I am also pleased to have the support of Senator Durbin , with whom I have worked very closely on many consumer issues. Mr. President, several months ago, prompted by complaints that I have received from my constituents in Maine, I initiated an investigation into sweepstakes fraud and deceptive mailings. Over the course of this investigation, I have seen countless examples of mailings that deceptively promise extravagant prizes in order to entice consumers to make unnecessary and unneeded purchases. Unfortunately, this calculated confusion works far too often. In one particularly egregious example, one deceptive mailing prompted some of its victims to fly to Florida, believing that they then would be the first to claim the grand prize promised in a major sweepstakes.
Deceptive mailings take many forms.
I have blown up a copy of the postcard she received so you can see just how deceptive this mailing was. Of course, this was not a legitimate mailing from the Federal Government, but simply a ploy used by an unscrupulous individual to trick an unsuspecting consumer into sending money. Mr. President, millions of Americans have received sweepstakes letters that use deceptive marketing ploys to encourage the purchase of magazines and other products. A constituent of mine from Portland, ME, received this mailing, but, of course, he wasn't really a winner. I have heard sad stories from many people who have described personal horror stories caused by these deceptive mailings.