U.S. Postal Service Launches National Consumer Protection Week March 2-8

“Don’t Fall For a Fake Check Scam”

CAROL STREAM, IL — The U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will host a series of community events to celebrate National Consumer Protection Week, March 2-8. Representatives will distribute DVDs and brochures warning against fraudulent financial schemes, providing consumers with valuable information about protecting their assets and reporting suspected financial fraud.

National Consumer Protection Week is a national program led by the Federal Trade Commission to draw attention to issues and ideas that help customers become smarter consumers of products, materials and services and improve their knowledge of how to combat fraud of any type.

The Postal Service Office of Consumer Advocate and the Postal Inspection Service are working to educate consumers about fraudulent schemes and to provide them with the tools and information needed to combat “fake check” scams.

The facts are telling: According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, the number of reported fake checks is increasing, from an average of 593 per month in 2004 to an average of 787 per month in 2007. The amount of reported losses from fake check scams has quadrupled over the past three years. According to the National Consumers League, victims lose an average $3,000 to $4,000.

The Postal Service will refer customers to the website www.FakeChecks.org, established by the Postal Inspection Service and its business partners.

Representatives from the Postal Service and the Postal Inspection Service will provide consumer protection information at the following locations:

Wednesday, March 5, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.:
Carol Stream Post Office, 550 E. Fullerton Ave., Carol Stream, IL 60188

Thursday, March 6, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.:
Wheaton-Danada Square Branch, 48 Danada Square West, Wheaton, IL 60187

Friday, March 7, 10:00 a.m. – 2 p.m.:
Oak Park Post Office, 901 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL 60301

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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/news.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation — 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.