Do those "make money from home" schemes really work?

Factual Questions
1

I’ve seen articles in the classifieds that claim you can make money - up to $3000 a week some cases - by stuffing envelopes at home. They say that they offer free supplies mailed to your house as well.

So has anybody tried this, or know how it works?

2

It doesn’t.

3

Yes!
I have made upwards of $5000 a day using my own special technique that requires no experience, special tools, or down payments! If you send away for my explanatory pamphlet (only $29.95) you too can learn how to make as much as $7000 dollars a day with a minimal amount of effort! Many people have tried my system and all have managed to make their dreams come true! Whether it is paying off the mortgage or buying a small island, you will be able to make anything happen when you send away for my cheap and easy $69.95 information system. Imagine, working only 2-3 hours a day and making as much as $15000! No education, people or even language skill are necessary! All you need is the desire to succeed and go for your dreams! DO you have that desire? Do you have the real want necessary to go out and finally grasp what life owes you? Then learn what the American dream really is and send today!

4

They are pyramid scams where you send out envelopes to ignorant people, saying “send me $30 and I’ll tell you how to make money at home stuffing envelopes.” If they send you the money, you tell them the secret, where the secret is to join the pyramid scam and sell the secret to getting people to send you $30. (Smart people will demand an immediate refund of course.)

Same as “Make Money Fast” email spam, but if you use the US mail for the pyramid, the feds can jail you for mail fraud.

5

Oh, I see how it works.
I guess I never thought of a pyramid scam because I wasn’t quite sure about what a pyramid scam actually is.
Thanks for the help.

6

[hijack]
OMG, are you really the BBeaty who runs amasci.com?!
I love your site, and I have been going there for years! Keep up the great work!
[/hijack]

7

oh geez, a telemarketer actually signed up for the Straight Dope to post on the forums. freak! or if you’re not a freak. what the hell are you selling. (aren’t you not allowed to advertise in these forums?)

8

So is it ok if you only use UPS or Fedex? Seriously.

9

This scam has been plussed.

Now it’s “Duplicate tapes at home. No Porn”.

Here’s the deal: you dupe a video of you “explaining the above deal.”

Equally illegal.

10

Good info here:

http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/Telemarketing/Inbound/MinorIn/HowTo/work_at_home.htm