Fighting Fraud:
It's a Family Matter.

When your grandparents are taken in by a fraudulent investment, your mom loses money to an illegal foreign lottery, or your son or daughter falls for a bogus job offer, who gets victimized? The entire family.

That's why the U.S. Postal ServiceŽ Consumer Advocate's Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are partnering to educate American families about fraudulent schemes and equip them with tools to protect themselves from scammers. Educated families are the best defense against criminal fraud, which include:

  • Free-prize schemes
  • Foreign lotteries
  • Multilevel marketing
  • Identity fraud (or identity theft)
  • Investment schemes
  • Internet fraud (and online auctions)
  • Work-at-home scams

These U.S. Postal Inspection Service publications offer more information on consumer fraud:

Identity Theft (The Social Security Administration requests that you file all identity theft-related reports with the FTC.) text-only version
Publication 280

Consumer Fraud By Phone or Mail text-only version
Publication 281

Consumer & Business Guide to Preventing Mail Fraud text-only version
Publication 300-A

Prevención del Fraude Postal Prevención del Fraude Postal text-only version
Publicacion 300-A-S

Sweepstakes Advertising text-only version
Publication 546

The Fight Against Fraud Knows No Border
Armed with the Internet and cell phones, con artists can target victims—many of them older Americans—from across U.S. borders. They use false names and electronic tricks to hide who and where they really are.

Canada has become a favorite for scammers. While Canada and the United States share similar cultures, our common border is proving to be no barrier to fraud schemes that target victims in both countries.

U.S.-Canadian cross border fraud task forces are helping stop these crimes, but prevention still is the best medicine. Fortunately, consumer fraud is one of the few crimes in which potential victims can say, “No!” If, that is, they recognize the warning signs.

U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seal and USA and Canada logo

Cross-Border Task Forces. Atlantic Partnership-New Brunswick, Project Emptor-British Columbia, Alberta Partnership, Toronto Strategic Partnership, Project Colt-Montreal, and the Vancouver Strategic Alliance.

More fraud information is available at these Web sites:

www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com is dedicated to helping consumers avoid becoming victims of Internet fraud. The site is maintained by a joint federal law enforcement and industry task force, with funding from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and FBI. Other partners include the National White Collar Crime Center, Monster.com, Target, and members of the Merchants Risk Council.

The Federal Trade Commission offers more consumer-protection info at this site:
http://www.consumer.gov/ncpw/

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Fighting Fraud - It's a Family Matter Click here to print an 8 1/2" x 11" version of the poster (O en espanol). Learn more from the NCPW news release. (text-only version of poster, o solamente texto)

U.S. Postal
Inspectors:
Protecting you
from fraud.

Did you know...?

Every year American consumers lose billions of dollars to fraud. Today’s popular schemes range from simple work-at-home scams to credit card and investment fraud; from identity fraud to Internet scams; from medical “cures” to fraudulent prizes, sweep-stakes and foreign lotteries.

You or any member of your family can become a victim of a fraud scheme. Fraudsters may approach you by e-mail, phone or the U.S. Mail.

Protect yourself and your family by following these tips:

  • Check out offers before making a decision.
  • Get all information in writing.
  • Don’t give personal information to people or companies you don’t know.
  • Older Americans are particularly vulnerable to scams.
  • If you respond to even one of these “offers,” your name will be added to a “mooch” list—and you’ll be targeted again.
  • Protect your parents or older relatives by sharing these tips with them.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!