mail fraud?

[cassiesmom]

I received a letter very similar to this via postal mail - smacks of mail fraud to me - instead of posting the message in news groups it said to buy a mailing list and mail it to the people on the list ... eek ... just thought I'd mention it here... should I even bother taking it to the post office for them to follow up or just shred it?


I found this in a news group and decided to try it. A little while back,
I was browsing through news groups, just like you are now and came
across a message just like this, that said you could make thousands of
dollars within weeks with only an initial investment of $6.00!!!

So I thought yeah right, this must be a scam!!! But like most of us, I
was curious, so I kept reading. Anyway, it said that you send $1.00 to
each of the 6 names and addresses stated in the message. You then place
your own name and address at the bottom of the list at #6 and post the
message in at least 200 news groups. (There are thousands). No catch,
that was it.

So after thinking it over, and talking to a few people first. I thought
about trying it. I figured, what have I got to lose except 6 stamps and
$6.00, right? So I invested the measly $6.00!!! Guess what? Within 7
days I started getting money in the mail!!! I was shocked!!! I figured
it would end soon, but the money just kept coming in!!! In my first
week, I had made about $25.00. By the end of the second week, I had made
a total of over $1,000.00!!! In the third week, I had over $10,000.00
and it is still growing!!! This is now my fourth week and I have made a
total of just over $42,000.00 and it is still coming in rapidly!!! It's
certanly worth $6.00 and 6 stamps!!! I have spent more than that on the
lottery!!!

Let me tell you how this works and most importantly, why it works!!!
Also, make sure you
print a copy of this message now. So you can get the information off of
it as you need it. I promise you that if you follow the directions
exactly, that you will start making more money than you thought possible
by doing something so easy!!!

Suggestion: Read this entire message carefully!!! (Print it out or
download it.) Follow the simple directions and watch the money come
in!!! It's easy!!! It's legal!!! Your investment is only $6.00 (plus
postage).

IMPORTANT: This is not a rip-off!!! It is not
illegal!!! ? It is almost entirely risk free and it really works!!! If
all of the following instructions are adhered to, you will recieve
extraordinary dividends!!!

Please note: Follow these directions EXACTLY, and $60,000.00 or more can
be yours in 20 to 90 days!!! This program remains successful because of
the honesty and the integrity of the participants!!! Please continue its
success by carefully adhering to the instructions.

You will now become part of the mail order business. In this business
your product is not solid or tangible, it is a service. You are in the
business of developing mailing lists. Many large corporations are happy
to pay big bucks for
quality lists. However, the money made from a mailing list is secondary
to the income which is made from people like you and me asking to be
included on your mailing list!!!

Here are the 4 easy steps to success:

Step 1: Get 6 seperate pieces of paper and write the following on each
piece of paper.

PLEASE PUT ME ON YOUR MAILING LIST

Now get 6 U.S. dollar bills and place ONE inside each of the 6 pieces of
paper so the bills will not be seen through the envelopes (to prevent
mail theft). Next, place one paper in each of the 6 envelopes and seal
them, you should now have 6 sealed envelopes. Each with a piece of paper
stating the above phrase, your name and address, and a $1.00 bill.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY LEGAL!!! YOU ARE REQUESTING A LEGITIMATE SERVICE AND
YOU ARE PAYING FOR IT!!!

Like most of us, I was a little skeptical and a little worried about the
legal aspect of it all. So I checked it out with the U.S. Postal Service
and they confirmed that it is indeed legal!!!

Mail the 6 envelopes to the following addresses:

L.R.M.
1107 Panama St.
Houston, TX 77009

A.M.R.
23645 Cora
Brownstown, MI. USA 48183

K. Costello
20812 135 Ave SE
Kent, WA 98042 USA

B. Brown
1208 Steeple Ridge Ct
McKinney, Tx 75069 USA

M. Lussier
3112 133A Ave NW
Edmonton, AB
T5A 2Z8

Mourgo
27 Major Mackenzie Dr.
Suite 201
Richmond Hill, ON
L4C 1G7 CANADA

Step 2: Now take the #1 name off the list that you see above, move the
other names up (6 becomes 5, 5 becomes 4, etc.) and add your name as
number 6 on the list.

Step 3: Change anything you need to, but try to keep this message as
close to what you see as possible. Now, post your amended message to at
least 200 news groups. I think there are close to 24,000 groups!!! All
you need is 200, but remember, the more you post, the more money you
make!!! This is perfectly legal!! If you have any doubts, refer to
Title18 sec. 1302 & 1341 of the postal lottery laws. Keep a copy of
these steps for yourself and whenever you need money, you can use it
again.

Please remember that this program remains successful because of the
honesty and the integrity of the participants and by their carefully
adhering to the directions!!!

Look at it this way. If you are of integrity, the program will continue
and the money that so many others have recieved will come your way!!!

Note: You may want to retain every name and address sent to you, either
on your computer or hard copy and keep the notes people send you. This
verifies that you are truely providing a service. Also, it might be a
good Idea to wrap the $1 bills in dark paper to reduce the risk of mail
theft.

So, as each post is downloaded and the directions carefully followed,
six members will be reimbursed for their participation as a list
developer with one dollar each. Your name will move up the list
geometrically so that when your name reaches the #1 position, you will
be receiving thousands of dollars in cash!!! What an opportunity for
only $6.00!!! ($1.00
for each of the first six people listed above).

Send it now, add your own name to the list and your in business!!!

DIRECTIONS FOR HOW TO POST TO A NEWS GROUP!!!

Step 1: You do not need to re-type this entire message to do your own
posting. Simply put your cursor at the beginning of this message and
drag your cursor to the bottom of this message and select copy from the
edit menu. This will copy the entire message into the computer memory.

Step 2: Open a blank note pad file and place your cursor at the top of
the blank page. From
the edit menu select paste. This will paste a copy of the message into
notepad so that you
can add your name to the list.

Step 3: Save your new notepad file as a txt file. If you want to do your
posting in a different setting, you'll always have this file to go back
to.
Step 4: Use netscape or Internet Explorer and try searching for various
news groups (on-line forums, message boards, chat sites, discussions,
etc.)

Step 5: Visit these message boards and post this message as a new
message by highlighting the text of this message from your notepad and
selecting paste from the edit menu. Fill in the subject, this will be
the header that everybody sees as they scroll through the list of
postings in a particular group. Click the post message button. You've
done your first one! Congratulations!!! All You have to do is jump to
different news groups and post away, after you get the hang of it, it
will take about 30 seconds for each news group!

REMEMBER, THE MORE NEWS GROUPS YOU POST IN, THE MORE MONEY YOU WILL
MAKE!!!! (But you have to post a minimum of 200).

Thats it!!! You will begin receiving money from around the world within
days!!! You may eventually want to rent a P.O. Box due to the large
amount of mail you will receive. If you
wish to stay anonymous, you can invent a name to use, as long as the
postman will deliver it.

JUST MAKE SURE ALL THE ADDRESSES ARE CORRECT!!!

Now the why part. Out of 200 postings, say you recieve only 5 replies (a
very low example). So then you made $5.00 with your name at #6 on the
letter. Now, each of the 5 persons who sent you $1.00 make the minimum
200 postings, each with your name at #5 and only 5 persons respond to
each of the original 5, that is another $25.00 for you. Now those 25
each make 200 MINIMUM posts with your name at #4 and only 5 replies
each, you will bring in an additional $125.00!!!! Now, those 125 persons
turn around and post the minimum 200 with your name at #3 and only
recieve 5 replies each, you will make an additonal $625.00!!! OK, now
here is the fun part, each of those 625 persons post a minimum 200
messages with your name at #2 and they each only recieve 5 replies, that
just made you $3,125.00!!! Those 3,125 persons will all deliver this
message to 200 news groups, If just 5 more reply you will receive
$15,625.00!!! All with an original investment of only $6.00!!! Amazing
isn't it!!!! When your name is no longer on the list, you just take the
latest posting in the news groups and send out another $6.00 to the
names on the list, putting your name at number 6 again.

You must realize that thousands of people all over the world are joining
the internet and reading these messages every day!!! Just like you are
now!!! So, can you afford $6.00 and see if it really works? I'm glad I
did!!! People have said, "what if the plan is played out and no one
sends you the money?" So what!!! What are the chances of that happening,
when there are tons of new honest users and new honest people who are
joining the internet and news groups everyday and are willing to give it
a try? Estimates are at 20,000 to 50,000 new users, every day!!!

REMEMBER PLAY HONESTLY AND FAIRLY AND THIS WILL REALLY WORK!!!

-------------------------

[wombat2u2004]

The old chain letter scenario again....it surfaces every now and again.
It's not even worth the paper it's written on.
Wombat

[smokey the elder]

It has all the earmarks of a scam: lots of shouting, exclamation points, etc. Hoax viruses look very similar to this.

[DrKym]

Looks like a pyramid scheme, old and used up but ppl still bite at them. Copy the letter and yes I would take the trip to see the postmaster.

Just my thoughts.

[Cataholic]

Where is LH when you need him? LOL. He is the resident mail expert, IMO.

[Catty1]

I think a quick call to your local PO will tell you that chain letters are ILLEGAL.

Shred that baby!

[cassiesmom]

Rats, rats! The Post Office is closed today for President's Day! On my way to work I blew by there to talk to the Postmaster, and the door was locked. I completely forgot it's a holiday. So - I put the letter in the shred bucket at work, envelope and all. Thank you, everyone for confirming my hunch.

[borzoimom]

Rats, rats! The Post Office is closed today for President's Day! On my way to work I blew by there to talk to the Postmaster, and the door was locked. I completely forgot it's a holiday. So - I put the letter in the shred bucket at work, envelope and all. Thank you, everyone for confirming my hunch.

Biggest indicator is the class of mail. If first class- that is one thing- but bulk mailings are 3rd class mail!

[Lady's Human]

You CAN take the letter to the postmaster, who will in due course notify the postal inspectors.

Nothing much will come from it, though the sender (if there is a return address) may get a visit from the friendly neighborhood Postal Inspector.

If you want to see how efficient the postal inspectors CAN be, however, send an envelope full of talcum powder. (JK, DO NOT try this)

[borzoimom]

You CAN take the letter to the postmaster, who will in due course notify the postal inspectors.

Nothing much will come from it, though the sender (if there is a return address) may get a visit from the friendly neighborhood Postal Inspector.

If you want to see how efficient the postal inspectors CAN be, however, send an envelope full of talcum powder. (JK, DO NOT try this)

THATS SICK.. We lived through the anthrax.. you didnt.. And by the way- a postal inspector can arrest you WITHOUT cause..

[Lady's Human]

BZM, Just a hint......

DO NOT tell me what I have and haven't had to deal with.

[Catlady711]

And by the way- a postal inspector can arrest you WITHOUT cause..

Actually they can arrest, but NOT without a cause per the US code. I highlighted the parts from the code applicable to this below as well as included the link to the US House of Rep. which has posted the code online.


US Code - House of Rep.

-CITE-

18 USC Sec. 3061 01/03/05

-EXPCITE-

TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

PART II - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

CHAPTER 203 - ARREST AND COMMITMENT

-HEAD-

Sec. 3061. Investigative powers of Postal Service personnel
-STATUTE-

(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, Postal Inspectors

and other agents of the United States Postal Service designated by

the Board of Governors to investigate criminal matters related to

the Postal Service and the mails may -

(1) serve warrants and subpoenas issued under the authority of

the United States;

(2) make arrests without warrant for offenses against the

United States committed in their presence;

(3) make arrests without warrant for felonies cognizable under

the laws of the United States if they have reasonable grounds to

believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is

committing such a felony;
(4) carry firearms; and

(5) make seizures of property as provided by law.

(b) The powers granted by subsection (a) of this section shall be

exercised only -

(1) in the enforcement of laws regarding property in the

custody of the Postal Service, property of the Postal Service,

the use of the mails, and other postal offenses; and

(2) to the extent authorized by the Attorney General pursuant

to agreement between the Attorney General and the Postal Service,

in the enforcement of other laws of the United States, if the

Attorney General determines that violations of such laws have a

detrimental effect upon the operations of the Postal Service.-SOURCE-

(Added Pub. L. 90-560, Sec. 5(a), Oct. 12, 1968, 82 Stat. 998;

amended Pub. L. 91-375, Sec. 6(j)(38)(A), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat.

781; Pub. L. 100-690, title VI, Sec. 6251(a), Nov. 18, 1988, 102

Stat. 4362.)

-MISC1-

AMENDMENTS

1988 - Pub. L. 100-690 substituted "Investigative powers of

Postal Service personnel" for "Powers of postal personnel" in

section catchline, and amended text generally. Prior to amendment,

text read as follows:

"(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, officers and

employees of the Postal Service performing duties related to the

inspection of postal matters may, to the extent authorized by the

Board of Governors -

"(1) serve warrants and subpenas issued under the authority of

the United States;

"(2) make arrests without warrant for offenses against the

United States committed in their presence; and

"(3) make arrests without warrant for felonies cognizable under

the laws of the United States if they have reasonable grounds to

believe that the person to be arrested has committed or is

committing such a felony.

"(b) The powers granted by subsection (a) of this section shall

be exercised only in the enforcement of laws regarding property of

the United States in the custody of the Postal Service, including

property of the Postal Service, the use of the mails, and other

postal offenses."

1970 - Pub. L. 91-375, Sec. 6(j)(38)(A)(i), substituted "postal

personnel" for "postal inspectors" in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 91-375, Sec. 6(j)(38)(A)(ii), substituted

"officers and employees of the Postal Service performing duties

related to the inspection of postal matters may, to the extent

authorized by the Board of Governors - " for "postal inspectors

may, to the extent authorized by the Postmaster General - ".

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 91-375, Sec. 6(j)(38)(A)(iii), substituted

"Postal Service, including property of the Postal Service," for

"postal service".

EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1970 AMENDMENT

Amendment by Pub. L. 91-375 effective within 1 year after Aug.

12, 1970, on date established therefor by the Board of Governors of

the United States Postal Service and published by it in the Federal

Register, see section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91-375, set out as an

Effective Date note preceding section 101 of Title 39, Postal

Service.

[cassiesmom]

You CAN take the letter to the postmaster, who will in due course notify the postal inspectors.

Nothing much will come from it, though the sender (if there is a return address) may get a visit from the friendly neighborhood Postal Inspector.

If you want to see how efficient the postal inspectors CAN be, however, send an envelope full of talcum powder. (JK, DO NOT try this)

*shiver* I have a friend who works for the federal government in Washington -- please, pretty please I beg, no anthrax jokes p-l-e-a-s-e.

This letter had a return address label though the sender's last name was Jackson or Johnson - something very common. My address was on a label (but not bar coded) and the postage was a real, honest to goodness 39 cent stamp. I don't know whether the person honestly thought that if they did this they'd make a gazillion bucks, or what. It doesn't matter though, because I had a hunch that something wasn't quite right. The other thing that creeped me out was that when I searched it on Google, it came up 4 or 5 times as something you should really do before a Web site came up that said this is a hoax, don't go near it. If anyone reading this gets one in the mail or e-mail, RUN FAR AWAY.

[Lady's Human]

BTW, BZM, A Postal inspector cannot arrest anyone without cause. It's a little thing called the US Constitution. (I know they don't teach that in the ASP program, but you night have heard about it in history class in high school)