Homeworking scams con-men found guilty of conspiracy to defraud
Conmen who fraudulently acquired money from hundreds of people in the West Yorkshire area have finally been brought to justice.
Three people who ran scam schemes advertising for people to earn money by making products at home were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud at Stafford Crown Court last week. Shaun Bernard Smith and Craig Bradley have been convicted on five counts, and Ralph Blore on two counts.
Over 100,000 people have lost money to these scams which have been running since 1994 under the business names of SBS Designs, Westbourne Products, Westbourne Products Ltd, The Craft Factory, Styleworld and Park-A-Car.
Homeworking Projects Co-ordinator (of the West Yorkshire Homeworking Unit), Catherine Portman, said "The fact that these individuals have been convicted puts the message across to other con-artists operating bogus homeworking schemes that they are committing a criminal offence and can be prosecuted."
West Yorkshire Homeworking Unit (part of Yorkshire and Humberside Low Pay Unit) has been contacted by hundreds of people who have sent money to these and similar schemes, only to find that the work is not genuine. Ultimately, people have lost their fee and received no payment for work they have done.
Catherine Portman continued "These scams are usually targeted at the poorest and most vulnerable people who are desperate for money, eg lone parents, disabled people, people who cannot leave the house for cultural reasons, and others who are at a disadvantage in the open labour market eg long-term unemployed, ex-offenders. This case shows the need for legislation to prevent such schemes being advertised or operated in the first place."
To avoid losing money to scams, West Yorkshire Homeworking Unit offers people the following advice:
- Beware of advertisements which invite you to send a stamped addressed envelope, particularly if it is to a PO Box address outside the area. This is usually the first indication of a scam.
- Do not send any money in return for a work kit or as a registration fee. Offers like these will almost certainly be scams. West Yorkshire Homeworking Unit has never come across genuine homework being offered in this way.
- Always remember: you should not have to pay to get work. The employer should pay you for work done.
- If you are in any doubt, find out more about the company. You can contact West Yorkshire Homeworking Unit or your local Trading Standards Department who can check whether advertisements are genuine.
