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How can I protect myself from mail fraud?

How to Protect Yourself from Mail Fraud

Mail fraud is when scammers try to trick you into giving them money or personal information through the mail. It’s a big problem that affects tons of people, but there are things you can do to avoid becoming a victim. I’ll explain the common types of mail fraud, signs to watch out for, and give you plenty of tips to protect yourself.

What is Mail Fraud?

Mail fraud is any type of scam that uses the mail system to try to get money or information from you. The scammers send letters, postcards, packages, or other mail containing some kind of pitch or offer that sounds good at first, but is really just a trick to steal from you.
Some examples of common mail frauds include:

• Fake prize or lottery mailings – These say you won some big prize or lottery, but you have to pay a fee first before you can claim it.
• “Free trial” offers – You get something in the mail for a free trial, but if you don’t cancel in time they charge you for more products or services you don’t want.
• Work-from-home scams – The letter says you can make lots of money working from home, but you have to pay for a “start-up kit” or training program first.
• Overpayment scams – Someone sends you a check for more than they owe you, then asks you to wire back the extra amount. But the check they sent bounces later and you’re out all the money.
• Fake invoices – You get a letter demanding payment for some product or service you never ordered.

As you can see, there are tons of different mail frauds out there as scammers are always coming up with new schemes. The good news is there are steps you can take to avoid falling victim.

Watch Out for These Red Flags

One of the best ways to avoid mail scams is to recognize common red flags that should make you suspicious:

• You “won” a contest you never entered.
• The letter says you have to act “immediately” or you’ll lose out on a big prize or money.
• It’s addressed to “Dear Friend” or some other generic greeting instead of your name.
• You’re asked to pay a fee upfront before you can receive a prize, loan, or other offered item.
• The company is based in another country.
• There are misspellings, grammatical errors, or other typos.
• It asks you to wire money or pay with hard-to-trace methods like gift cards.
• The offer seems “too good to be true.”

Anytime you see stuff like this in a mailed offer, it’s almost certainly a scam. Tear it up and throw it out! Don’t give them any of your personal info.

10 Tips to Avoid Mail Fraud

Here are my top 10 tips to protect yourself:

1. Don’t ever pay upfront fees – For prize or lottery mailings, sweepstakes, work-at-home offers, etc. Legitimate contests don’t require you to pay to play or claim winnings.
2. Shred or destroy any mail with your personal info – This prevents dumpster divers from getting your details and stealing your identity.
3. Deposit outgoing mail inside the post office – Mail left in your mailbox can be stolen and used to commit identity theft.
4. Don’t respond to foreign lotteries – It’s illegal for U.S. residents to play foreign lotteries by mail.
5. Look up companies online first – Search for the company name plus words like “scam,” “complaint,” or “review” to turn up warnings.
6. Talk to someone you trust for advice – Discuss any offers that seem fishy with a friend or family member to get their take.
7. Don’t give personal info over the phone – Mail scammers will often call too, but never give out your Social Security number, bank details, etc. to someone who called you.
8. Use online bill pay – Having fewer paper bills and checks mailed to your home reduces the risk of mail theft.
9. Hold your mail while away – Going out of town? Have the post office hold your mail so it doesn’t pile up in your box.
10. Report any fraud – If you realize you’ve been tricked, report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service so they can investigate.

Following these tips will go a long way in keeping you safe from scams by mail. But what should you do if you think you’ve already been victimized?

Steps to Take if You Get Scammed

First, don’t panic or feel embarrassed. Con artists are really good at what they do and can fool almost anyone. Here are the steps experts recommend if you realize you fell for a mail fraud scheme:

1. Contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to file a mail fraud report. This helps them track and prosecute scammers.
2. Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov.
3. Notify your bank if your account information was compromised so they can monitor for fraudulent charges.
4. Close any new accounts opened in your name by identity thieves.
5. Place a fraud alert on your credit reports with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to help prevent additional identity theft.
6. Continue monitoring your mail, bank accounts and credit reports for signs of misuse of your information.
7. Consider signing up for a credit monitoring service to add an extra layer of protection.

Also change any passwords that may have been compromised. And if funds were stolen from you, report it to your bank and card issuer right away – federal law limits your liability for unauthorized charges in most cases.
By taking action quickly, you can limit the damage and prevent things from getting worse. Don’t let embarrassment or shame keep you from reporting it – you did nothing wrong, and reporting helps stop the criminals from victimizing others.

How to Recognize a Real Government Mailing

One common mail fraud trick is sending fake letters or notices that look like they’re from a government agency. The scammers hope you’ll follow their instructions without realizing it’s a scam. Here are signs a letter actually came from the government:

• It’s sent via first-class mail, not bulk rate.
• Your full name and address are used, not “Current Resident.”
• There’s a government website you can visit to verify it.
• It doesn’t demand immediate payment or threaten dire consequences.
• There are no typos, grammatical errors or other red flags.

Real government mail will be clearly written and provide ways to get more information or dispute anything concerning. Be very cautious of any letter demanding quick payment or threatening you’ll be arrested or fined if you don’t comply. Talk to someone at the agency using a phone number you find yourself from an official site if you have any doubts.

Protect Yourself with These Mail Safety Steps

Here are a few more pro tips for keeping your mail secure:

• Don’t leave outgoing mail in your mailbox overnight – drop it off inside the post office when possible.
• If you’ll be away, request a vacation mail hold online at USPS.com.
• Consider getting a locked mailbox or PO box if mail theft is common in your area.
• Tell companies you do business with to never change your mailing address without talking to you first.
• Opt out of prescreened credit card and insurance offers to reduce the amount of sensitive mail you receive.
• Sign up for informed delivery through USPS to get email images of your incoming mail.
• Talk to your mail carrier if you notice missing mail that could have been stolen.

Taking these extra precautions will help prevent many mail frauds from ever reaching your mailbox in the first place.

Spread the Word to Protect Others

Now that you know how to keep yourself safe from mail scams, it’s a great idea to share this information with loved ones. Seniors are frequent targets of mail fraud, so make sure to talk to older relatives about what to watch out for.
And if someone you know does fall victim, encourage them to report it instead of feeling ashamed – their information can help bring down the scammers. We can all work together to combat mail fraud and make life a little harder for the bad guys.
Just remember, whether it’s through the mail, over the phone, or online, anytime someone asks you to pay money upfront for a prize or other promised reward, it’s nearly always a scam. Be suspicious, trust your gut, and don’t get pressured or rushed into anything. Stay safe out there!