Is Inver Research Group of Torrance, CA 90505 a legitimate business?

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Request for Question Clarification by alienintelligence-ga on 28 Aug 2002 02:41 PDT

Hi glennk714...

After a few minute search of the
net, using google and other search
engines, as well as Superpages.com,
I find nothing mentioning their group.

This does not mean they don't exist...
but who isn't on the net in some way
nowadays?

Are you sure of the spelling? Have a
phone #? Where did you see them at?

thanks,
-AI

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Clarification of Question by glennk714-ga on 28 Aug 2002 12:55 PDT

I was contacted by them through a series of emails. I've been looking
for home work since now I'm quite confined by the use of a cane or
wheelchair. Their Email offered $1.00 for each pre-addressed and
stamped envelope stuffed with one sheet of paper that I have to fold
w/2 creases to fit into a #10 envelope.

I think they got my name by buying it from one of those web sites that
has a pop-up of 'work at home, make a reasonable living...'

Possible clues...

They SPAM.
http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=20020805224931.30963.qmail%40web40309.mail.yahoo.com&output=gplain

They are a "work-at-home" program.

They charge an up-front fee.

They have the same ad as...
Easy Money!
3727 w. Magnolia Blvd # 208
Burbank, CA 91510
http://www.matrixlist.com/pipermail/sirweb/2002-May/000043.html
New Wave Services
17328 Ventura Blvd # 244 - 5662
Encino, CA 91316 
http://csf.colorado.edu/archive/2001/balance/msg00438.html
Parallax Business Services
16032 Sherman Way # 75 - 2331
Van Nuys, CA 91406
http://www.jcu.edu.au/office/itr/archives/matlab/msg00019.shtml
Central Solutions, Credit Replenishers, Secure Services,...

They are not incorporated. (Not as significant as prior indicators)
http://www.corp.ca.gov/fsd/lic/index.pl

According to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, "In practically all
businesses, envelope stuffing has become a highly mechanized operation
using sophisticated mass mailing techniques and equipment which
eliminates any profit potential for an individual doing this type of
work-at-home. The Inspection Service knows of no work-at-home
promotion that ever produces income as alleged."
http://www.bbb.org/library/workathome.asp

Know that if it says "this is perfectly legal," it probably isn't.
http://www.fraud.org/internet/inttip/worktip.htm

The first tip-off that a “job” is not a “job” is that it asks you to
pay a fee.
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/6143/74670

State, Federal Law Enforcers Launch Sting on Business Opportunity,
Work-at-Home Scams
77 Operations Charged With Law Violations
...
The operations ranged from envelope stuffing work-at-home schemes to
snack and soda vending machine businesses.
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2002/06/bizopswe.htm

Alienintelligence's comment about the phone # reminded me that no
phone is another clue (no phone, no email, only po boxes for all of of
these ads).  They just want you to send in that check.

"IMPORTANT: $50.00 ENCLOSED [$45 + $5 Postage and Handling]"  Gee,
it's not even $45 like they mentioned earlier, but $50.

Internet-Scam Sweep Targets 19 Online Fraudsters
...
In one case, a Florida company named Stuffingforcash.com told
consumers they could earn up to $2,000 per week stuffing envelopes at
home after paying an initial $45 deposit, but then failed to send the
promised envelope-stuffing materials.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20020730/wr_nm/tech_scams_dc_3

Perhaps you want to expire this question and ask a more general new
question.  (Or ask it as a clarification)

"How can I get legitimate work at home?"

You might want to list some of your skills: what you can do with your
hands, things you know, special equipment you own.

I can't into much detail right now, but here a few thoughts.

Can you type?  There may be some data entry positions.
There might be some phone support/marketing positions.  That also
might require some typing.  (Hopefully, don't become one of those
annoying telemarketers).
Can you do research?  Maybe become a researcher for Google Answers (if
they start accepting apps again).
Computers and the internet has made it much easier to do work from
home.

With the ADA (American Disability Act), employers are more
accommodating.  There may be some government agencies that help with
job placement.

"Their Email offered $1.00 for each pre-addressed and
stamped envelope stuffed with one sheet of paper that I have to fold
w/2 creases to fit into a #10 envelope."
That is too much for too little work.  See my previous post about much
of that being automated now.  Most people could probably do it by hand
in under 10 seconds so that would be a $360/hr job.  If it was
legitimate, they would probably pay about $.01 per envelope.

People who contact you this way are more likely ones who want to take
your money.