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Job ads sometimes seek workers to stuff envelopes at home. Because most companies do this activity in-house, often using mailing machines, these listings are usually scams. Prospective workers might have to pay for equipment and supplies, a bad sign for any job.

Have you ever heard the expression, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is?” Although there are many excellent jobs you can work remotely, jobs stuffing envelopes from home are not included in that category. Even the Federal Trade Commission has had to weigh in on this work-from-home scam as people keep getting sucked in.

A sample ad for this type of job is this one: Would You Stuff Envelopes for Thousands Weekly? The ad makes it seem like thousands of dollars will be in your hands within a couple of weeks.

Should you sign up, or do you see the red flags in this job alert?

What Is The Job Of An Envelope Stuffer?

Stuffing envelopes is just what it sounds like – putting written material in an envelope, addressing it, and sending it. Despite the prevalence of electronic communications, some businesses occasionally need envelopes stuffed.

In the 1950s, companies might have needed to hire people to perform this type of mail service. Now, however, companies that do mass mailing have automated machinery to do it at a much faster pace than humans can.

Alternatively, an administrative assistant or other persons on staff may handle occasional mailings. This is the type of job that a switchboard operator or receptionist can do between calls.

Assistant handling mailing

The reality is that the job of dedicated envelope stuffers does not exist, but that does not stop scammers from trying to get people to buy into so-called job listings.

What Are The Requirements To Do This Job?

All you need to stuff envelopes at home is the stamina to do the job and the materials to put into the envelopes. Pretty simple, right?

Why Is Stuffing Envelopes From Home A Scam?

After applying for envelope stuffing jobs, people are often required to buy a starter kit. Once people have their kits, they learn that the way to make money is to sell kits to other unsuspecting jobseekers, not stuffing envelopes.

Starter kit for mialing at home

Why is it that companies that advertise “work from home stuffing envelopes” make people pay for a starter kit? It is because most envelope-stuffing scams are MLM pyramid schemes.

The FTC and Better Business Bureau verify that envelope-stuffing jobs are almost always a scam.

The Federal Trade Commission has halted a bogus envelope-stuffing scheme. People who sought to work either part-time or full-time stuffing envelopes lost a whopping $7 million as they invested in purchasing a starter pack to begin working on the mailers. Sadly, what they found themselves pulled into is a bogus pyramid scheme.

Furthermore, if you look up “envelope-stuffing home opportunities” on the Better Business Bureau website, you will find that they do not endorse this as a work-from-home job. Read the red flags. Don’t fall for this home scam!

How Much Do You Get Paid For Stuffing Envelopes At Home?

According to ZipRecruiter, the average person can make approximately $32,499 annually for stuffing envelopes. A little further digging and you will find statistics promising as much as $2,000 per week for doing this task.

We call BS on this statistic. Why? Because with very little research, you can see that stuffing envelopes from home is not a legitimate business. Rather, it is a pyramid scheme.

Stuffing envelopes from home WFH scam

Envelope stuffing is a very low-skill job, so it stands to reason it is unlikely to pay anyone big bucks to perform this service. Reputable businesses are likely to either have a mechanized way to do this, or paid clerks administrative assistants to perform this and other tasks. The point is, legitimate businesses do not need to hire extra people to stuff envelopes.

The only likely exceptions to this are non-profits and political campaigns. They may pay people a few dollars to come to the office to prepare mailings. It is costly to send materials to be mailed mailing to a worker’s home.

How Do You Become An Envelope Stuffer?

The answer to how to become an envelope stuffer is that if you are smart, you don’t. If you are looking for remote work that is a real job you can do from the comfort of your own home, this is not it.

If you are looking to become an envelope stuffer, try googling the position. You should quickly ascertain that it is a scam.

Don't fall for envelope stuffing scams

How Can You Identify A Scam Job?

Wondering how to identify a job scam like this?

  • Salary sounds too good to be true
  • You did not apply but got a random email offering you the position
  • Vague job description or job title
  • Suspicious URL.
  • Payment required upfront to get started
  • Missing contact information of the employer

Why Do People Keep Falling For This Scam?

Many people want a get-rich-quick scheme, and when looking for work-at-home jobs, this one keeps popping up. There are a lot of red flags that should keep people from passing up legitimate work and trying for scam jobs, but sometimes people desperate for work make big mistakes.

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Pam Berg

A former English teacher and currently an elementary principal in a rural school, Pam entered the world of working remotely about four years ago. Also an avid runner, she was approached by a digital company to write articles related to fitness and exercise. This launched a part-time job of writing on a variety of different topics. Pam enjoys the flexibility of working from home on a per diem basis when her schedule allows.

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