in for shipping (so that brings that $35 something-for-nothing down to $30). And then there’s the shipping costs you’ll incur when you return the instruction manual. They offer to send you a stapler, too, so maybe you’ll have to send that back as well when you go after your refund.

I’m certain that whatever you get in return is worth nothing close to $50 and won’t cost them $5 to ship it (if they send you anything at all). They don’t include a response envelope for the form - nor do they even enclose a form to fill out. You’d have to cut the bottom of the letter off and mail it in. And guess what - that’s where the address is - on the form you just cut off and mailed in. So unless you made copies of the front and back of the letter, you’d have little to go on to try to get a refund.

It Sounds too Good to Be True

Nothing is ever as good as it sounds. When the letter touts all the great benefits you’ll receive, the chances are high that you’re not getting a very accurate picture of the real deal at all. There’s GOT to be something in it for them — otherwise they wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of buying a mailing list and sending out the letters. It’s not likely that you’re going to be pulling in over $4,000 a week stapling booklets. They could go to a printer and have the work done for much less.

Imagine, though, if they sent out 100 letters and got 20 responses with checks for fifty dollars enclosed. That’s a pretty quick $1,000 return on investment. Not bad, huh. What if I told you that YOU could make $1,000 for an hour’s work and $42 in stamps? The catch is that you’d have to be scamming people who are looking for legitimate work at home to do it.

Perhaps the real idea here is to get you to do the same thing - take the sample letter and recruit other people to do the stapling. There’s a hand-written code on my letter, G4-LV7772, so they’re tracking something (either the referral or the mailing list).

Google it…

If you ever find yourself reaching for your checkbook, please Google the company name on the letter before you send them you’re hard-earned money.

Google “Premier Mailing Service, Inc.” find these mentions right on the first page of results:

Got First-Hand Knowledge?

If anyone has first hand knowledge of Premier Mailing Service, Inc. and their booklet stapling offers and would like to either vent frustrations or include additional advice to others, feel free to leave a comment here.

And if anyone who actually sends out these letters would like to explain or defend themselves, feel free to attempt to do so in the comments here as well.

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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }

James October 3, 2007 at 10:29 pm: Thanks for bring this up to the public. I just received this same letter today and notice the post mark came from Santa Clarita California, instead of Naples, Fl. I also took notice in the lack of contact information. Once again…thanks. You saved me $45.00!
what a dummy am i October 4, 2007 at 2:03 am: da~~it. i just did this! i hope it isn’t a scam! mine was from fort lauderdale, flordia. but, everything else in this article is true! da~~it, da~~it, da~~it!!! i KNEW i should have made a copy!!!
Lisa, Editor October 24, 2007 at 9:56 am: Glad I saved you the $$, James! That makes me quite happy.

And for the person who sent in the $$, take heart - you’re not the first or the last to get taken in and yep, you should have made a copy. And you should always look before you leap. Look for information about the company with the BBB and online before sending in that check or money order. I wish you the best of luck getting something out of it. Please let us all know what happens and whether or not you ever get your money back.

The Silver Lining if you DID get taken in:
Lesson Learned - and it could have been a much more expensive one!
JW Horne December 12, 2007 at 8:35 pm: I will be going to florida in a couple of months.. and though I did not fall for their scam of stapling credit books.. I am going to visit this premier mailing place in Naples fla. It is just a post office box..but I can find it and video the people who visit the box to collect their mail.. and then follow them to where they are going to count the money.. I assure you that these people will regret ever sending me the phony letter.. I am not stupid and they will find out in just a few months what their stupidity is going to cost them.. this is going to be fun..
F Danz January 16, 2008 at 11:24 am: They have changed the name under which they’re sending their letters so it took me a long time to find this page. According to what I’ve read though, it’s the exact same letter, just a different name. They’re calling themselves Info Source Enterprise Inc now and changed the PO Box location to Fort Meyers, FL. Just thought that might be helpful if someone else ends up searching for that one instead of their old name.
Lisa, Editor January 16, 2008 at 6:55 pm: Thank you for the comment and the info!

If it’s not the same company, it’s probably one just like it. Maybe the same people change names dozens of times or maybe it’s just that a lot of people get in on the same types of scams. I did a quick BBB search and looked at the Info Source Enterprise Inc. BBB reliability report.

The company has a physical address and the PO address and is owned by Ms. Sonya Murray. It’s not a BBB Accredited corporation (incorporated in May of 2007 in Florida) with the BBB file open date of November 2007. I also noticed that this on the report:

“The BBB has requested basic information from this company. The BBB has not received a response. Without this information, the BBB may not have current information concerning such things as the company’s management or its nature of business.”

I didn’t find anything else for either the company name or the owner’s name. Makes ya wonder, doesn’t it. The Google results for the business name, in quotes, came up empty. Maybe given a little more time Google will return this page and other pages like it.
StayAtHomeMom January 23, 2008 at 8:19 am: My husband just brought me a letter today and I got online immediately to find out something about it because it sounded fishy to me. What made it fishy was that there was no contact number, or no specific name. The only “person” the letter refers to is the “Program Manager”. I mean if this was a company that could really afford to pay you as much as they say they could, then they wouldn’t need a $40.00 fee. But someone who did need the fee would be a lowlife trying to scam people out of their money.

Anyways….the company’s name that I got the letter under was SOURCE ECONOMIC/M.A.ENT.-P.O. BOX 190340-FT. LAUDERDALE,FL. 33319. Things like this really bother me, because you have scam artists like this one that rip off hard working people that really would like to find something like this that is just to good to be true.
Sincerely,
A Stay At Home Mom
RICHARD RODERIQUE February 22, 2008 at 6:13 pm: I JUST RECEIVED THE SAME LETTER FROM SOURCE ECONOMIC/M.A.ENT. SAME ADDRESS.
PLEASE FORWARD ON SO OTHERS THAT CHECK LETTERS LIKE THIS OUT ON GOGGLE.
laverne hargett March 7, 2008 at 1:27 am: Sounds like a good way to make some fast money. I’m like most people, it sounds to good to be on the level. I got a letter today. I believe it is a scam.
prefer to remain anonymous March 12, 2008 at 9:01 pm: I received this letter from Info Source Enterprise Inc. Common sense tells you it’s a scam. Anyway, I am going to contact the AG for Illinois to report this. Since it is crossing state boundaries and using the US Postal Service, there may also be a federal offense involved.
G.Barron March 13, 2008 at 7:30 pm: I have spent lots of $$$$$$$ on letters like this one from Source Economic/M.A. Ent. before my daughter told me to go to this website. Thank you for saving me lots of $$$$$$$$ in the future. It comforts me that I am not the only sucker. Thank you again.
Steve S March 14, 2008 at 1:21 pm: I got this letter yesterday from Info Source Enterprises, Inc. located at P.O. Box 60097, Fort Myers, FL 33906. Shockingly, it is postmarked from Fort Myers, FL. 10 bucks for stuffing an envelope. 50 bucks to join their program. I’m always looking for a work at home program, but every single one I get in my email or snail mail is the same. A scam. Someone somewhere is making 50 bucks every time someone sends 50 bucks to join a bogus program. It doesn’t take too much brain power to figure this one out.
L. Whitten March 14, 2008 at 1:57 pm: We received the letter Post Marked March 11, 2008. No return address, mailed from Colorado Springs, CO. Company name: Premier Mailing Service PO Box 7159 Naples FL. Don’t fall for it! This has scam written all over it.
TRiddle March 14, 2008 at 3:33 pm: I also received a letter from Info Source Enterprise Inc. P.O. Box 60097 Fort Myers, FL 33906 claiming I could make up to $5,000 or more stuffing envelopes from home. I went online and immediately starting searching for information on the company and found your website. Thanks for the information. I thought it was probably a scam and of course it is. It is so discouraging because I am also a stay at home mom who has searched long and hard online (which is probably how they got my information) to try to find something legit that I can earn some income from home. Unfortunately, I haven’t been successful in finding anything and I’m glad that there are websites like this to warn us of scams that do make it to our mailbox.
LeAnne Knorr March 14, 2008 at 9:48 pm: I just received the same letter today from Info Source Enterprise Inc. in Fort Myers, Fl… I knew it sounded too good to be true so immediately I went to the WWW to do some research and come upon this thread… I checked the BBB and couldn’t find anything on the company. It states the same thing as mentioned in previous posts that if you send in a certain amount of money they send you all the supplies for stuffing envelopes and get paid $500-$1000 week. It’s a shame because so many people are looking to make extra cash from home and most get scammed! Is there ANY LEGIT work at home companies to make extra income??????
LeAnne Knorr March 14, 2008 at 9:54 pm: This is the update from the BBB on Info Source Enterprise Inc…

The BBB reports on businesses, both accredited and non-accredited. If an organization is a BBB Accredited business, it is stated in this report.

Name: Info Source Enterprise, Inc.
Address: 19399 Orchidtree Ct, Lehigh Acres, FL 33936-7325
Entity: Corporation
Incorporated: May 2007, FL
File Open Date: November 2007
TOB Classification: Work-At-Home Companies
BBB Accreditation: This organization is not a BBB Accredited business.

The BBB has requested basic information from this company. The BBB has not received a response. Without this information, the BBB may not have current information concerning such things as the company’s management or its nature of business.

Customer Experience
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company’s size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm’s responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints. The BBB processed a total of 2 complaints about this company in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period.Of the total of 2 complaints closed in 36 months, 2 were closed in the last year.

Delivery Issues BBB Definition:
Delivery Issues - Claims alleging delayed delivery of ordered merchandise.

Resolved BBB Definition:
Resolved - The company resolved the complaint issues.

1 - Company resolved BBB Definition:
resolved - The company resolved the complaint issues.
the complaint issues. The consumer acknowledged acceptance to the BBB.

1 - Company addressed the complaint issues. The consumer failed to acknowledge acceptance to the BBB.

Advertising Review
On February 1, 2008 the BBB asked the company to substantiate its advertising claims (listed below)

The BBB reviews business advertising, (newspaper, magazine, TV, radio, internet) routinely to ensure that it is truthful and ethical. Claims in advertising are measured against basic advertising principles of the BBB Code of Advertising (BBB Code of Advertising) which was developed to guide advertisers, advertising agencies and advertising media…

1. “UP TO $5,000.00 WEEKLY! Assembling our booklets at home… $25.00 per booklet . . . Guaranteed!”
2. “You will be paid $25.00 for each booklet that you assemble as per our instruction.”
3. “You’ll receive advance payment for each booklet that you staple. That means that you’ll receive $1250.00 for stapling fifty booklets, $2,500.00 for stapling one hundred booklets, and $3,750.00 for stapling one hundred and fifty booklets. If you staple more booklets for the wee, you’ll make more money”
4. “As you can see, all you need to do is work three to six hours each week in order to make $1,250.00 to $3750.00 and more for the week.”

The request for substantiation is still pending.

Additional Contact Information
Additional Addresses
PO Box 60097
Fort Myers, FL 33906-6097
Jim Rogers March 15, 2008 at 5:46 am: I was tricked and sent $150 refundable fee to Info Sourse Enterprise Inc. P.O. Box 60097 Fort Myers FL. 33906. I recieved a box from ups with letters to stuff in addressed envelopes where I need to supply stamps. No Phone number to contact.The letter go out to more people to get them to send money to get setup stapling books.Quite an enterprise. I will take all I have to turn into to post master for investigation. I wish I looked at this before I sent money.Why I did not stick with when it is to good to be true it probably is not.
Ruby Swingley March 15, 2008 at 7:20 pm: I received a letter today. I thought I would check it out before I sent money. Thank you for posting this. My letter said Source Economic/M.A. Ent…..Fort Lauderdale, FL. Hope this helps someone else also.
jose galvan March 18, 2008 at 12:48 pm: i received a letter stating that i can make up $3,000 a week for stuffing letters. i thought it was too good to be true but since i am in need of a better financial situation… so i was about to send the money in until i decided to google it and came across this website. i got to say thank you for this kind of information to let me know that this is a scam. thank you for saving me money.
Caleb Ikard March 20, 2008 at 12:49 am: The funny thing is Source Economic/M.A. Enterprises gets people to stuff and mail out their “special letters” about booklet stapling from home which explains all of the different post offices these things come from. I can say from experience that if you get the letter from them about what is basically a letter stuffing thing and you send in money then you do get a bunch of letters, envelopes, and mailing labels a few weeks later; but that’s about all you’ll be getting for your purchase… at least so far as I know. I’ll give another post if they end up sending me anything else.