Post Office Launches Anti-Fraud Campaign

Illegal telemarketing, which often uses the mail to collect money, is bilking Americans out of $40 billion a year, sponsors of a new anti-fraud campaign by the U.S. Postal Service said Monday.

Rolling out a series of television interviews and public service announcements, postal inspectors said fraud complaints are up 27% this year, reaching 68,000 nationwide. They plan to send 3 million pieces of mail to senior citizens, who are often the intended victims of the scams.

Actress Betty White appeared on 18 television news shows from Los Angeles on Monday to kick off the campaign. Her advice: “Hang up on telemarketers rather than let yourself be pressured.�

Postal Inspector Pamela Prince warned that telephone solicitors who promise a high rate of return with little risk should be viewed with suspicion. Telemarketers also pretend to be an elderly person’s friend while urging them to mail them “deposits� or “taxes� on lottery or other prizes, she said, payments that can run into the thousands of dollars.

It is worth asking such callers for their telephone numbers and warning them you wish to be taken off their list and never called again, according to authorities.

White said she finds it simpler to tell callers, “I never buy from telemarketers� and hang up. Never give out any credit card, bank account or Social Security numbers to anyone you don’t know, she said.

Many people are fooled into subscribing to magazines they don’t read in hopes of winning a prize, authorities said.

Often, Prince said, the scams involve large amounts of stock. As an example, she cited Sarita and Jose Spiwak of Los Angeles, who put up $270,000 for stock purchases beginning in 1996 as a result of telephone sales before becoming aware that the transactions were suspect. Some stock purchases were made without their authorization.

The postal inspector said the couple have recovered about $200,000 with help from lawyers and government prosecutors.

Prince said information on antifraud tips can be obtained by calling (877) 987-3728.