Mystery shoppers –- A New Jersey man has agreed to pay $919,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission that accused him of defrauding unemployed Americans who paid fees to get work-at-home jobs that rarely materialize. Wayne Verderber II and his company, Marketing Exchange Inc., agreed to surrender three rental properties, a Mercedes-Benz vehicle, precious metals and other assets to satisfy the judgment, the FTC said in a news release.
The FTC alleged in a lawsuit filed last year that Verderber and his company had offered to help customers get jobs stuffing envelopes or working as mystery shoppers but did not get them such jobs. As part of a settlement, Verderber and his company agreed to never again promote work-at-home jobs. The FTC, Better Business Bureau and other organizations caution people to be wary of companies that ask to be paid for job opportunities. Flood relief charities -– People who want to contribute to those affected by the Mississippi River flooding should be careful to select reputable charities, the Better Business Bureau cautioned in a recent bulletin. Donors should be wary of companies that are not registered with their states to solicit charitable contributions and view the charity’s website to make sure it’s reputable, the BBB said..............
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