FRANKLIN COUNTY -- Benton postmaster Ruthie Cauble says that anyone who plays sweepstakes scams is a guaranteed loser.
"We have had two cases of telemarketing fraud here in Benton and at least one of them has lost their entire life savings," she said. "Postal inspectors are warning seniors against sweepstakes scams.
"Often, they are lonely and are getting hooked on playing sweepstakes games," Cauble said. "While it may be called gambling to them, postal inspectors call it telemarketing fraud."
She said telemarketers are relentless when targeting potential gullible victims. "The Mail Fraud Statute of 1872 makes it a federal crime to use the U.S. Mail to further a scheme to defraud and the 1994 Omnibus Crime Bill added private carriers to the statute," Cauble said.
She said promoters typically set up phone rooms, called boiler rooms, where they run crooked lotteries and sweepstakes schemes that guarantee you are a winner, provided you pay a fee. "That's illegal," Cauble said. "Elderly people who may be more gullible and hungry for attention are their victims of choice."
She said residents receive sweepstakes offers in the mail. "Legitimate sweepstakes promotions allow anyone to enter and cannot require a purchase or fee as a condition of playing," Cauble said. "Free prize promotions that ask for shipping or handling charges, registration fees, taxes, auditor's expenses or storage fees are against the law.
"If you receive sweepstakes offers that tell you to send money in exchange for free prizes, that is against the law," she said. "Often the elderly will get hooked on these scams because the telemarketer is so nice on the phone. The receiver of the call believes they have someone to talk too but don't be fooled. They are being nice to get your money.
"Any high-pressure sales pitch from telephone callers requiring that you decide to make a purchase or investment right away are pretty sure to be bogus," Cauble said. "Especially if they offer to send a private courier to pick up a check."
She said postal inspectors arrest more than 1,000 suspects each year for fraud conducted through the mail. "The Postal Inspection Service is just one of many federal agencies that target fraud," Cauble said.
"Although people 60 and older account for 26 percent of all telemarketing fraud, 60 percent of people in that age group are victims of prize or sweepstakes fraud.
"That figure is probably higher because often victims of prize or sweepstakes fraud don't report it to authorities because it is too embarrassing to admit that you have been a victim," she said.
For more information, call the Benton Post Office at 438-4931 or the Postal Inspectors office at 1-877-876-2455. Cauble urges residents to visit the website, www.postalinspectors.uspis.gov/radDoes/victim.htm.
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