By the time she alerted her company’s chief financial officer, four of the checks she mailed had been cashed for nearly $9,000. Chris Clark, who witnessed the mail theft involving Pam Wasserman’s checks, told News4 the man she observed appeared to have such a key. A News4 I-Team review of recent cases of alleged mail theft reveals how keys have played a role in check-fraud schemes. This page is for the information of the general public. They also have a lot of experience identifying fraudulent activity, and will report fraud to law enforcement. As the investigation progressed, NPSO detectives identified mail that came from 30 households and businesses in Natchitoches Parish. The Postal Inspection Service is one of several federal agencies with authority to investigate the laundering of illicit proceeds. He’s currently awaiting trial for bank fraud. If you choose to send a … Authorities said officers found four “community-style” mailboxes that had been pried open, with mail stolen from each one. Report your scam online with the FTC complaint assistant, or by phone at 1-877-382-4357(9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, ET). While some instances of mail fraud are variations on this, it usually involves a deceptive letter that encourages or tricks another into sending money to them.Mail fraud laws put forth several requirements that must be met in order for criminal charges to be filed. The Office of the Postmaster General/Inspector General investigates and prosecutes crimes involving the US mail, including mail fraud. Reported by Jodie Fleischer, produced by Katie Leslie, and shot and edited by Jeff Piper. Fake checks 6. If you believe you’ve been targeted by a scam involving the U.S. Mail, you can get help by contacting your nearest Postal Inspection Service office in one of three ways: Call 1-877-876-2455. What she wasn’t expecting, however, is someone other than a postal worker to arrive first — a mail thief. The IRS, the Secret Service, the Treasury Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are all typically invoved. Seeking Victims in Identity Theft Investigation The FBI is seeking victims whose personally identifiable information (PII) may have been misused between September 2018 and the present. File image (Gray Media) By Pat Thomas. Are you a victim or have you witnessed a mail-related crime? Know who communicates with your child online and monitor their computer usage. We are a Government Department or Agency seeking to Report an allegation of criminal conduct. Legitimate lotteries will never ask you to send money in order to claim a prize. He said ‘no’ and got in the car, and they sped off. Postal Service inspectors don’t have a reliable system to track the crime. The Postal Inspection Service is standing guard and ready to help. I said, ‘You just stole all the mail! “It's more common than we all knew.”. None of the 18 checks they mailed made it to their destination, she said, leading them to believe they were all taken by the same person. Call the police. “I said, ‘You just stole all the mail!’” she recounted to the I-Team. To counter terrorism, the FBI's top investigative priority, we use our investigative and intelligence capabilities to neutralize domestic extremists … Copyright © 2021 USPIS. An August audit by the Office of Inspector General for the United States Postal Service criticized the agency’s management of the keys as “ineffective,” noting, “The number of arrow keys in circulation is unknown, and local units did not adequately report lost, stolen, or broken keys or maintain key inventories.”. NPSO got an arrest warrant for Stanfield for 30 counts of mail theft and 11 counts of identity theft. What’s more, a NBC News investigation in September found inspectors don’t have a precise system for tracking and sorting complaints about mail theft, leaving the scope of the problem unknown. Do you respond to spam or unsolicited emails? In addition to incidents around Montgomery County, the News4 I-Team has fielded a number of complaints this year from people who said they were defrauded after mailing checks in collection boxes outside post offices in Bowie and Glenn Dale. Sheriff’s office investigates growing mail theft reports By ohtadmin | on March 16, 2021 . 13 Investigates wanted to know how the thefts happen, where they happen and who's targeted most in Indiana. What Agencies Are Involved in Investigating Mail or Wire Fraud? The Postal Service is also now placing red stickers on the mailboxes that warn people not to drop off mail past the daily collection time, instead encouraging them to drop mail off inside a postal office. The AFP has the jurisdiction to investigate Commonwealth crimes (sometimes called federal crimes) and crimes that take place in the Australian Capital Territory. It’s illegal for anyone but a postal worker to possess them. Wilson County Sheriff’s Office patrols have increased in parts of the county where residents have reported mail theft. Prize, grants, and sweepstakes offers … The number of pieces stolen would be a very, very small portion of that.”. Thieves are stealing from blue mailboxes, and Investigative Reporter Jodie Fleischer says the Postal Service is struggling to stop it. Instead, she said she checked the pickup time on the blue mailbox closest to her house and made sure to drop the payments inside just before the carrier was due to arrive. But it took until Oct. 6 to catch up with him at an apartment complex in Natchitoches. Administrator Who ‘Stood by and Watched' as 5-Year-Old Handcuffed by Police Has Been Placed on Leave, Coronavirus in DC, Maryland, Virginia: What to Know on April 11, Copyright © 2021 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Imposter scams 5. An attorney for Packer declined comment to News4, though court records show he has entered a plea of not guilty. Mail theft is a felony which carries a sentence of up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. According to court records, the men are accused of using them to access mailboxes in Prince George’s County and parts of D.C., stealing more than 1,000 checks and defrauding victims out of at least $150,000. 13 Investigates and the U.S. She first knew something was wrong when her debit card was declined while buying groceries. “The Postal Service delivers millions of pieces of mail on time every day. You should call the police and report it. Excessive postage and an unknown return address are signs of potentially suspicious mail. External Crime and Crime Teams: The External Crimes Function of USPIS is a function that investigates any theft of US mail by non employees, assaults of postal employees and theft and robberies of postal property. Anecdotal accounts suggest mail theft is on the rise in parts of the country. The U.S. Insurance companies have a financial incentive to prevent and limit insurance fraud. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a scam. Try entering fewer or broader search terms. Identity theft occurs when someone uses your identity in a crime or fraudulent act. Emails 3. If someone you don’t know asks you to transfer money on their behalf, beware, they could be using you as a money mule. Clark said she confronted the man on the street. She said she can see the mailbox through her window and took notice last September when she saw a man who wasn’t wearing a postal uniform open the box and dump the mail in a paper shopping bag, leaving no damage behind. “It’s infuriating,” she told the News4 I-Team, adding that she then began researching the frequency of such crimes. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a 134-count indictment against Gregg County Commissioner Shannon Brown in an alleged vote-by-mail fraud scheme during a … “I thought we were the only people that had complained about stolen mail and forged checks, but not so,” she told News4. Student loan or scholarship scams 8. A check of her neighborhood listserv found she wasn’t alone. It can happen to anyone—but there are steps you can take to protect yourself and to recover if it happens to you. If the violation exists, Postal Inspectors may prosecute or otherwise take action against the offender, but they cannot get your money back for you or require that the fraudulent materials anywhere other than those sent through the US mail be changed or removed. Postal Service employs inspectors who are trained to investigate fraud and mail schemes. Each year, Americans trust the U.S. If you know who is stealing your mail, or if you have a description of the suspect, then share that information with the police as well. Mail your queries to this address: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS SERVICE CENTER. Working from home amid the pandemic, the Silver Spring, Maryland, nonprofit executive didn’t want to enter a post office. To report incidents of suspected mail theft, call 1-877-876-2455 and select #3. A neighbor said she saw the heist happen, but Wasserman didn’t find out about the theft until she read about it on the neighborhood listserv later that day. Pam Wasserman thought she was being careful when she mailed checks on behalf of her company in September. Postal Service offer the following tips to help prevent mail theft: Don't send cash in the mail. Explore opportunities with the Postal Inspection Service. Criminal Investigations Service Center Attn: Mail Fraud 433 W.Harrison Street, Room 3255 Chicago, Il 60699-3255 Mail & Package Theft. But just how much and how often mail is stolen from United States Postal Service property — and the method thieves are using to take it each time — is unclear. Chris Clark, mail theft witness Michael Martel, spokesman for the United States Postal Inspection Service, confirmed his agency is investigating reports of … Alert Postal Inspectors to the problem and prevent others from being victimized. Edward Lee Johnson, 34, has been charged with multiple counts of theft and is still currently incarcerated in the Maury County Jail . Photographers Steve Jones and Evan Carr contributed to this report. Authorities say Michael Packer and Rodney Jefferson robbed mail carriers — sometimes at gunpoint — and stole at least nine arrow keys beginning in late 2018. All Rights Reserved. The FTC accepts complaints about most scams, including these popular ones: 1. Police are now investigating the mail theft. Getting educated and taking a few basic steps may well keep you from becoming a victim of crime and fraud—and save you a great deal of time and trouble. In response, the Postal Service noted it has issued guidance for “key accountability” and is conducting a study to determine whether creating a nationwide inventory of keys is feasible. “I hope they catch the person,” she said, adding, “People just want to have trust in the Postal Service.”. Illegally obtained proceeds may include those gained through narcotics sales, the selling of counterfeit merchandise, mail fraud, … Computer support scams 4. Insurance fraud can be investigated by private insurance companies, local law enforcement, or federal agencies. Connie Cronin isn’t sure how the 18 checks her husband mailed outside the Glenn Dale Post Office in March were stolen, but she knows how difficult it’s been to repair their finances. His attorney declined to say how he’ll plead. He added the Postal Service replaces mailboxes damaged during attempted break-ins with boxes that have enhanced “anti-theft” technology. Bedford mail theft investigation leads to four arrests. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the main agency that collects scam reports. Sign new credit cards received through the mail immediately—before someone else does. Unwanted emails—or emails from unknown senders—could be an attempt to “phish” for your private information and steal your identity. “He said ‘no’ and got in the car, and they sped off.”. Pam Wasserman said that’s what she’s doing now, just in case. By Gregory Ripps Wilson County News. 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