Such advertisements are deceptive and misleading and should simply be ignored or reported to authorities. When you respond to their earn-money stuffing-envelope pitch you envision that the company making the offer will send you brochures which you will fold, stuff into envelopes, seal and return to the company for which you will receive payment of 25 cents each.

But that's not the way the scheme works. In order to receive any information you will have to send them some sort of initial non-returnable payment, usually between $10 and $25. By return mail you receive some information and an agreement form which you are asked to read and sign.

The information packet starts with their suggestion that you place an ad in your local newspaper which reads: "Address and Mail commission circulars at home and be flooded with offers. For offer and details rush stamped, self-addressed envelope and 25 cents service fee" to a particular address. Here you are asked to insert your name. You are also expected to pay for the classified ad.

When work-hungry consumers in your area read your ad and respond, you "stuff" the self-addressed envelope your victims sent to you into a larger envelope and return it to the company. As promised, they let you keep the enclosed 25 cents for each one you send, as payment, but you must pay the postage for anything you send to them.

So in order to make any money yourself you must pay for classified ads and bilk more consumers out of a quarter, a stamp and the time they spent responding to your advertisement. Envelope stuffing schemes are essentially pyramid schemes or chain letters combined with a "how-to" element.

These ads are targeting housebound people of limited means, such as mothers with young children and the disabled who find the convenience of working out of the house very attractive. 

One con who charged from $10 to $45 for info on how to earn good money working at home, stuffing envelopes and stapling booklets, managed to defraud about $200,000 from thousands of people from around the country.

Being charged in a criminal information with two counts of mail fraud means he has waived indictment by a federal grand jury. A criminal information is considered the prelude to a guilty plea.  People who requested refunds got either no response or checks that bounced.