CR Associates

Victim No 1 - Bernie

" I had a nasty experience with CR Associates quite a while ago. We were desperate for money due to unfortunate circumstances and I answered an advertisement in a local shop window. The job was addressing labels by hand. I sent in £30 registration fee which was due to refunded along with my first wage. I was sent a page out of a telephone directly, a roll of labels and a pen. I duly completed the labels and returned them (I had to pay for the postage). They were returned to me with another roll of labels stating that they were not their usual standard. I repeatedly re-wrote the labels and returned them. After the first 3 or 4 occasions I realised I had been ripped off. I requested my registration fee to be refunded but they stated that as they still had work available for me they were not obliged to do so. I kept returning the labels, eventually I didn't even put a stamp on the envelope but eventually gave up.

I now work full time as a PA and know better than to get involved with agencies such as these. Luckily I was only bitten once but I can imagine that other people in desperate situations would be caught out time and time again.

Is there nothing to stop these people ripping off people?"

Victim No 2 - Barbara

I've also had problems with CR Associates. I sent off £25 for homework,  just to receive a referral booklet from them
with more addresses to contact - no work!!

A professional looking brochure was included from a company called  Procraft International, who offered all kinds of craft work. I sent off
another £20 to them and received a kit to make a set of 3 boxes - the instructions were wrong and the boxes wouldn't close!!  I rang them up and they were very nice, apologising and offered me more work free of charge, so I signed up for quilling. When it arrived I had to make 3 cards of increasing complexity, exactly to the templates - impossible!!

I tried this 3 times, each time having my work returned as unsuitable
and each time seeing no pay for my efforts. After contacting them again and complaining vociferously, I tried putting
pins on card (5 times!!!!) and addressing labels (6 times!!!!!) again with  no success and no money.  Eventually, having also wasted money on umpteen phone calls and  stamps/envelopes to send work back, I gave up hope of having any  work accepted, or of seeing my total of £40 ever again.

Two weeks ago I was contacted by Telford and Wrekin Council to inform me that they'd found my address on the database of Procraft
and that their Trading Standards Department was investigating them regarding possible breaches of criminal law!! Of course, I was more
than willing to provide them with all the details of my experience with the company.   Although I'm not going to see my money again, it's good to know that  these companies are being dealt with and I hope my experience helps any other people out there looking for home work and being conned.

I'm still looking for legitimate home work as I'm not able to go out to work due to illness, but my hopes are fading week by week as I read
other people's horror stories of how we are taken advantage of. I'm glad  sites like yours are prepared to name and shame these companies
long may you continue!!!