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Regardless of the type of mail fraud taking place, all of them usually ask for money or personal information. If you receive a mailing that does not look familiar, read through it and look for common fraudulent practices. If you see something that usually occurs in fraudulent mailings, be suspicious. For example, fraudulent mailings commonly: Require you to pay "insurance", "processing", or "service" fees. Ask you to provide someone with personal information, including Social Security numbers and credit card information. Promise things that are too good to be true (e.g., unreasonable returns on investments, loans for people with bad credit). Pressure you into making decisions quickly (e.g., require that you respond to the mailing within a matter of days). If you get a mailing that looks out of the ordinary, do some research. A lot of fraudulent mailings will be disguised to look like something legitimate. For example, some fraudsters will make their mailings look identical to official government documents. In another common scenario, fraudsters will disguise their scheme as a legitimate invoice (e.g., an outstanding bill). If you get one of these mailings: Do a quick online search to see if anyone else has gotten them. Describe the mailing in your search and include the word "fraud." There are websites dedicated to people who report questionable mailings. Search online to verify the accuracy of the information in the mailing. For example, if the mailing provides an address, consider searching for the address online and see what comes up. Call the number on the mailing. If a phone number is provided, call and question their intentions. If you do speak with someone, try to gauge their demeanor. Are they nervous? Are they pushy? Are they rude? If you do speak with someone, never give out any personal information. In addition to common practices, fraudsters usually utilize the same schemes over and over again. If you get a piece of mail you suspect may be fraud, analyze it and see if it fits within one of the following categories: Sweepstakes and 'free' prizes 'Free' vacations Solicitations disguised as invoices Foreign lotteries Chain letters Charity fraud Investment fraud Fees charged for services that are normally free Advance-fee loans Unsolicited merchandise Fake check scams Don't fall for fraudsters who disguise their solicitations as invoices. Often, people will try to get you to buy something by making their mailing look like a bill. They are hoping you will automatically pay and think you placed an order but forgot about it. Always read the fine print. Most of these mailings will state they are solicitations but will do so in small print on the bottom of the mailing. Never make a payment until you have verified whether you actually ordered something. If you haven't ordered the item it says you did, or if you haven't received the item it says you did, do not pay. A lot of fraudsters will take advantage of your good will and will ask you to donate to phony charities. This type of mail fraud often takes place after a natural disaster or some other event that the country rallies behind. To avoid this type of fraud, only give to charities you know and trust. Check out the charities you don't know. Look online to determine what they are about. Beware of organizational names that are similar (but not the same) to reputable charities. Do not donate to charities that only accept cash. If you do write a check, always make it payable to the organization and not to an individual. Avoid investment solicitations you get in the mail that promise unreasonable returns on your investments. Fraudulent promoters will try to get you to invest a lot of money in bogus vehicles (e.g., fake securities, commodities, or property). If you can answer "yes" to any of the following questions, you may be dealing with mail fraud: Does the mailing make it sound as if you cannot lose? Are you promised unusually high rates of return? Are you pressured into making a decision quickly? If you have trouble obtaining loans through normal means, you may get targeted for advance-fee loan schemes. These mailings will offer you "guaranteed" loans so long as you pay a fee in advance. The mailing will usually tell you they can obtain a loan for you without a problem. In reality, the person has no such ability. If you pay the fee, the fraudster will take your money and not return any phone calls. Only enter into loan agreements with reputable lending institutions (e.g., banks and credit unions). Always read and understand the terms of your loan before signing. Never allow someone to choose and enter into a loan for you. A lot of mail fraud takes the form of unsolicited gifts, which are sent to you with the hope you will pay a fee for it. If you receive a free gift in the mail that you did not ask for, you can do any of the following: If it has not been opened, you can simply return it. If you have opened it but do not want the gift, you can simply throw it away. If you want to keep the gift, you can do so. For free. Do not send any money to the person who sent the gift. Unsolicited merchandise is yours to keep.
Examine common practices. Research questionable mailings. Pinpoint common schemes. Keep track of your purchases. Donate to reputable charities only. Analyze investment solicitations. Watch for loan opportunities. Keep unsolicited merchandise.