Mail Fraud

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is the official law enforcement for the U.S. Postal Service.  They investigate all cases related to identity theft through mail.  The USPIS helps with any letters stolen for the purpose of stealing your credit cards, bank/credit card statements, credit offers, tax information, checks, or scamming you through the mail.  

Any of the previously mentioned mail frauds should be reported to the USPIS going to http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx.  You can also call your local post office for the number of the USPIS.

Mail frauds vary greatly and many are difficult to discern whether they are legitimate or not.  If there is ever any question, don’t hesitate to contact the USPIS to be sure.  It is better to ask than to pay for you negligence later on.

Being the victim of mail theft can be scary and confusing.  To help you through this situation a list has been compiled from a guide put out by the Postal Inspectors, here are the rights that you have as a victim:

1. The right to be reasonably protected from the accused.  
2. The right to reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of any public court proceeding, or any parole proceeding, involving the crime or of any release or escape of the accused.  
3. The right not to be excluded from any such public court proceeding, unless the court, after receiving clear and convincing evidence, determines that testimony by the victim would be materially altered if the victim heard other testimony at that proceeding.  
4. The right to be reasonably heard at any public proceeding in the district court involving release, plea, or sentencing, or any parole proceeding.  
5. The reasonable right to confer with the attorney for the government in the case.  
6. The right to full and timely restitution as provided in law.  
7. The right to proceedings free from unreasonable delay.
8. The right to be treated with fairness and with respect for the victim's dignity and privacy.

The Postal Inspectors are great with keeping you updated on the latest status of your case.  Not only do Postal Inspectors help resolve the issue, but they also will attempt to recover any money or property stolen because of the incident.  You’ll have to check but there is a possibility of restitution for any property or money not recovered.  The Postal Inspectors will go even so far as to contact your employer for you to explain the situation and any absences from work that may have occurred as a result.