Scam Alert: Preston Lord Enterprises
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I received a direct mail letter about an income opportunity with Preston Lord Enterprises to “Get Paid For Mailing Our Special Letters From Home!” It says I can earn up to $5,000 per week. That’s pretty enticing. There are five “income groups” from which to choose: 1) earn $490 2) $690 3) $990 4) $2,900 and 5) $5,0000. The only catch? You have to pay. The first income group costs $99 while the fifth costs $399.
Are the red flags waving? I hope so, because this program has several.
First, you never pay money to get hired. The letter gives the same mumbo jumbo about the money being a fee to “insure that you’re serious” and “for our accountant to set up a payroll plan”. This is ridiculous. Think about all the other jobs you’ve held. Were you ever asked to pay money to prove you want a job or to put you on payroll? Not if the job was legitimate.
Second, envelop stuffing is a known scam. Odds are what you get for your money is the same letter you received that you send out to dupe other people into sending money and duping more people.
I did a little research and could only find one person who said the program was legit, but she was so rude to the people who had a bad experience, you couldn’t help but think she was with the company or a shill (someone paid to say nice things).
My research indicates that this program was once known as Maxwell Gates Enterprises, which the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General and the Division of Consumer Affairs filed suit against “alleging that they defrauded consumers through offers to earn income by stuffing envelopes or assembling booklets.” This is typical of scammers. Shut down the scam when the heat is on and start up under a new name.
Here’s what’s important for you to know regarding these types of scams:
1) Envelop stuffing is never legit. Companies aren’t going to pay $10 an envelope to get stuffed when they can pay someone minimum wage or use a machine.
2) Employers are never going to ask you to give money to prove you’re serious about a job or to get on payroll.
Programs like this take advantage of people’s desperation that often leaves them gullible. The letter says all the right things, like a a money-back guarantee, but scammers will say anything to dupe you. And they try to make it seem like all you have to do is sign-up to do menial work. But since starting Work-At-Home Success in 1998, I’ve met many successful home-based workers and NOT ONE is stuffing envelopes. Instead, they are using skills, experiences and interests they have to make a living.
About LTruex
Leslie Truex is an ideaphoric writer, speaker, entrepreneur, social worker and mom trying to do it all from the comfort of her home. Since 1998, she's been helping others create careers they love by providing work-at-home information and resources through Work-At-Home Success.
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Note: Work-At-Home Success contains advertising as well as screened work-at-home jobs and resources. Some posts may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive compensation if you register or buy using the link. Occasionally, WAHS publishes "Supporting Contributor" posts or paid reviews for which compensation is paid. These posts are marked as such. All opinions are my own.
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April 27, 2013 @ 12:06 pm
I tried the Preston Lord work at home. I paid $300 for a list of names & booklets to mail, with a MONEY BACK GUARENTEE. HA!!! I got a check but the check did NOT CLEAR. There was no such acct. Be ware..
April 28, 2013 @ 9:37 pm
Hi Diane, I’m sorry to hear you got taken by this company, but I appreciate your sharing your experience. Hopefully it will help save someone from going through the same thing. Thanks again.
May 9, 2013 @ 1:09 pm
my husband just sent them 400.00 dollars n we never got anything he is going to be pissed when he founds out this is a scam.. how can we get our money back
May 10, 2013 @ 10:02 am
Hi Dawn, I’m sorry to hear your husband got taken. I’m not sure you can get your money back but you can try 1) putting a stop payment on the check and letting you bank know 2) if you used a credit card, call the credit card company and tell them not to pay, 3) Call the attorney general in New Jersey (where Preston Enterprises is doing business) and report the scam. Good luck.
June 20, 2013 @ 6:28 pm
They have proof to me they telling the truth! They have pay for me to proof they telling the truth> Then I right! This is a scam! They can lie to you!
July 3, 2013 @ 1:00 pm
I received my letter today. The first thing I did was to get online and search for this company and I found your site! Something smelled funny to me also. I appreciate you doing the research and posting your findings so that perhaps others won’t be taken in.
July 4, 2013 @ 8:27 am
Thank you for your comment Frankie. I’m glad my article was able to help you! Thank you again.
July 7, 2013 @ 8:08 am
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP I THOUGHT IT WAS FISHY SO I DECIDE TO CHECK ONLINE APPRECIATE YOU STOPPING ME AND/OR SOMEONE ELSE GETTING TAKEN
July 9, 2013 @ 7:55 am
Hi K – Glad I could help. I know find the best work-at-home option can be hard, especially with all the scams. Thanks for sharing your comment. – Leslie
July 8, 2013 @ 11:05 am
I was seriously thinking about doing the Preston Lord Enterprises scam but thanks to you, the letter is going into the trash.
MLR
July 9, 2013 @ 7:51 am
Hi Mary Lou, I was glad I was able to help you. When it comes to working at home, I suggest that you first learn about it and what people really do, then inventory your skills and intersts to find a job or other option. Looking for a way to sign up to to work at home, is often how you end up coming across scams. Good luck! – Leslie
July 24, 2013 @ 3:43 pm
Thanks so much for all the information. When it looks to good to be true IT IS!!! I also received the letter and it does look enticing. However, mumble jumble of words in the letter about free postage, then reimburseable postage, and pay before you work made red flags all over. I wish an attorney general could shut this company down again!!!! Sad that America has crap business like this and prey on the less fortunate here. In the garbage goes my letter!!!
July 25, 2013 @ 9:32 am
Hi Sandy, I’m glad you threw your letter away. So far I’ve gotten 3 letters from this “company”. I agree, it’s too bad people prey on the hopes and fears of others. Sometimes they do get shut down and have to pay damages, but in most cases, the victims never get their money back. Thanks for sharing your experience!
August 11, 2013 @ 2:32 am
thanks, I am scanning my letter into an email and sending it to the attorney general in NJ.
Every body should
if you get a chance put the website of the NJ attorney gen. on here and encourage folks to send it in.
August 12, 2013 @ 8:07 am
Hi Michael – Great idea. For anyone else wanting to file a complaint, you can do through the New Jersey Attorney General’s office. Thank you for commenting.
August 20, 2013 @ 5:10 am
Just got my letter today and the first thing I did was check it out! Thankfully, there’s the Internet! It must cost them a pretty penny to send out all their scam letters, so you know they’re making money off of the unfortunate souls that get sucked in! I don’t know how they sleep at night, taking advantage of others who are struggling! Sad! Thanks for your help… you’ve kept many others from going through unnecessary headaches!
August 20, 2013 @ 11:41 am
Scammers are the reason I want to believe in karma. Hopefully they’ll suffer equal or more than the suffering they cause. I do wonder how people talk themselves into stealing from others. I guess they don’t care. Thanks for posting. I’m glad you were able to stay safe.
August 22, 2013 @ 12:17 am
I got the same letter today and I thought that it was too good to be true so I too did research and I am glad to find out about this being a scam. Thanks for the information.
August 22, 2013 @ 12:02 pm
Hi Danielle, I’m glad you took the time to research and didn’t fall for the scam. If more people did their research first, places like this wouldn’t be able to hurt people. Thank you for commenting.
August 29, 2013 @ 12:37 pm
Dear Mrs. L Truex,
Thank you for the information about this SCAM. I really hate it when people get scammed by clowns like this. With today’s economy, and people hungry for work, it’s easy for them to be taken advantage of.
I received my letter today from Preston Enterprise’s and decided to research it, since it sounded really to good to be true, and I’m really glad I did. I’m a disabled Vet and unable to work looking for ways to make extra money. Glad I didn’t send in any money.
Thanks again for the heads up.
Lonnie Crider
August 30, 2013 @ 8:38 am
Hi Lonnie, I’m glad I was able to help you save your money and avoid being taken in. You’re right. I don’t know how people sleep at night knowing they’re stealing money from people who can’t afford to be taken advantage of. Thank you for posting your comment!
September 2, 2013 @ 12:43 pm
good day LTrux, i received a letter from P. L. E. a few days days ago, and i was contemplating on sending in money to try this, but something told me to look it up first before doing it. like other folks i have been looking for a way to make extra money to pay bills and it sounded good. but then i saw all these alerts for a scam, thanks for all your hard work in finding out it is a scam. i will save my hard earned money now. thanks again.
September 2, 2013 @ 2:13 pm
Hi Tina, I’m so glad I was able to help you avoid losing your money! Thank you for sharing your story!
September 3, 2013 @ 4:18 am
L Truex,
Thank you for providing this information and venue to share. I so appreciate reading about this “Enterprise”. And I am glad I checked on this. I too was considering participating, after receiving a second letter from the Preston Lord group. I am disappointed because I am looking for a way to earn from home, and this seemed promising.
Thank you again for sharing this information.
September 3, 2013 @ 8:50 am
Hi P Suey, I’m so glad I was able to help! There are lots of great ways to earn money from home. But Preston Lord isn’t one of them. Good luck.
September 7, 2013 @ 2:22 pm
I received my letter today. First thing I did was search google to make sure it was a scam. Thank you for your post. Too bad because I could use the extra $
September 12, 2013 @ 8:32 am
thanks for the help- any suggestions for someone who wants about 15 hours a week at home on something that is what they say it is :))
September 17, 2013 @ 7:48 am
Hi Steve, There are many part-time work-at-home opportunities. But finding work starts with knowing the skills and experience you have to offer and then looking for work that needs what you can offer. Good luck!
September 18, 2013 @ 9:39 am
I live on a set income and I sent you a money order so I would not have to wait On my package to be sent to me and it has been a week now and I have not heard from you yet. If I don’t receive my money back or the Package I will contact my lawyer and have him Dill with you
September 19, 2013 @ 8:57 am
Hi Anna, If you’re talking about making an order from Preston Lord Enterprises, you’re going to have to contact that company. I have nothing to do with this company and in fact, I warn people away from sending money to this program.
December 26, 2013 @ 6:57 pm
Hey L Truex
I got my letter today and read through it and figured better do some research and sure enough it was a scam. Thank you for posting this website on this scam. Sorry to hear about all the others that got scammed cause they make it sound like a great job to make extra money. Iam looking for a small job while at college to help pay for some expenses and have a little time on my hands to do so.
So If you have any online work at home jobs that can be trusted, would be muchly be appreciated if you can offer a few.
I have many skills but going to school to get my associates degree in diesel mechanics so anything that is needs mechanical or construction skills. I also have a computer and internet access for computer jobs.
Thank You
Kelly
December 27, 2013 @ 8:54 am
Hi Kelly – I’m glad you had the idea to check out the letter before sending money. If more people researched first, they’re be less of them falling victim to scams. The best option for flexible work is through freelancing. You can find freelance work through a variety of sites such as Odesk and Elance. Another option is microworking, such as through Mechanical Turk. Good luck!
December 29, 2013 @ 12:02 am
Only way they convince me this isn’t scam! They have pay for me! Only way they are not lying! They have pay for me! How I know they are lying to me?
January 6, 2014 @ 11:35 pm
Hi Thomas, Any program that asks for money, isn’t offering a job. If it says it’s a job offer, but asks for money, you know it’s a scam.
January 23, 2014 @ 5:00 pm
Just got is same letter in the mail everyone is referring to. What a scam!! Glad to know people are aware of this. I am going to file my letter with the New Jersey Attorney Office. These scamers should be made to pay all the $$ back to everyone they cheated!
January 24, 2014 @ 10:03 am
I’m glad you checked it out and stayed safe!
February 16, 2014 @ 10:17 pm
I sent them $199.00 plus $49.00 for stamps and never heard from them again! This a money making business!FOR THEM!!!
February 17, 2014 @ 9:01 am
Yikes, TC. I’m sorry to hear you got scammed. Be sure to file a complaint with the FTC and you may want to contact the Attorney General in New Jersey as well.
February 19, 2014 @ 5:40 pm
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR INPUT ON THIS PRESTON LORD THING THEY TOOK MY MONEY ALSO. I TO WOULD LIKE TO WORK FROM HOME AND MAKE SOME EXTRA MONEY.ARE THERE ANY ONES THAT WE CAN TRUST AROUND IF SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW ABOUT IT.
February 20, 2014 @ 11:45 am
Peggy, I’m glad you did research before sending money off to an envelope stuffing scam. There are lots of ways to make money at home, but the first step is learning about working and home and inventorying your skills, experiences, hobbies, interests and passions. Nearly everyone I know who works at home tapped into a skill or interest they already had to find or create income from home. Good luck.
February 20, 2014 @ 10:44 am
I received the letters in the mail yesterday and read them over last night. Just like everyone else I was intrigued by the $$$$$ they said I could make by just stuffing envelopes. So this morning I got on the Internet and was going to look the company up on the Better Business Bureau to see if they were a legitimate company and if there were any complaints. That is when I saw your site and immediately read your information. I appreciate your information and the letters are going in the trash. I am so eager to find an at home business that I can use my skills to make money that I get excited when I see “scams” like this. I need to be careful like you say and research before I jump into anything. Thanks again.
February 20, 2014 @ 11:43 am
I’m so glad you decided to research before sending off your money, Pam! There are many opportunities to work at home, but they aren’t in envelope stuffing or other scams. There is lots of information here at Work-At-Home Success you can check out for jobs or home business ideas. Good luck!
February 23, 2014 @ 5:20 pm
My god-mother just receive a letter from Preston Lord Enterprise and ask me if I ever heard of them, as soon as she read the letter I told her to trash it. I have search, reviewed so many so call work from home companies. I work from home now. 1 company is a business and yes I did have to buy my material 50$ I made 4 purchase (200$) total that I spent that was in 2012, last year 2013 I didn’t spend a dime but I still receive a check every month even up until today, because peoples use the product. There are real work-from-home business but most peoples don’t want to put the work into it.
February 24, 2014 @ 10:14 am
Hi Murell, I’m glad you know to research and of course work. I think you’re right in that many people are looking for fast, easy ways to make money at home. But working at home is like working anywhere else. Thank you for sharing your experience.
March 4, 2014 @ 10:58 pm
Hi,
We got their letter today, March 4, 2014. Hubby got real interested and handed it to me. I was very sceptical about it, but he wanted me to read and consider it. Well, I thought, don’t companies that send out their bills in the mail have machines that can do this? The fees were a red flag, and I thought I would receive a box full of the exact same letter I received, kind of like a reverse Ponzi scheme. So I did some research on the web and found your website. Thank you so much for validating my concerns about this scam. The letter is going into the circular file!
March 5, 2014 @ 9:39 am
Hi Debi- I’m so glad you heeded your unease and did some research before sending your money! You’re right, businesses can use machine or on-site, minimum wage workers to stuff envelopes, etc. Thank you for sharing your experience.
March 14, 2014 @ 8:19 am
I’m glad this was posted, I had my doubts about this. My wife is disabled and was sent this because she would like to still earn an income. So I have been making it a habit to Goggle Everything, Thank you for doing so.
They have a 22 Minute video on youtube. They are claming it is a “GENUNIE Customer Review”.
The direct web address is;
http://www.youtube.com/watsh?v=I1GntVPAsPK
March 14, 2014 @ 11:15 am
I’m glad you did your research. I tried to view the video, but it’s not working. Karma maybe 🙂 Thank you for posting your comment.
March 24, 2014 @ 6:43 pm
These scum bags have to sleep at night,they will have to answer for what they are doing one day. All we can do is spread the word!!!!Shut them down!!!!
March 25, 2014 @ 7:47 am
I agree, the more we can inform people the better! Thank you for commenting, Devin.
March 25, 2014 @ 5:26 pm
Wow this company must think people don’t research things like this that comes out of the blue. Of course there are those who are that desperate. If they have the money to give them then they have to have the money for internet access. I got two letters in one day with different figures in both envelopes. That’s when I really knew that it was a scam. Of course I had to check to make sure. People use your brains and not the dollar signs in your eyes. Thanks for all the posts I did enjoy reading them.
March 26, 2014 @ 8:37 am
Unfortunately Jessica, I imagine many people are duped. You’re right that many get taking in by the hype and forget to use their common sense. Thank you for leaving your comment!!
April 3, 2014 @ 12:07 pm
Another idea might be to report them to the United States Postal Service Inspection Service that will investigate Fraud.
April 4, 2014 @ 8:19 am
Good point Fred. Since it uses the US postal to deliver its scam, it can be reported to the postal service for fraud.
April 15, 2014 @ 5:41 pm
hi am Kathy I believe I have been scanned with this so called company, what should I do to report this ploblem?????
April 16, 2014 @ 10:00 am
Hi Kathy, You can let the Attorney General of the stat the scammer is doing business in know. Preston Lord is in New Jersey (NJ Consumer Affairs). You can also let the Federal Trade Commission know. Neither of these will get your money back, but hopefully if enough people complain, they’ll investigate.
May 2, 2014 @ 6:28 pm
I have been online most of the day researching Preston Lord Enterprises. the address can be found online and seems to be ok. But there was no way I could find a phone number listed for this business..
I only found 2 or 3 positive comments on the company on utube… the one that almost convinced me was from Stanley Masterson….I’m glad I spent the time researching
I’m really sorry, but it does seem that they do not want to be reached by phone, at least until after they receive your Money…..
I’m afraid to risk it.
thanks for your service.
May 5, 2014 @ 9:15 am
Hi Ron, You’re right to do your research and find out as much as possible. It’s always best to go with your gut when something doesn’t feel quite right. I’m glad you found the post and it was able to help you.
June 11, 2014 @ 9:32 pm
preston lord enterprise scam me he tells u to go to infousa.com this is who get u your contacts i call also got on internet they are the company that print out contacts for business
June 12, 2014 @ 10:42 am
That makes sense, because the scam is about duping others into spending their hard earned money. But I didn’t realize they made their victims buy their own leads. Sheesh!
July 1, 2015 @ 10:19 pm
I receive about two of these scam letters a year. The last one was from Carson Lord Enterprises, I pretty sure he is also Preston Lord. It said the same as your letter did. He needed me to send him $99.00 to get started. Of course he had other amounts for the different money group I could join. Everyone thank you for posting your comments about this person and I hope that everyone he send this garbage do what I did. Research him and for God sake DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY!!!!!!!
July 2, 2015 @ 9:22 am
So glad to hear you did your research first Allea! And thank you for sharing the new name. Many scammers change their name once the bad news about them gets out. Thank you for commenting!!