Impersonation is a crime that is recognized under many different fraud types, including mail fraud. When a person misrepresents themselves as another person or group through the mail, they are guilty of this. This type of fraud may include the receipt of paperwork asking for personal information.

 

 

Schemers commit impersonation on behalf of a credit card company or a tax collector and ask for this information. When a person sends reply mail containing all of the requested information, they have in fact given strangers their identity. Identity theft is another type of fraud that includes the impersonation of another person. 

 

 

In one example, a schemer may impersonate a bank employee requesting that information be given to the bank regarding a person's account. Once information is given, the person is now a victim of identity fraud. Another example, a schemer sends paperwork in the form of bogus potential criminal charges.

 

 

Inside the mail exists an option to pay a certain amount of money in order to have the charges expunged. The victim sends money to the schemer in hopes of clearing their name, and loses out on money. Impersonation is used often to commit fraud, since the trail back to the criminal is minimal or non existent.

 

 

Impersonation occurs easily after people misplace credit cards, social security cards, and identification cards. These items are important forms of identity that if stolen, can make fraud simple. In one example, a criminal gets a hold of a social security card and sells it for a profit to an non-citizen, or fellow criminal for use. The non-citizen or fellow criminal receives the card in the mail and uses it to get a job or start a new life.

 

 

Impersonation can occur through phishing, which includes the use of the Internet. Private information like name, number and occupation are often asked for in this situation. The schemer will present themselves as a trusted organization or business. In an example, a schemer acts like a member of the census who is conducting the government polls. The victim is charged to participate in the census, and the schemer profits. 

 

 

Fraud through impersonation can be difficult to prove, especially when the information is given away voluntarily by the actual person. The use of the Internet or mail keeps the schemer in indirect contact with the real person.

 

 

In addition, it becomes hard to prove that fraud took place on credit reports and bank accounts unless suspicious activity is reported right away. Unfortunately, people do not always know that impersonation fraud is occurring until after it has already happened. This leaves little room for victims to close accounts or discontinue cards to prevent fraud from escalating, or releasing oneself from liability. 

There are a variety of Better Business Bureau forms, depending on the type of complaint being filed.  Complaints may be filed directly against an employer or against a company that has conducted business in a manner that is illegal.

 

 

Tampering with the mailbox is a federal offense. Tampering with a mailbox may include putting fliers or mail in the mailbox without the proper postage affixed. Tampering with a mailbox may also include the removal or destruction of a mailbox.

 

 

In order for mail to be delivered according to federal guidelines, it must have the proper postage affixed. The mail must then be placed in an outgoing mailbox or in a personal mailbox with a flag up, signaling that there is mail to be picked up. Mail may not be inserted into a personal mailbox without the proper postage affixed. In addition, it may not be inserted into another person’s mailbox. In fact, only authorized mail carriers may insert mail into a mailbox.

 

 

Tampering with the mailbox is a federal offense and it is often prosecuted, especially when damage or vandalism of the mailbox or of mail, is involved.

Fraud committed by charities and organizations is conducted using guilt, compassion, poverty, and hardship as manipulation tactics. Charities and organizations solicit individuals for donations based on fraudulent pretences. Charities and organizations may use people, animals, or religious figures to lure in victims to participate. Donations are promised to contribute to a form of noble doing. Some claim the money will be used to educate and feed poor children in another country.

 

 

Charities or organizations create commercials, or articles demonstrating how important donations are to the success of that group's mission. Other organizations claim that donations are needed to increase the life span of an endangered species. Pictures of the endangered animal are shown to create an opportunity for an emotional sale. This scheme uses a real life occurrence to convince victims to participate in the charity.

 

 

Fraudulent charities and organizations are often masked by their bogus mission to fix a problem. The ability to make donations presents a chance for individuals that are not a part of the organization to contribute to a cause. In addition, memberships are often offered to fraudulent organizations on the same basis of taking part in a worthy cause. Some charities tell participants that they are needed to keep the charity operating due to government involvement or lack there of.

 

 

Fraudulent groups are hard to tell apart from legit groups. Charity scams are examples of advanced fee schemesIt is most important to research an organization or charity before joining or contributing money to it. This can be done online, through the better business bureau, or visiting the location. Donations should not be given until documentation is received specifying what the money will be used for. Legitimate charities and organizations will offer additional information before donations are made. When making payments to charities, is vital that the recipient be that organization.

 

 

People often make the mistaking payments in the name of individuals or leaving the recipient blank, which increase the chances of fraud occurring. In addition, if an organization is engaging in suspicious activity, refraining from participating is beneficial. The activity can be reported to authorities and the Better Business Bureau to ensure that others are not affected.

 

 

Charities and organizations offer opportunities for people to engage in meaningful and selfless work. However, some of these groups are fraudulent scams used to make profits for the scam artist.

Work from home scams are advertised to be very appealing to the public. Schemes involving work from home promise money back guarantees, one hundred percent success rates, little experience, and significant profits. Individuals that fall for work from home schemes can not leave the house, are looking for part time work, or need to make some extra cash.

The convenience of working from the comfort of ones own home allows individuals to save on gas, lunch, and other tasks associated with working outside of the home. Advertisements for work at home schemes highlight the opportunity for participants to be their own boss and create their own schedule. This gives off the appearance that a stress free work environment will be the result of starting these business ventures. 

Stuffing envelopes is a popular work at home scam that requires an initial start up fee. These fees are associated with kits or supplies needed to jump start a business. Scam artists downplay the initial cost by comparing it to the potential earnings that can come out of the investment. After purchasing starter materials, the victims perform their duties. Compensation for the services provided by the victim is never received. Instead, scam artists may mail referral paperwork in the place of compensation. This part of the scam offers a falsified chance for the victim to make money off of those that are referred and incorporated into the scam.

Rebate processing is used to commit work from home scams. The advertisement may offer high paying salaries for processing a variety of rebates over the Internet. Certifications and training needed for this position is compared to potential profits as well, in order to look minute in comparison. When individuals are brought on to work on rebates, there are none in existence. The material is usually mailed to the residential location of the victim, and profits are few and far between. 

Online searches are another popular entity used to promote work from home scams. Similar to survey completion, online searches involve using a variety of online search engines and filling out forms about them. Upon completion of the related tasks, victims are promised specified amounts of money. Compensation can be advertised as upwards of five hundred dollars each week. These types of scams often charge a small online fee to join the scam. The credit card information of the victim may now be used to charge excessive fees over time, causing victims to lose additional money. 

Other popular work from home scams use medical billing and coding as advertisements. These scams advertise that experience is not necessary, but a simple training course can get individuals ready to work. The training does not cost much money and the job appears secure and expendable. Medical billing and coding opportunities rarely come from signing up from these scams, and the money paid for training and sign up was wasted. 

The opportunity to work from home is appealing to the population as a whole. The scams targeted toward that opportunity operate off of that very fact. Unfortunately, job opportunities that require an initial fee or sign up charge are not trustworthy. In addition, companies that advertise online within free website databases can be scams as well. The importance of background checks is present when confronted with work from home opportunities. 

Mail fraud refers to any deceitful crime that includes the use of the postal system. Mail fraud is a crime in the United States and is punishable to the fullest extent of the law. In the countries like the United States, where federal governments help shape laws across the nation, mail fraud is considered a statutory crime. In other countries, mail fraud is not recognized as a crime. Mail fraud charges help to prosecute many different types of criminals, including those that are considered white collar. Mail fraud dates far back into the 1600s, when postal workers were constantly inspected for fraudulent activity. Many postal workers would take money out of letters and use it for personal profit. In other instances, postal workers committed mail fraud by using the money they received for postage and used it for personal gain. In the 1900s, mail fraud occurred when people posed as postal workers, and went through mail to find cash. Impostors made thousands of dollars committing this type of mail fraud.

Today mail fraud is enforced under Title 18 of the United States Code. This code allows the government to prosecute individuals that have not actually sabotaged mail directly like in the early eighteen and nineteen hundreds. Instead, any person who commits a fraudulent act using the mailing system can then be charged with the criminal offense. With the increase in technology, mail fraud has taken on a new form. E-mail fraud is a faster way that criminals can commit fraud without leaving a paper trail. In the same way mail fraud attacks the postal system, e-mail fraud attacks the electronic postal system. Criminals can commit e-mail fraud by sending fraudulent reports, articles, numbers, or products to individuals. Additionally, e-mail fraud can be conducted by using other people’s credit card information. Although e-mail fraud is a newer form of fraud, legislation has already made it an illegal activity.

Mail fraud is committed in many different arenas. It is very easy for someone to mail information back and forth to another person. However, this type of fraud is being surpassed by e-mail fraud since the Internet is used more readily. Overall, mail is a source of fraud used by more than ten thousand fraud offenders each year. Typically, those that are found guilty of fraud by mail can be the sender and the receiver as well. Although federal code outlines the criteria for each state, local and state laws also specify what constitutes mail fraud in a given area. 

Mail fraud charges are used most frequently in federal white collar crime cases to either make an initial charge or add a charge to a list of existing ones. Mail fraud charges include to premises to uphold in court, including the intent to commit fraud and the use of the United States Postal System in the process. This system includes both private and public postal delivery systems.

 

 

The federal legislation that governs criminal charges against mail fraud is United States statute 18 U.S.C. 1341 (1994).  This statute awards criminal charges that include up to twenty years in federal prison, and a fine up to one million dollars. In addition, if mail fraud is committed against a financial entity like a bank, investment firm, or hedge fund, then the mail fraud charges include up to thirty years in federal prison and up to one million dollars. 

 

 

Mail fraud charges are awarded for each time the mail is used. This means that if a schemer uses the mail to send off three different schemes, he is charged with the criminal charges three times over. Consistent occurrences of mail fraud may require further investigation by the authorities, but are significant to the amount of mail fraud charges given.

 

 

However, the government reserves the right to charge different occurrences as many times as they like. For instance, a criminal who committed mail fraud for a period of time, through a significant amount of mailings, the criminal charges can be assigned for a single count. In these instances a government may increase the criminal charges to the fullest extent of the statute. 

 

 

To prove that fraud exists in a case, the government must prove that a knowledgeable intent existed. If an individual wanted to participate in a scheme, without a specific intent to defraud through postage, mail fraud charges can not apply. In some cases the intent to defraud exists bluntly and can be proven easily. In other cases it is not so easy to prove, since committing fraud does not always constitute mail fraud.

 

 

Mail fraud can be charged as a state offense if the mail never crossed over from state to state. In this instance, criminal charges will be issued according to state laws and statutes. When mail fraud crosses between states it is then considered a federal issue. Mail fraud charges would then be issued according to the federal statute 18 U.S.C. 1341 (1994).