Postal Service Celebrates National Consumer Protection Week
Organization Teaches Customers to Prevent Identity Theft and Avoid Fraudulent Schemes
WASHINGTON — Postal Service executives are marking National Consumer Protection Week by delivering tips to prevent identity theft and by increasing awareness of fraudulent schemes.
National Consumer Protection Week, set for March 1 through 7, is a week of activities sponsored primarily by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to draw attention to fraud and other threats to consumers.
The Postal Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service play leading roles in increasing public awareness of identity theft and fraudulent mailing schemes.
Delores Killette, vice president and Consumer Advocate for the Postal Service, and William Gilligan, acting Chief Postal Inspector of the Postal Inspection Service, are leading the Postal Service effort this week.
“Today’s challenging economy deems it critical that we give consumers tools to guard against losing their hard-earned money to fraud,” Killette said.
“Spreading awareness about fraud makes a criminal’s job harder. The best way for our customers to protect themselves is to learn how to avoid fraudulent schemes such as reshipping scams, fraud on the Internet and work-at-home schemes,” said Chief Inspector Gilligan.
I am worried about identity theft. How serious is it?
Identity theft, a felony, can include willful misuse of credit card information or internet fraud. Crimes related to identity theft may top $5 billion for last year. However, according to the Federal Trade Commission, as little as 2 percent of all victims reported identity crimes that resulted from mail theft.
As added protection against identity theft through use of the mail, postal inspectors recommend:
- Review your consumer credit reports annually
- Shred and destroy unwanted documents that contain personal information
- Deposit mail in Postal Service collection boxes
- Don’t leave mail in your mailbox overnight or on weekends
If you’re a victim of identity theft and the mail is involved, call the Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455 and local police, or report identity theft online at https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/IDTheft.aspx.
The Postal Service’s commitment to protecting customers’ private information was recognized for the fifth consecutive year when it was named Most Trusted Government Agency in the independent Ponemon Institute Privacy Study last month.
Is this a scam?
Identity theft and fraudulent schemes are fast-growing crimes that could ruin financial investment and cost thousands of dollars. There are many types of fraudulent schemes, but they all start when someone offers a realistic-looking check or money order and asks a potential victim to send cash somewhere in return.
The Alliance for Consumer Fraud Awareness conducted a survey of American adults and found the following:
- Two out of three adults say they receive at least one potential scam contact per week.
- Eighteen percent of adults say they or a family member has fallen for one of these scams.
- A majority of those surveyed believe the fraudulent check writer is responsible for the funds.
These schemes involve counterfeit checks, gift checks, traveler’s checks, or money orders. Virtually every American could be a scammer’s target, primarily through e-mail, though also through mail and phone solicitations, Inspectors warn.
I think this is a scam. What should I do?
Postal Inspectors say to avoid becoming a fraud victim:
- Use common sense.
- Take your time when responding to offers.
- Educate yourself about fraud.
- Know with whom you are dealing.
- Protect your personal information.
- Be skeptical of any offer that sounds too good to be true – it probably is.
Don’t hesitate to discuss identity theft and fraudulent schemes with friends and family. Statistics show that young people and the elderly are often targets. Sometimes just a simple “What’s new?” can alert you to a loved one who has become a victim of identity theft.
How can I take care of myself?
- Learn how to protect personal identifying information in your organization: http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/radDocs/BusChecklist.html.
- More tips to help you avoid identity theft: http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/investigations/MailFraud/fraudschemes/mailtheft/IDTheftTips.aspx.
- View and print a text-only version of the identity theft brochure: http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/pubs/pub280/welcome.htm.
- Learn about how identity thieves can steal your name and your money: http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/investigations/MailFraud/fraudschemes/mailtheft/IDProtectName.aspx.
- Identity theft may include mail fraud, credit card theft, or check fraud. Read current online news of postal inspectors’ investigations of this fast-growing crime to learn how to best protect yourself: http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/pressroom/inspectorsnews.aspx.
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Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm
About the U.S. Postal Inspection Service
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is one of the oldest federal law enforcement agencies in the country. For more than 200 years, Postal Inspectors have protected the U.S. Postal Service, secured the nation’s mail system and ensured public trust in the mail. To learn more, visit http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ and www.FakeChecks.org.