Postal inspection service protects the mail
All Americans have the right to mail and receive letters and parcels with every expectation that no one will tamper with or steal their mail. All users of the mail have the right to be protected from mail fraud and other mail-related criminal activities. That’s where the United States Postal Inspection Service comes in; this is the federal law enforcement and security arm of the U.S. Postal Service.
The Service’s mission is to safeguard the sanctity of the U.S. mail and, in doing so, aggressively combat mail theft and fraud. Postal inspectors investigate postal-related crimes, such as identity theft, mail bombs, postal robberies and burglaries and workers’ compensation fraud. They protect against the use of the mail to launder drug money, traffic in illegal drugs, and exploit children.
When a thief takes something out of your mailbox or a scam artist puts something in it-postal inspectors are on the case. According to the Federal Trade Commission, as little as 2% of identity crimes occur through the mail. When a natural disaster hits, postal inspectors are on the scene, helping restore vitally needed mail service.
To the criminal elements who prey on postal customers, the arrival of postal inspectors means their crime games against the Postal Service and society are about to end. They work in close cooperation with various other law enforcement agencies to investigate all manner of postal crimes and expertly prepare criminal cases for court.
No matter what mail a thief may target, all postal customers are guaranteed equal access to the agency’s formidable investigative powers and resources. The Postal Inspection Service also is actively involved in helping prevent crimes against postal customers and employees.
The most common examples of mail fraud against consumers are illegal contest and sweepstakes schemes, chain letters, travel and vacation fraud, merchandise misrepresentations, phony billing scams and fraudulent investment “opportunities.”
For more information about purchasing stamps, stamps by mail, postal regulations, a free subscription to USA Philatelic magazine, Post Office events, the location of the nearest postal store or contract unit, or for answers to your specific Postal Service questions, contact USPS at 1-800-275-8777, or visit www.usps.com. To schedule a presentation for your community, club or group on how the Postal Service brings the Post Office to your home or office computer, call 573-9638.
Mr. Zip’s Tip: In an average year, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service arrests about 12,000 criminal suspects, nearly half for mail theft or possession of stolen mail.
An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.