A letter telling you that you won money might seem like the best thing you could expect to find in your mailbox. But senior citizens should be highly wary of just that kind of announcement. Unfortunately, fraudsters have found over the years that seniors are especially vulnerable to their deceptions and lies, and convincing someone that they have won lots of money is an effective way to get past many people’s defenses.
That kind of criminal behavior was behind the mass-mailing scheme of four individuals who were charged by the Department of Justice in September 2020. The group included two American and two Canadian individuals — they were charged with operations that spanned from 2003 to late 2016. During that time, it is alleged they tricked thousands of people out of tens of millions of dollars.
Deputy Chief Inspector Craig Goldberg of the Postal Inspection Service noted that the charges demonstrated that officials are committed to ending these attempts to defraud seniors. “Prize notices like these are mailed in an attempt to trick our elderly and vulnerable Americans,” he said, “while the perpetrators attempt to hide their involvement around the corner or around the globe. We are committed, with the Department of Justice, to protecting our older Americans.”
Hundreds Of Thousands Of Prize Notices
According to the indictments, the defendants mailed out prize notices amounting to hundreds of thousands of pieces of mail received over the 13-year span of the investigation.
Those mailings gave the recipients the false impression that they had been specially chosen to receive a cash award, which they would receive as soon as they had paid a small fee. The notices would look at a casual glance as if they had been written personally, to enhance the impression that the winnings were only going out to specially chosen individuals. In reality, the mailings were mass-produced — printed off by the hundreds and bulk-mailed to names and addresses on a mailing list.
Even after the postal service had begun investigating the team in 2012 and issued a cease-and-desist order, the mailings continued to go out. If found guilty, the defendants will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.
Unfortunately, that won’t end the troubling problem of prize-winner scams. Elders should be wary of any mailing or phone call claiming to be an announcement that they’ve won. Not even major organizations like Publishers Clearing House are above suspicion — they are impersonated by fraudsters regularly.
Trying To End Elder Fraud
Since the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) was signed into law, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has investigated hundreds of civil and criminal cases disproportionately affecting seniors. In March 2020, the DOJ announced the most significant elder fraud enforcement action to date, with 400-plus defendants charged in an elder fraud nationwide sweep. Other actions connected to the EAPPA include training and outreach sessions that span the country. That’s a good step in stopping the billions of dollars seniors lose each year to fraud schemes, including those perpetrated by domestic and transnational criminal organizations.
One of the best ways to combat fraud is by sharing information. Educate yourself on the different types of elder fraud schemes and share your info with friends, relatives, and other seniors. Knowledge is the key to seniors themselves against this terrible and heartbreaking criminal behavior.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline is available to assist anyone 60 years of age or over who has fallen victim to financial fraud. Their number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311). The Office for Victims of Crime, which manages this U.S. Department of Justice hotline, staffs it with knowledgeable individuals who offer callers individualized care by determining the victim’s requirements and appropriate next steps. On a case-by-case basis, case managers will identify the proper reporting agencies, give callers information to aid in reporting, put callers in direct contact with the proper agencies, and provide resources and recommendations. The initial step is to report. Reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as feasible will raise the possibility of recovering damages, and reporting can help authorities catch fraudsters. A hotline is manned seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Eastern time. Available languages include English and Spanish.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
