Mail scam - traditional scams still prevalent

The Ins and Outs of a Mail Scam

If you think that the only way scammers can target you is through the internet, you’re sadly mistaken. Scammers can target you through your very own mailbox! Mail scams have been popular since the mid 80’s, but due to the staggering advances in technology, most scammers took their mail scam online and began to run internet based mail scams (email scams). However, there are still mail scams going around in the current times. If you’ve ever received a “Congratulations, you’ve won $5,000!” letter in the mail, you’ve received a mail scam. Read below to get a description of what mail scams are.

What are Mail Scams?

Though it may be hard to differentiate, there certainly is a difference between direct mail pieces and a mail scam. Direct mail pieces try to convince you to purchase a legitimate product or service. However, mail scams lie to you in order to convince you to send them your hard-earned money. Mail scam operators typically rely on two tactics to convince you to fork over your cash. The mail scam may convince you that you’re in financial trouble with the government and you must send an immediate payment to the specified address to avoid incarceration. Another favorite tactic for mail scam operators is to convince you that you’ve won an international lottery. But, you’ll be told that you must pay several thousand dollars in transaction fees in order to receive your cash (which you never will). Most mail scams will use a variation of the two tactics.

Mail Scam Operators

If you do receive a mail scam, know that you most likely weren’t a specific target. Mail scam operators simply send out a mass mailing and hope that a few victims will take the bait of their mail scam. Notice that your name will never appear on the mailing itself. Don’t you think if you truly did win a lottery or were wanted by the federal government that they’d at least have the courtesy of acknowledging your name? If you do receive a mail scam in your mailbox, contact the FTC or the IC3, an FBI operated organization.