Newsgroups: alt.2600 Subject: Re(2): $$ Quick Income $$ Date: Tue Jun 13 15:11:33 1995 June 13, 1995 I have just received a copy of "A Survey of the Mail Fraud Act" and "Crime Prevention TIP SHEET" from the U.S. Postal Service, as a result of my having showed them copies of the "Dave Rhodes" letter posted on the Internet and various local BBSes. I am saving the printed copy, which has a Post Office Inspector's badge printed on it, if anyone wants to make personal arrangements with me to see it. The currently circulating letter says to look at sections 1302 and 1341 of the lottery laws, which I will include here after the tip sheet, with an added bonus, section 1343. This is what the tip sheet says (this is word for word from the bulletin, page 1 of 3 pages): Crime Prevention TIP SHEET CHAIN LETTERS A chain letter is a "get rich quick" scheme which promises you'll make lots of money if you don't break the chain and participate by sending copies of the letter to a specified number of people. A typical chain letter requires you to send money to the person whose name appears at the top of a list of several names. You then eliminate that name and add yours to the bottom of the list, reproduce the letter, and mail copies to the specified number of other people. The letter promises that if they follow the same procedure, your name will gradually move to the top of the list and you'll receive money -- lots of it. Sending chain letters is illegal if they request money, bonds, books, or other items of value, and promise a substantial return to the participants. Chain letters are a form of gambling, and sending them through the mail (or delivering them in person, but sending the money through the mail) violates Title 18, United States Code, Section 1302, the Postal Lottery Statute. (The courts have ruled that chain letters that ask for items of minor value, like picture postcards or recipes, are mailable, since such items don't constitute things of value within the meaning of the law.) What if you decide to ignore the law? You expose yourself to a visit from the Postal Inspection Service by participating in a chain-letter scheme. The main thing to remember is that the chain letter is simply a bad investment. You certainly won't get rich. You will receive little or no money. The few dollars you may get will probably not be as much as you spend making copies of the letter. Do not be fooled if the chain letter is used to sell inexpensive reports on credit, mail order sales, mailing lists, or other topics. The primary purpose is to take your money, not to sell information. Selling a product does not insure legality. Be doubly suspicious if there's a claim the post office or postal inspection service has stated the letter is legal. This is said only to mislead you. Chain letters don't work because the promise that all participants in a chain letter will be winners is mathematically impossible. Also, many people participate, but do not send the money to the person at the top of the list. And others create a chain letter which lists their names numerous times (in various forms with different addresses). Participating in a chain letter is a losing proposition. Save your money by ignoring the temptation. Instead, turn over any chain letter you receive that asks for money or other items of value to your local postmaster or the nearest postal inspector. _______________________________________________ United States Postal Inspection Service And now the moment you've been waiting for: The laws themselves (sections 1302 and 1341, with a bonus, section 1343): 1302. Mailing lottery tickets or related matter Whoever knowingly deposits in the mail, or sends or delivers by mail: Any letter, package, postal card, or circular concerning any lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme offering prizes dependent in whole or in part upon lot or chance; Any lottery ticket or part thereof, or paper, certificate, ! purporting to be or represent a ticket, chance, share or interest in or dependent upon the event of a lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme offering prizes dependent in whole or in part upon lot or chance; Any check, draft, bill, money, postal note or money order, for the purchase of any ticket or part thereof, or of any share or chance in any such lottery, gift enterprise or scheme; Any newspaper, circular, pamphlet or publication of any kind containing any advertisement of any lottery, gift enterprise, or scheme of any kind offering prizes dependent in whole or in part upon lot or chance, or containing any list of the prizes drawn or awarded by means of any such lottery, gift enterprise, or scheme, whether said list contains any part or all of such prizes; Any article described in section 1953 of this title-- Shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both; and for any subsequent offense shall be imprisoned not more than five years. 1341. Frauds and swindles Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises to sell, dispose of, loan, exchange, alter, give away, distribute, supply, or furnish or procure for unlawful use any counterfeit or spurious coin, obligation, security, or other article, or anything represented to be or intimated or held out to be such counterfeit or spurious article, for the purpose of executing such scheme or artifice or attempting to do so, places in any post office or authorized depository for mail matter, any matter or thing whatever to be sent or delivered by the Postal Service, or takes or receives therefrom, any such matter or thing, or knowingly causes to be delivered by mail according to the direction thereon, or at the place at which it is directed to be delivered by the person to whom it is addressed, any such matter or thing, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. 1343.Fraud by wire, radio or television Whoever, having devised or intending to devise any scheme or artifice to defraud, or for obtaining money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, transmits or causes to be transmitted by means of wire, radio, or television communication in interstate or foreign commerce, any writings, signs, signals, pictures or sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme or artifice, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. -- ----------------------- via MacEAST, Boston http://www.maceast.com/ -------------------------------