Has anyone ever used this company before? (home-working one)

appleblossom · 28 January 2011 at 11:34AM

pro-stuffers.com have been advertising on our local gumtree (and just about every gumtree from what I can see from a google search) - I've had a look through the t&c's and am a bit concerned that I can't find the company address anywhere despite them having been set up for 5 years, and also a bit confused that it states Swansea,USA instead of Wales!.

They don't appear to have that many members (76 inc.myself) and that doesn't say who has actually paid the £2.50 fee so it may be that they have all just signed up to have a look into it more like me.

I don't know what other route I can go down to see if this is a genuine company?

Does anyone know of any similar genuine companies as am a SAHM looking to make some extra cash and not get scammed?

Thanks

geordie_joe · 28 January 2011 at 12:38PM

appleblossom wrote: »

I don't know what other route I can go down to see if this is a genuine company?

It's a scam. You could pay the £2.50 for membership and find out for yourself, but you will be giving it to scammers.

Notice how the site claims to offer work, but is charging you for membership. I suspect all you will get for your money is an email saying you have been put on the list for work, and never hear anything more.

For a company that has been around for 6 years, they don't appear in Companies House, have a web site on free web space and use a free email service.

If you google the address only they are found. I tried google maps and it says there's no North Hill Road in Swansea and the post code SA18YS doesn't exist.

I would keep well away from this site.

geordie_joe · 28 January 2011 at 12:45PM

Just been on the royal mail site, and it says,

There is no Blanchard House in Swansea, the post code SA18YS doesn't exist.

There is a North Hill Road in Swansea, but not with that post code and it doesn't have a Blanchard House on it.

Thatchapdean · 28 January 2011 at 1:11PM

Why oh why do people even consider something that charges you to earn money. Do people really lack that much common sense?

appleblossom · 28 January 2011 at 1:40PM

No I don't lack common sense thank you and I find that remark quite offensive.

I had already checked google maps, msn maps etc to find the 'company' location, I had checked companyalert and couldn't find them,I had emailed Steve James and had no reply hence why I posted here.

I registered with the address but did not pay the fee - most companies like this charge substantially more then £2.50 a month. - Genuine companies like Usbourne books, Avon, Body shop at home charge start up fees so it is not unusual for a company to make a charge.

My suspicions were confirmed by the first poster (thank you for your helpful reply and not sarcasm).

Seen as they have appeared to have done a massive gumtree/local site advertsing campaign over the last few weeks hopefully if someone visits here for advice on the company they will see this post and not be made to feel like a stupid bint for asking something in the first place!!

williacg · 28 January 2011 at 3:02PM

appleblossom wrote: »

No I don't lack common sense thank you and I find that remark quite offensive.

I had already checked google maps, msn maps etc to find the 'company' location, I had checked companyalert and couldn't find them,I had emailed Steve James and had no reply hence why I posted here.

I registered with the address but did not pay the fee - most companies like this charge substantially more then £2.50 a month. - Genuine companies like Usbourne books, Avon, Body shop at home charge start up fees so it is not unusual for a company to make a charge.

My suspicions were confirmed by the first poster (thank you for your helpful reply and not sarcasm).

Seen as they have appeared to have done a massive gumtree/local site advertsing campaign over the last few weeks hopefully if someone visits here for advice on the company they will see this post and not be made to feel like a stupid bint for asking something in the first place!!

Totally agree. You've alerted some other unsuspecting soul about the company status.

appleblossom · 28 January 2011 at 5:22PM

email to:

registered on your site last night following an advert on our local gumtree site.

I am interested in joining the company however am a little concerned over a couple of issues.

Googling the company only brings up recent adverts for recruitement yet your advert states the company has been going for over 5 years?

In the Terms and Conditions it states the company is registered in the states: This site (excluding any linked sites) is controlled by us from our offices within the Swansea, United States of America.

I have read all the info on the site but it doesn’t state if work is guaranteed or how long you would have to wait from registering to starting, or what type of quantities are required in order to receive payment.

I would be grateful for a response before making a membership payment – whilst you state that 97% of these sights are scams (I would probably say 99% are!) – I would need more reassurance that you are a genuine company due to the little and conflicting information I can find out the company.

REPLY:

Hi there, we are the recruitment team and therefore not responsible for the website and how it was put together and who runs it. our bosses run it but i doubt they are based in America. They have been running for a few years and i can attest to this but they have traded under a few names.
As for Google, they are very prone to doing what they like and adding companies when it suits them
The company is not as successful as most other AFFILIATES that are out there so this explains this and there may be the odd conflicting issue which i shall raise with my superiors when i see them but i don't think they should be shot down like this.
The Office of Fair trading and trading standards has looked at the company and vetted it and made sure all was fine so i don't think my bosses will be shutting their company down just because of a few errors.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention

kind Regards
RECRUITMENT

MY REPLY:
You seem a little defensive considering I was only enquiring as to if this were a genuine company or not.

“doubt they are based in America” – why does it state America in the term and conditions?

‘traded under a few names’ – not usual practice for a genuine company

‘google’ – I simply stated I could find nothing about the company so not sure of your point there.

'’odd conflicting issue’- hmm, false address, non-existent post-code, – was I shooting them down or was I asking for clarification?

‘OFT have looked at the company’ – under which name was it trading as at that point so I can contact them and ask them to confirm the company is genuine?

‘don’t think your bosses will be shutting down over a few errors’ – I didn’t for minute suggest they did.

I’m afraid your response has made me all the more wary of passing any money over – perhaps you would care to pass this mail to your boss so that they could pass comment or maybe they could answer the questions that I emailed about rather then defending them!

(Just to put closure on the thread)

appleblossom · 28 January 2011 at 10:33PM

At the risk of sounding even more so suspicious - the owner is not called Frank according to their website.

You state you are very close with him and have had weekly cheques from the company yet you have only had 3 (so you have become that familar in that short time?)

Last night there were 75 members (and they have been going 6 years on such a low number?) - tonight after bombarding all the free advertising sites they now have 96.

The email reply I received was certainly not professional and they have not responded to my last one.

The membership fee is not £1.50

You registered today and your one and only post has been about this - a company that has never been mentioned on here yet the day I make a post you suddenly join and leap to their defence?

Companies do not make errors with their postcodes when they are providing it as a mailing address!

Sorry, as much as I would like to believe it - I don't!

williacg · 28 January 2011 at 10:41PM

appleblossom wrote: »

At the risk of sounding even more so suspicious - the owner is not called Frank according to their website.

You state you are very close with him and have had weekly cheques from the company yet you have only had 3 (so you have become that familar in that short time?)

Last night there were 75 members (and they have been going 6 years on such a low number?) - tonight after bombarding all the free advertising sites they now have 96.

The email reply I received was certainly not professional and they have not responded to my last one.

The membership fee is not £1.50

You registered today and your one and only post has been about this - a company that has never been mentioned on here yet the day I make a post you suddenly join and leap to their defence?

Companies do not make errors with their postcodes when they are providing it as a mailing address!

Sorry, as much as I would like to believe it - I don't!

I agree, quite a coincidence! And so many inconsistencies.

williacg · 29 January 2011 at 9:15PM

MrsGSR wrote: »

That just says it all doesn't it!?

Not a surprising response though, as they're hardly likely to admit that they are scammers. Once people get wise to their bogus status, if they are scammers, they generally disappear and return later under a new name and start all over again.