Freelance Home Writers Scam
I love the internet, but no matter how careful you think you are, it can still be easy to be taken in by clever advertising and be the victim of a scam - and it happened to me recently. Freelance Home Writers appear to offer a great service for people who are interested in earning money from writing: training, jobs, e-books and more.
They draw you in - often with an email saying you have been “selected” to register with a special $2.95 registration fee. If you read the small print, you will find that this is a seven day trial period and there is then a monthly charge of $49.95. However, they also state that if you are not satisfied, there is an 8 week money-back guarantee.
I joined, but found that most of the material on the site is easily found elsewhere for free. There is no “direct connection” with employers - just a searchable list of jobs that you can find in many freelance writers’ databases such as Elance.
What I do find suspicious about this company is that there are never any follow-up emails, and because I became very busy after I signed up, I almost forgot that I had joined until I saw the money going out of my account!
Remembering the 8 week money back guarantee, I sent them a message through their online contact form asking them to cancel my account and refund my money. I received no reply.
I then sent them an email, asking the same thing. I have had absolutely no response. My account is still active, and this month the second payment of $49.95 went out of my credit card account.
I have now contacted my bank and they have stopped any further payments, and are going to try and help me get my money back.
I have since come across this forum thread and found that other people have had the same problem with this company: http://www.work-at-home-forum.com/14_7144_0.htm This thread also gives some good links to free sites if you are interested in freelance writing.
I have to admit that I did the very thing that I am often warning others not to do! That is, sign up for something without doing any research or asking around.
But it goes to show that these people can make these offers look incredibly genuine. Also their website does look legitimate - and a newbie could easily think that they are getting a good deal and be paying this ridiculous fee for months before realising that it is a con.
So - let this be a warning! Don’t give your credit card details to anything until you have a) read the small print, and b) done your research!
And, whatever you do, stay away from Freelance Home Writers!
Ros Bott
PS. Are you looking for a legitimate business opportunity that has a mission to change the world? You’ve found it here.
Achieve Financial Freedom Online
Professional Coaching for Your Change of Career
Tags: earning money from writing, freelance home writers, scam
October 4th, 2008 at 4:36 am
Suggest you to provide link to
http://www.allscamsforum.com
and encourage your readers to use the All Scams Forum and get a link back !
allscamsforum at gmail dot com
October 4th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Thank you Ros for highlighting this obvious scam.
It is as you say, so easy to get caught out. I hope your bank manages to resolve the issue for you.
Good luck.
Graham
October 6th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Great article Ros, many people get caught up with this problem. I know because I was one of them. Thanks for the warning and I hope that a lot of people take their to to read it.
October 8th, 2008 at 12:54 am
Yes Ros we have all been taken in by a scam at some point in our life. Another one to stay away from is http://www.1on40.com
November 1st, 2008 at 7:42 am
Thanks Ros, good information. My name is Andrew Loraditch and I recently wrote a memoir entitled, 90 Minutes (the memoirs of an unlikely timeshare salesman). I walked away from this career about 7 months ago, I was a sales manager (closer), because I could no longer believe in what I was pitching. This book is disturbingly funny and cynical and I hope that anyone who loves a good book, has taken a timeshare presentation or who has bought timeshare — will read it.
November 24th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Thanks Ros, I was considering becoming a member, but thanks to you and your article, I will definitely not. In these financially trying times it is difficult to find that extra income to make ends meet. I know I’m not alone in seeking a viable work at home program that is not a scam! Good luck in resolving your refund.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Thanks Tony.
You will all be glad to know that I eventually did get a full refund - but it took several weeks and I had to send a written letter by post (!) before they would do this.
November 26th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Thanks Ros! I hope your card used was a Capitalone card. They will get your money back. They have an outstanding fraud unit that take no prisoners!
January 1st, 2009 at 1:15 pm
Thank you so much for your honest review, I hope you got your money back. It is hard to break into the writing business and I am glad for your truth and the lead to Elance.com
January 5th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
I was about to do this since I love to write and I decided to see if there had been anyone complaining…thank you…you have saved me time and trouble!!!
January 6th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Thank you for this feedback.. I was impressed with their Ad, and was about to give them my credit card, when suddenly, I decided to conduct some additional research..fortunately, I found your review.. I stop me dead on the tracks.. Now I have blocked their emails from coming in.. Another scam..
Every time somebody tries to sell me something in the internet, I just have to do some research and quickly, I find the truth behind all those invitations, from Slim Easy Pro shakes to this Ad for work from home.. Thank you again for your feedback..