The attorney general of the state of Oregon is warning consumers about a jewelry scam in which a company offers free jewelry for the cost of shipping and handling. Consumers in Oregon have reported receiving an offer that arrives through the mail on what looks like a green U.S. Postal Service tracking notice. "It says $50 worth of jewelry has been sent to you, but you must pay a processing fee of $6.95. The card gives a toll free number." The company involved, Consumer Clearinghouse Distributors, owned by Emerson Direct of Naples, Florida, has been investigated in the past.
Jewelers have valued the offered piece, a so-called pearl-and-diamond, "gold-toned" necklace, at about $1. "It costs another $1 to ship the junk so the company is making approximately $4.95 per hit," according to the attorney general. Although the card carries a disclaimer that the promotion is not affiliated with the postal service, it is barely visible; the card is clearly designed to look like postcards used by the U.S. Postal Service and parcel delivery services.
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