It’s quite astonishing that scammers are still promoting stuffing envelopes as a legit work from home job.
I can tell you firsthand that stuffing envelopes for cash is a scam.
How do I know? A long time ago, I fell victim to the stuffing-envelope scam.
You see, when I was in college, I worked part-time waiting tables. However, even though I made decent money, my class schedule and studying limited me to working a few shifts per week. So, you can imagine my excitement when I found a flyer on a school bulletin board advertising envelope-stuffer jobs from home.
The flyer claimed I could make $2.00 per envelope, all while working from the comfort of my home.
I immediately started calculating how many envelopes I could stuff in between classes and how much extra money I’d make per week; my life was going to be so much easier!
The flyer instructed me to send them a $12.00 upfront fee for the information on how to get started. I was so excited about the opportunity that I overlooked red flags, such as sending the payment to an anonymous P.O. Box or the exceedingly high pay rate for entry-level work.
I waited for weeks for the information to arrive. When it finally did, I anxiously ripped open the envelope to learn that this so-called envelope-stuffing job was a pyramid scam.
The letter told me to promote the same scam that I had just fallen for by placing want ads and flyers for envelope stuffers. Then, when people respond to your ad, send them the same bogus information on how to replicate the scam.
I was so disappointed.
This was not a job. It was unethical information on how to scam people out of money. Luckily, I only lost $12.00.
Is the Stuffing Envelopes Scam Still Around Today?
Sadly, I still see online and social media posts about stuffing envelopes for quick cash, but the cost for this bogus information is usually $50-$150! This past year, the scam has evolved into the “letter writing” side hustle, where you can supposedly earn $5 for each handwritten letter you write to corporations.
With this letter-writing scheme, they entice people with promises of big earnings for little to no work, but to learn how to do it, you must purchase a pricey course. The information then details how to write handwritten letters to casinos to earn up to $5 in casino credits. The credits that you earn are not cash; they are credits that you have to use to gamble, and we all know gambling is not a reliable way to earn money.
So why are so many people on social media promoting this letter-writing gig as a legitimate opportunity? These people are course affiliates, and they earn money each time someone purchases the course through them. It’s just like the stuffing-envelope scam, so don’t fall for this fraud!
In Tory Johnson’s book “Will Work from Home,” she tests these fake online jobs with several companies, and none of them ever panned out. In her book, she says: “Recruiting people to stuff envelopes is the oldest work-from-home gimmick that fools people every day. Don’t be one of them.
Both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) have alerts on their websites warning people of this scam. In fact, the United States Postal Service (USPS) says that stuffing envelopes is the most common work at home scam (the other is packing scams).
And if you think about it, why would a company that needs envelopes stuffed use an individual for this task when they can use a machine that folds, inserts, and seals 1,320 envelopes in one hour? There is no way a human can work that fast, and no company will pay high dollars for this unskilled task.
Are There Any Legitimate Envelope-Stuffing Jobs?
Occasionally, on sites like LinkedIn, Monster, Glassdoor, and Indeed, you’ll run into an ad for a legit envelope stuffer job. However, it’s usually an unpaid volunteer position where you go into an office and help a charity stuff envelopes for their fundraiser. Other times, you’ll see in-person job openings for receptionists, data entry and mailroom clerks, and customer service representatives, where stuffing envelopes is a small part of their job duties. And these positions usually pay $13-$20 per hour, not $2-$10 per envelope!
In general, you’re not going to find work from home jobs where you’ll stuff envelopes as part of your job duties, as sending massive amounts of letters, envelopes, and postage stamps to a worker’s home would be cost-prohibitive to the employer.
What Should You Do if You’ve Fallen for This Scam?
If you’ve fallen for this scam, contact your bank or credit card company and request a stop payment order. If the money is already gone, you can try contacting the company you purchased the information from and request a refund. Be sure to tell them that if they do not refund your money, you will contact officials to investigate their operations further.
If you cannot resolve the situation, contact the FTC (1-877-FTC-HELP) to report the issue. You can also contact your local US Postal Inspection Service. Since these scammers use P.O. Boxes to run their scams, they will investigate these fraudulent mail practices.
What to Watch Out for When Searching for Work at Home Jobs
When you’re searching for work at home jobs, you need to take your time and research the job opportunity extensively!
Scammers know they can make a quick and easy buck by preying on people’s vulnerabilities. What I mean by vulnerabilities is that when people struggle to make ends meet or need to be at home for a new baby or an elderly parent, there is a sense of urgency and desperation, and scammers know this. So, they create their fake job listings to appeal to these emotions.
The second reason scams are so prevalent is that technology has made it easier than ever to distribute scams while hiding behind a digital curtain.
For these reasons, it’s more important than ever for you to educate yourself on what’s legit and what’s not.
Here are some red flags job seekers need to watch out for:
- Negative reviews and complaints online.
- No contact information (physical address, phone number, or email address) — scammers don’t want to be found.
- Vague job descriptions.
- Big money claims with little or no effort on your part.
- Pressure to act quickly.
- Unsolicited job offers.
- Poor spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
- Interviews via messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Messenger.
- Imposter scams – fake companies posing as real companies using free email addresses like Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, and Hotmail.
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Real-Life Work From Home Jobs to Explore
If you’re an aspiring envelope stuffer, you’re likely disappointed that stuffing envelopes isn’t legit. However, there are many other legitimate work from home jobs worth exploring.
1. Calligrapher
If you’re talented at calligraphy or hand lettering, you may be able to earn more by personalizing gifts, addressing wedding invitations, or creating fonts. While you can occasionally find jobs in these areas online, they are most often in-person jobs for stores that create personalized ornaments, signs, or gifts.
If this sounds appealing, starting a home business as a calligraphy artist is your best bet. With marketplaces like Etsy, Creative Market, and Fiverr, you can sell a wide variety of personalized products, digital downloads, and services quickly and easily.
One calligrapher who has found success in this career is Shinah from Crooked Calligraphy. In fact, she’s so successful that she earns a full-time income from her calligraphy and has worked with clients like Disney, Nordstrom, and Anthropologie. She has lots of resources on her website, including how to price your services.
2. Data Entry Clerk
Becoming a remote data entry operator might be your calling if you’re a fast and accurate typist with excellent written communication skills. You’ll verify and enter data into spreadsheets and online databases in these roles. You may also be assigned other clerical tasks, like answering emails and conducting online research.
To find legitimate companies with remote job listings, check out:
3. Intake Specialist
Intake specialists are usually the first point of contact, gathering information, entering data, answering questions, scheduling appointments, taking messages, and performing other duties related to the role. Many intake specialists work in the legal or medical fields, working with new and established clients. According to Indeed, intake specialists earn an average of $20.57 per hour.
To find remote work as an intake specialist, explore:
4. Graphic Designer
If you’re skilled at using programs like Adobe Photoshop or Canva, you can create items like logos, sales letters, business cards, labels, printables, and other promotional materials. As a graphic designer, you can do freelance work on a project-by-project basis or apply for full-time jobs. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average hourly rate for a graphic designer is $29.47.
Check out these online job boards for graphic design jobs:
5. Online Tutor
If you have expertise in a subject such as math, English, biology, or nursing, you might be able to earn extra money tutoring students online. There are lots of online platforms that connect students with teachers across a wide variety of subjects. Tutoring gigs tend to have flexible work hours, and most gigs are independent contracting roles. To start working as a tutor, you must prove your expertise by taking a preliminary exam or submitting the appropriate documentation.
You can find online tutoring jobs at:
6. Transcriptionist
Transcribers listen to audio files and transcribe (type) them into written documents. Transcription jobs tend to be independent contracting positions and require quick and accurate typing skills, excellent listening skills, and a solid grasp of the English language. The nice thing about these positions is that they offer flexible scheduling, and you can usually take on as much or as little as you can handle.
You can find online transcription jobs at:
7. Virtual Assistant Jobs
Virtual assistants, VA for short, are skilled professionals who handle a wide variety of administrative tasks based on the client’s needs. Duties may include scheduling, calendar maintenance, data entry, writing, editing, booking travel, marketing, and more. Virtual assistants must be detail-oriented, have excellent communication skills, and be excellent time handlers.
If this sounds like a dream job, check out:
8. Ways to Make Extra Cash
If you want to make a little money in your spare time, consider short task gigs, where you can work on projects like AI training, translation, creative writing, paid surveys, search engine evaluation, and more!
For 1099 companies to explore, check out:
Legitimate Alternatives to Stuffing Envelopes
If you’re still feeling uneasy about your work at home job search, check out the paid membership site FlexJobs. Every single job listed on their website is hand-screened for legitimacy. So, when you apply, you can rest assured that you won’t fall prey to a work from home scam. Not only does FlexJobs have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, but they also offer a money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied.
Want more legit work from home job leads? Sign up for my free newsletter, where I send out new vetted remote job leads twice a week.
Have you encountered the stuffing envelopes scam? What other fraudulent opportunities have you come across?
