Mail Fraud

Any time criminals use the mail to attempt to defraud consumers, that’s mail fraud. The details, tactics, and strategies may differ, but if you receive something fishy in the mail, someone may be attempting to defraud you.

Some of the most common scams we see come through the mail are vacation or travel scams, sweepstakes and contest scams, and lottery scams, but they can come in many other forms.

Usually, it starts with a letter saying the recipient has won a free trip, a lottery prize, or something else that sounds too good to be true. When the recipient calls or emails the scammer, they’re typically asked to pay a fee or service charge. Sometimes, scammers will claim they need a credit card number to verify age or eligibility. These are all red flags that should alert you to hang up the phone and throw out the scam mail.

Businesses often receive solicitations offering to file government documents for a fee or suggesting that the sender is a government agency, when the business can do the same at no cost. Other scams involve sending fake invoices for office supplies, including paper and copier toner.

Scam mail is usually like other types of scams: they are often riddled with bad grammar, vague writing, and almost always emphasize an urgent need to contact the scammers immediately to take advantage of an opportunity.

Under Colorado law, it is illegal for the sponsor of a sweepstakes promotion to require the payment of any fee or charge as a condition of entry or to claim a prize. Very few legitimate contests solicit entries through the mail. If you receive any mail saying you’ve won cash, trips, or other prizes and opportunities, the overwhelming chances are it’s a scam.

Legitimate contest or sweepstakes will never charge for entries or promise increased chances based on purchasing a product or membership. Regardless, any contest or sweepstakes requires an entry to win, and any mail promising cash or prizes for a contest you never entered is almost certainly a scam.