MOH Forum: A Postal-Mail Chain Letter?

A Postal-Mail Chain Letter?

Posted By:
Maegan
in Tampa, FL - USA
Nov 14, 2004

I received this chain letter in my mailbox:

Dear Friend,
Greetings: I am a retired attorney. A few years ago a man came to me with a letter. He asked me to verify the fact that this was legal to do. I told him I would review it and get back to him. When I first red the letter my client brought me, I thought it was some "off-the-wall" idea to make money. A week and a half later we met in my office to discuss the issue. I told him the letter he originally brought me was not 100% legal. My client then asked me to later it to make it perfectly legal. I asked him to make one small change in the letter.

***
It goes on for another 2 pages about how if you send $1 to the 6 names on the list & you will make $800,000.00 in just 3 months. You pay for a list of names to send letters to. I KNOW this is a scam. I just can't figure out how I got it. It came to me at my married name (junk-mail tends to come to my maiden name), & it came to my actual house address. (My driver's license lists my PO Box & if you look me up at the DMV, the physical address is actually my prior residence...haven't had time to change it yet.) The phone & electric aren't registered in my name, they're registered to my husband. (There's not a water bill, we have a well.)

What I wanna know is: How did this come to me, with my correct name at my current physical address??? The 'person' who sent the letter is: Mr. Louis Jordan/1234 Shakespeare Avenue/Apt # 2E/Bronx, NY 10452

Also, a co-worker recently had someone slip this same letter under his door at his apartment building...Anyone hear anything about this??

Category: Scams; Replies: 1759

Comments

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Terry Austin	Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2004 \| 11:26 AM They may have bought a mailing list from some marketing firm. Such are readily availably. Or they may have just walked down the street and dug through people's trash. In any event, it's clearly an illegal Ponzi scheme, and should be reported immediately to the Postal Inspectors at your local Post Office as mail fraud.
Maegan	Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2004 \| 12:09 PM Maybe I can sue them for $800,000.00!
Emily	Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 \| 12:20 AM hello, I am not silly and i know this is not going to work, but i got a chain email that said i had to tell 46 people about it for a wish to come true. i do not know 46 people to tell about it so i thought if i put it on a forum 46 people or more will read it and my wish will come true! so thats what i am doing.
Cranky Media Guy	Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 \| 01:29 AM OK, you probably aren't going to believe this, but in all seriousness, I lived on Shakespeare Ave. in the Bronx when I was a little kid. It's in the South Bronx, not terribly far from Yankee Stadium (where I worked from '71-'79). We moved to the North Bronx when I was still a baby. Yeah, I know, it's appropros of nothing in particular, but it was just quite odd to read that posting and to have that street jump out at me.
Cranky Media Guy	Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 \| 01:31 AM By the way, chain letters are ALWAYS illegal. Of course they tell you that THIS one isn't. You wouldn't participate if they didn't tell you that, right? They've been illegal since at least the 1930's when they were very popular because so many people were looking for a quick way out of poverty and answered them, swamping the Post Office.
Cranky Media Guy	Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 \| 01:32 AM Just another quick note. Shakespeare Ave. in the Bronx is a very unlikely place for an attorney to live. Unless he is a really POOR attorney, that is. It ain't exactly the high rent district. Use Google Maps or some other service to take a look at where it is.
Maegan in Tampa, FL - USA Member	Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 \| 05:02 AM I looked it up, but it didn't tell me what the income base was for the residents on the street. In fact, I looked at it on a map & couldn't really tell much about it at all. Although, there is apparently a HUGE star in the roadway. Traffic must be Hell.
Winona in USA Member	Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 \| 07:38 AM I have recieved two chain letters this month, one from each sister in law (and was a book swap one, and one was a send three lottery tickets to each person one). I tossed them like I always do, and finally had to give them each a call to let them know to keep my out of it. These things are my total pet peeve.
The Curator in San Diego Member	Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 \| 08:20 AM Maybe a neighbor or co-worker gave them your address.
Maegan in Tampa, FL - USA Member	Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 \| 08:50 AM ...I thought about that, but other than my manager (who isn't even the sort of person who WOULD do this sort of thing), none of my co-workers HAS my home address. Besides...I'd forgotten all about this, until CMG mentioned he lived on Shakespear Ave. (hmm...I do wonder though, whenever I talk to people up north, they say "ave" instead of "avenue", this isn't true for everywhere, just for people north of Virginia...odd.)
Maegan in Tampa, FL - USA Member	Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 \| 08:51 AM ..or rather, from what I've heard. Phew. Didn't want to start a, Yes I do! No, I don't! sort of things here.
Bug	Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 \| 07:36 PM Maegan, I got the exact same letter today in the mail, today. Anyway, I was curious, too, as to how they got my name and address and from what I can tell, the name they used to address me is the name I use when I sign up for online survey sites. I don't know which one it would be, though. My letter came from Hot Springs, AR. The return address was handwritten while my address was printed out on mailing label. Interesting. I didn't think paper chain letters still exist.
hcmomof4	Posted: Mon Apr 18, 2005 \| 11:10 PM FYI -- chain letters are not in and of themselves illegal. The illegality (hey, I'm not above making up my own words...) is in solicitation of anything of value. I can send a chain letter saying that if you do 10 jumping jacks and send a copy of this letter to 322 of your closest friends you will have less bad luck than usual, that is annoying, but legal. But if I ask for (fill in this space with something you consider to be of value) to guarantee that your luck will actually become favorable, that's crossing the line.
Maegan in Tampa, FL - USA Member	Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 \| 09:49 AM Bug...Yeah, interesting enough. If I sign up for something on the internet, I usually indicate "Lynn" as my last name. Lynn is actually my middle name...I just like to use it, if I'm not really sure where the information is going. Odd indeed. I still think I should have found out who sent it & sued them for $800k.
Bug	Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2005 \| 04:59 PM I did a search on this particular chain letter and apparently this letter has been going on pretty recently. As I went down the list of the search results on the 2nd page, I saw a link that directs to my local county's Division of Consumer Affairs. Apparetly, a resident of my county sent a copy of the letter she received to the Consure Affairs to report this recently. How funny! There were also LOTS of sites that are actually trying to scam people with this exact same letter, but they ask you to get money from your paypal account. I hope no one falls for this.. You can maybe write back to the person who sent you, but you probably won't get a response, though.
Dreamer	Posted: Tue May 10, 2005 \| 07:57 PM I also recieved this same letter in April 2005. It was sent from Salt Lake City UT. I was very interested in the whole concept, but a relative of mine who works at the post office informed me it is illegal. Look up the postal inspector web page on google. You can't ask for anything of value. Too bad because it sounded like a fun diversion. Also very suspicious of who leaks our information out.
Smerk in to mischief Member	Posted: Thu Jun 16, 2005 \| 09:57 PM Thanks, lol...If you read carefully, you'll find that this thread is about snail mail chain letters.
David B. Member	Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 \| 02:29 AM Sorry, hemomof4, but 'illegality' is a real word. Creatifying new words has more difficultiness than you would at first imagify.
the daily phosdex	Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2005 \| 10:28 AM "CrankyMediaGuy" notes: <blockquote> By the way, chain letters are ALWAYS illegal. Of course they tell you that THIS one isn't. You wouldn't participate if they didn't tell you that, right? They've been illegal since at least the 1930's when they were very popular because so many people were looking for a quick way out of poverty and answered them, swamping the Post Office. </blockquote> From what I understand, the "Send-A-Dime" chain letters as had vogue around 1934-35 prompted the Post Office's taking umbarge @ such schemes, and continues to do so to this very day. Ironic as it seems (in fact, a Postal Service employee told me this once), those promoting such chain letters may cite 18 USC 1302 (Sending Lottery Tickets and Related Matter) and 1341 (Frauds and Swindles) as "evidence" that such are "legal," but for some reason or another, <b><i>choose not to include the texts of both laws as, say, an Appendix</b></i>. Another law such promoters choose not to mention (and for good reason) is 39 USC 3005, as explains the procedures where the Postal Inspection Service can conduct enquiries. You can read the texts of all three laws <a href="http://thedailyphosdex.ws/?twPgX=p2&twArtY=GFGHER25336WSQ12RT" target="new">right here on my weblog</a>; provided as a public service in response to the likely comeback of "Five Reports" letters in due course.
Pal	Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2005 \| 06:45 PM I recieved the same letter you all are talking about. Yes chainletters are illegal however the thing that makes the letter legal is you are offering a "service" and not soliciting a gift of money. I clearly states that when you send in you $1.00 to the six people that you enclose a note requesting to be put on their mailing list. Weather the list is real or fictious doesn't matter, that fact is that your are paying to be put on the list. Kinda borders on the shady side but there is technically nothing wrong with it. It is no different than recieving a JC Penny catalog on a Wal Mart add in the mail.
Winona in USA Member	Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2005 \| 09:03 AM Wrong. TU.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns that if you start such a letter, or even just forward one on, you are breaking the law. Title 18, section 1302 &1341 of the US Postal and Lottery Laws actually states that chain letters (e-mail or otherwise) are illegal "if they request money or other items of value and promise a substantial return to the participants." Selling a report (which, coincidentally, is just more propaganda about the scheme) or adding respondents to a mythical mailing list do not make this thing legal.
eric	Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 \| 09:52 AM I got the same letter a couple of months ago. I knew it was a scam, however a legal one (since you're asking to be put on their mailing list - a service). However, I did it and sent out a hundred letters. The money stopped coming, but I received a total of 283.00. Certainly not $800,00!! But it was worth the investment of $33.00 in stamps and an hour of my time. Anyone else experience similiar results?
Curious	Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 \| 06:23 PM How'd you get 100 37c stamps for $33? BTW, it's still illegal.... 😡
Eric	Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 \| 04:09 AM Sorry, I meant $37.00. I wasn't aware that it was illegal. I thought because you were "buying a service," it was a loophole. But it did work for me. Over three hundred dollars isn't a bad investment. I'm going to start looking for legal chain letters. There must be some way to make it legal and still make it work.
Kosmo in trouble most of the time Member	Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 \| 05:22 AM http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001302----000-.html http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001342----000-.html Be safe, check these links out. "buying a service" is no loophole - the problem is you are taking a risk and sending money -hoping- to receive money, and that's gambling. Pushing it thru the mail also makes it Federal....
cmca	Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 \| 02:55 PM I received this letter also. I had just lost my home, so I showed my mom, We have never received a chain letter so we thought it was legit. I bought addresses from the internet and sent the letters out. I received some back and wrote on one of the envelopes was - is this legal? - I thought it was. I sent out 200 of these things. I have not received any money but I didn't know it was illegal. I'm just hoping anybody who receives one of these letters from me will just throw it in the trash. I never expected to receive 800,000 but I really hope I don't get in trouble for this. I'm a divorced mom with two kids. I work hard but there just never seems to be enough money to make ends meet. This seemed like an inexpensive way to make extra money.
Cranky Media Guy	Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 \| 03:37 AM cmca, no, chain letters are never legal. If you'd like confirmation of this, ask your local postmaster. I wouldn't say that I had participated in one; just say that you received one and you want to know if it's legal. It's highly unlikely that you will be prosecuted for your participation in a chain letter. I suspect that the postal officials are far more interested in the "big fish." Keep in mind, however, that I'm not a lawyer and this is just my personal opinion. I am correct, though, that chain letters are NOT legal.
cindy Member	Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 \| 09:44 AM Thanks for your opinion CMG, I really hope nothing happens. If anyone out there receives one of these things from me, please accept my apology and just throw it in the trash. I will never send one of these things out again. Lesson learned.
Cranky Media Guy	Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 \| 12:39 AM cindy said: "Thanks for your opinion CMG, I really hope nothing happens. If anyone out there receives one of these things from me, please accept my apology and just throw it in the trash. I will never send one of these things out again. Lesson learned." No problem, Cindy. I really doubt that anything will happen to you; the postal authorities have their hands full dealing with the big fish. You might consider checking out a few books from the library about pyramid schemes, chain letters and Ponzi schemes just to learn how this stuff works. It's a pretty interesting subject, I've always thought. Look in the card catalog under "fraud" or "impostors and imposture." There are some nifty books out there.
roberto	Posted: Sun Mar 05, 2006 \| 07:40 PM i have also recieved this mail chain letter, i was so interested that i went out and tried it. ive been sending out letters now for about 4 months and ive been recieving money in the mail! a dollar at a time. i love the chain letter idea, and it worked for me (3,000 dollars on a 300 dollar investment). i say give it a try, if it doesnt work, so you lost 50 bucks! if your a smoker, you lose more then that in a year. deal with it, take a chance, it wont kill you!
Cranky Media Guy	Posted: Mon Mar 06, 2006 \| 02:15 PM Roberto, what you are engaged in is illegal. Chain letters have been illegal since the days of the Depression when they became so popular that the overwhelmed the Post Office. No, the chain letter won't kill you, but it could put you in jail. NOW how good an idea does it seem to be involved in one? Just so you know, the odds are that you won't get caught, but if for some reason you attract the attention of the postal authorities, you should be aware that they have an extremely high percentage of conviction. They rarely lose a case.
Debby	Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 \| 01:09 PM Perplexing? I just received one of these letters. I first checked the internet to see if this was a hoax. It may not be a hoax, but it is risky. The two links provided above with the law outlined were very helpful. But, they still don't prove that it is illegal. According to the law, it is illegal if there is a lottery, or you could say, some form of gambling. Some of this is left up to interpretation. Is sending these letters a gamble? If you and the law think it is, then it is illegal. If you and the law don't think it is, then it is legal. Often people do need to interpret the law. As much as I would love to see some money rolling in, I don't think I will take this chance. Not only do you have to pay for stamps, but you have to pay for paper, printing, and the mailing lists. The idea that there is a risk involved makes me feel as if it were gambling. I believe that if enough people complained, the post master will be looking into this. Also, interesting is the fact that there was no return address on my letter, and the man who wrote the letter is not in the mailing list. Either he screwed up, or there is more to it being a scam.
burlie	Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2006 \| 05:19 PM The person who sends you the letter isn't claiming to be an attorney. The person who started it is claiming to be an attorney. Then each person, (who may not be an attorney) just adds his/her name to the bottom of the list. I have received this letter three times but have never responded to it. Sounds too good to be true, maybe?
Eightieschick70	Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 \| 01:30 PM Oh wow me and my husband got this letter too we both work full time but still aren making ends meet. we kept the letterfor 2 months before we did anything. we tossed the idea around saying what if. then we started getting signs (i know it sounds strange... but we did) anyway. we just sent them off like a week ago. yikes now im worried. we really were grasping at straws to get out of our finacial delema. sometimes i think that the government does whatever they can to keep the little guy down. im sorry and i hate it but thats really how i feel. im sorry that i sent those off now.
Eightieschick70	Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 \| 03:36 PM Hello, after my last entry i was thinking some more. weve tryed a few money making businesses off the internet and you know...all they want you to do id advertize for them and you know, ive never seen a penny. I really think this is better than that. its people helping eachouther and no one takes any more risk than anyone else. instead of giving my money to sone big business and letting them scam me for free advertising ild rather help out someone like myself who has dreams. its never bad to dream...without dreams we would be nothing. and if this would really work for someone who is desperate enough to try it then i say great. it really seems to me that the world consists of too many people who only want to keep eachouther down instead of lifting eachouther up and thats why the world is going down hill.
hcmomof4 in So. Cal. Member	Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 \| 05:59 PM Eightieschick70, There probably are a few things that the government involves itself in that DO keep the "little" guy down. In this case, though, it is actually trying to keep the little guy from getting screwed. (My personal opinion is that mostly the government doesn't even SEE us little guys...) Here is just one link explaining the problem with this idea: <a href="http://www.interleaves.org/~rteeter/pyramid.html">Pyramid schemes</a>
Cranky Media Guy Member	Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2006 \| 01:11 AM Eightieschick70, there is another little wrinkle in this scam: IT'S ILLEGAL. ALL postal chain letters are illegal under U.S. law. You don't have to take my word for it; just go to your local postmaster and ask him/her. Just say that you got a solicitation for one in the mail and you want to know if it's legal. Then it's up to you if you want to break the law or not. Oh, by the way, just about ALL scams will tell you that they're "just people helping people." I've been hearing that bullshit since the 80's when I was a radio DJ in Allentown, PA trying to warn people not to get involved in a Ponzi scheme that was making its way through the Lehigh Valley at the time. In the World O' Scams' nothing much really changes, just the packaging.
Sheila Sawyer	Posted: Sat Sep 02, 2006 \| 06:05 AM I received this chain letter also. However there was a cover page on mine that states Make $250,000 in weeks AS SEEN ON OPRAH & 20/20 *Oprah Winfrey and ABC's Investigation team 20/20 also prove it can be done* *proven by various, highly-respected U.S.TV and Radio programs as being 100% legal, feasible and true* How do I go about notifying Oprah and 20/20 that their names are being used to promote this chain letter??? And/or did they really endorse this as being legal???
MissyMay24 Member	Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 \| 02:08 PM I can tell you where they get your name from. My daughter got one of these exact letters today at my house. She recently moved here and changed her address for her Victoria's Secret credit card. The cards are issued by a bank that goes by the name of WFNNB. After she changed it, they got the address wrong the first time and she notified them of the correct address, which they changed. However, not before selling her name and the incorrect address as part of a mailing list. If not for that typo, she wouldn't have known where somebody she doesn't know got her name and address. If you do any business with WFNNB and you don't want them to sell your name, you have to call an automated line and specifically opt-out. You can find them online at wfnnb.com So, if you have a department or specialty store credit card such as Victoria's Secret, JC Penney, Gap, Wal-mart, Nordstrom, Sears, Office Depot, Old Navy, it could be affiliated with WFNNB so you might want to make sure they know you don't want your name sold. Heck, you might want to check with the issuers of all your credit cards, regardless.
nate	Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 \| 12:00 PM So i am looking at the letter right now. i got it in the mail last sunday. so i here a bunch of people saying it is illegal. but there aren't any true facts that back them up. I acutally took it to a lawyer and he told me that it is open for interpratation. For starters it is a chain letter becasue it is the same letter everyone gets and you add a link of the chain by adding your name. second the person that started this letter isn't asking for a dollar but simply telling you to send a dollar to the people on the list. I send money to my brother for his birthday is that leagal. also it says to use a certian company to get the mailing list. well if that is illegal then don't use that company. it continues to say if you mail it out to 200 people they will send you a dollar just like you sent the six people a dollar. The reason this isn't illegal is becasue all you are doing is sending money for nothing. i had a dream one night that just like a kid i would run around and aks for a quarter. people would give me a quarter all the time. i saved alot as a kid and it turned out for the better. it payed for my college. all these points are up for interpratation. it is not illegal to send someone money. it is not a pyramid because the person that started it gets dropped off the list. it is a chain letter however and that is illegal. im going to try this and if i loose 100 bucks oh freekin well. i'll spend that in the bar on a sat night any way so big deal. based on opinion this particular letter is not 100% illegal and since im not a lawyer i can't be expected to know 100% of the law.
Cranky Media Guy	Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 \| 02:05 PM nate said: "So i am looking at the letter right now. i got it in the mail last sunday. so i here a bunch of people saying it is illegal. but there aren't any true facts that back them up. I acutally took it to a lawyer and he told me that it is open for interpratation." Nate, if you really did take the chain letter to an attorney and he told you that, he doesn't know what he is talking about. As I've said before, just ask your local postmaster about it. What you've described is a classic chain letter and those have been illegal in America since at least the 1930's. Putting that aside, if you use your brain, you'll see that it simply isn't possible that everyone who participates in a chain letter makes more money than they put in. Where would the excess money come from? Those few who make out on these scams are taking money from the many who lose out. There is no other possibility. Even if you don't care about taking money from other people (most of whom are probably involved in the scam because they're desperate), odds are you'll be a takee rather than a taker. And there's also that whole "illegal" thing.
pat henry Member	Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 \| 09:32 PM CMG said: "if you use your brain, you'll see that it simply isn't possible that everyone who participates in a chain letter makes more money than they put in". Perhaps the brain CMG uses is too jaded and cynical to step back and understand more clearly how life moves and shifts. The "everyone" who may choose to participate at a given time would most probably evolve into another "everyone" at another point in time. And so on and so on. Circumstances change. Needs change. I just received this particular letter also. I hardly see how anyone is "getting screwed". Did six people conspire to screw me out of a dollar? ($6.00). Is the originator of the letter screwing me? He cycled out long ago, as does every one else who participate after six generations. Perhaps Kinkos started this?? Suspicious of the recommended mailing list business? Pick another. Pyramid scams are when the people at the top win and those at the end of the line loose. Though there is a temporary pyramidal dynamic involved, In this case it is obvious that after six moves you're cycled out. As see this vehical as harming no one. I, myself need and could use a little financial help at this time and may choose to participate. Legal? Ill go with "little fish" and "open for interpretation". CMG, wanna go after real "hoaxes" and real "scams"? Why not join an true patriotic organization such as "We The People" and go after the biggest hoax and scam of them all. Its called the "Federal Reserve". You know...that faceless cabal of elite bankers that hoohwinked the American people back in 1913 when most of congress were not present to vote on the proposed "Federal Reserve Act" durring Christmas vacation, and which was never ratified by by the required number of states. If youre interrested in checking this out, Arron Russo ("Trading Places")just put out a film ,"America-From Freedom To Fascism". Google it. Many interviews with former IRS agents who resigned after investigating and discovering that there was in fact no law that requires anyone to pay income tax. They've been "scewing" American citizens for..well... almost a century. Which, come to think of it...may be why many folks today are struggling with multiple jobs, loosing homes, and could use a little help. But then, the feds will have a hard time taxing these little moving dollars wouldnt they?
Cranky Media Guy	Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 \| 01:18 AM pat henry said: CMG said: "'if you use your brain, you'll see that it simply isn't possible that everyone who participates in a chain letter makes more money than they put in'". "Perhaps the brain CMG uses is too jaded and cynical to step back and understand more clearly how life moves and shifts. The "everyone" who may choose to participate at a given time would most probably evolve into another "everyone" at another point in time. And so on and so on. Circumstances change. Needs change." Uh huh. And by what mechanism would all those people (whoever they are at any given moment) make more money than they put in? Since everyone joins in the hope that they will come out ahead and since that isn't possible for the vast majority of them (although they are lead to believe that they WILL come out ahead), how is that NOT a scam? OK, you don't like the Federal Reserve system. I get that. How does that make a pyramid scheme NOT a scam? At best, it's merely a lesser scam that the Federal Reserve. Are you contemplating not paying your taxes on the grounds that they're illegal? If so, you should know that you're far from the first person to propose that theory...and you would be far from the first person to go go prison for failing to pay federal taxes. That doesn't mean that you're necessarily wrong about the illegality of federal taxation. They have the guns and SWAT teams and the desire to make an example of you, though.
Eightieschick70	Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 \| 06:21 AM Well ok its really not a pyrimid scheme. it is a chain letter and weather or not its leagal, let me tell you it doesent work. by the time you buy the mailing list, stamps, envelopes, and get copies made, youve spent over a hundred dollars. I did try this but i only sent out half of the copies and was waiting to see if i got any response before sending out the rest. no response. its really a waste of time and money.the mailing list company could have started this so they could get people to buy mailing lists? Well anyway. it diddnt work for us. if it works for any of you, ild like to know please.
Charybdis in Hell Member	Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 \| 09:26 AM Wow, from chain letter scams to the Fed/Income Tax. That's really a leap of logic. Eightieschick70, contact your local Postmaster. They will inform you that it is definitely illegal, so there won't be any doubt about it. And as to federal taxation legality, it's never been changed or successfully challenged. That pretty much makes it legal, by default.
Eightieschick70	Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 \| 09:53 AM um...ok Chary...well considering im telling people not to do it,......whats your point???
Marco	Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2007 \| 01:58 AM Yesterday I received the same letter mentioned above with six names and addresses on the final page. One of the names is ("Cindy R????? Gerber, CA 96035") and this may be the same Cindy that made a post on this subject Sun Oct 23, 2005 \| 07:44 AM. If it is the same Cindy do not worry I'm a cool guy and will discard the letter. If its you, you are now 3rd in line and I just can't help but to wonder how much you have received so far if anything? As for everyone else ALWAYS DO YOUR RESEARCH before attempting any business project or money making scheme. That is why we have the Internet and the local library. http://abcnews.go.com/Business/CreativeConsumers/story?id=2030114&page=2 I did not find anything else at ABC
David	Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 \| 03:58 PM Hey, I got two letters on the same day but this guy has now moved to Federal Way, Washington. I looked at his house on Google Map (the guy who put a return address label on the envelope...like that's probably really his!) Anyhow, he must be a public defender and not a good one at that looking at the house and neighborhood. I'm going to the Post Office in the morning!
Cranky Media Guy	Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 \| 01:07 AM David said: "I'm going to the Post Office in the morning!" To check on the legality of the chain letter or to participate in it?
lh	Posted: Mon Feb 05, 2007 \| 06:43 PM Oh My.....I wish I had found this site a long time ago. I got several of these letters and the most recent was a couple of months ago. I went as far as contacint the 6 names on the letter and they responded with yes they did receive money and quite a bit of it. I gave a bogus name and went on with I would send the letter..but never did....I check pricing on the mailing lists..heck one of the companies number doesn't even work....I have looked and looke d trying to figure out if it was legal or not. I have a family member who work for the usps and they said they never had seen one. well I am glad I didn;t do it, but sometimes wonder what would happen if I had..... I do know how they get your names for a mailing list. Its when you have inquired about home based business'. You have to make some type of contact so basically you are not getting unsolicited mail. You have requested the information. Not through you credit cards or from your bills.
Len	Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 \| 07:32 PM I received one of these letters too, and I sent out 500 copies. I don't see how spending my own money on stamps, envelops, copies, and addresses (from the number they gave) and follow all the instructions of the letter is illegal. Here's my situation... I'm sure everyone here "believes" or has "faith". For years, I've been purchasing lottery tickets, hoping for a chance to win. I tried gambling (and it's way too addicting...) I've tried it all. This letter arrives at my house. I held it for 4 weeks comtemplating whether or not to do anything with it. I keep seeing on here that it's "legal," it's "illegal", it's "risky." I don't see how. Is it "illegal" to try it out, to see what happens? If it is "illegal," then I am extremely sorry. But I don't see the trouble for having something as simple as a letter to believe in. I know there's a possibility I don't receive a dime for this, but I also know there's a little hope out there for some of us. I'm just getting out college, and I have to pay the whole college loan myself, with no help. Plus, I have other debt through hospital bills. I know there's people 10 times worse than me out there. I think of this as a "chance." I sent out the letters the same reason why I go to the gas station and spend 50-100 dollars on lottery tickets. I mailed the letters the same reason why I go to gamble (trying to hit that wheel of fortune spin and hope to hit "big money." That's just my opinion. I just sent it out to see what happens. Just from reading the letter, it sounded like a huge relief that there still is a little hope in this world, and I'm sick of how people try to ruin it for you.
Len	Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 \| 07:39 PM But if it IS illegal, then I just disregard the letter. I mean, maybe I should have done research on this. I don't know..
Eightieschick70	Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 \| 05:41 AM Len- I have just as much faith and want to hit it big I enter publishers clearinghouse every day. my family keeps telling me to stop dreaming and hoping but i think we all want a way out of this rat race, anyway, you talked of gambling. well if this is illeagle then your taking a big gamble. you could be fined big money and or put in jail. im not sure ild want to risk it and take that kind of gamble. the stakes are way too high.
Charybdis in Hell Member	Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 \| 08:10 AM Yes it's illegal, no you probably won't get prosecuted. It's a pyramid scam. In order for someone to receive money they have to get it from someone else. In order for someone to receive more money than they put into somebody else has to receive less. In other words, for you to come out ahead someone else has to lose out. At best it's gambling, which is also generally illegal. At worst it's fraud because people are duped into thinking they can make it rich when 99% of them will only lose money. The purpose of a pyramid scam is to prey on greedy people. You might get lucky and come out ahead if you're one of the early birds, but more than likely you'll lose everything you put into it. Only the people who start them ever really make anything. That's why it's a scam - the people starting them know nobody else is going to make any money but they lie and tell you that you will. And since that can only happen if you also scam others that puts the guilt on you for participating as well. If making money by scamming people and taking their money doesn't bother you (and at this point you can't argue ignorance) then go ahead and participate. But you'd be better off starting one of your own since you'll probably only lose money on this one.
Cranky Media Guy Member	Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 \| 02:09 PM Len said: "I know there's a possibility I don't receive a dime for this, but I also know there's a little hope out there for some of us. I'm just getting out college, and I have to pay the whole college loan myself, with no help. Plus, I have other debt through hospital bills. I know there's people 10 times worse than me out there." Len, I'm sorry for your difficulties, but nevertheless, a chain letter IS illegal. The sad reality is that you won't accomplish anything other than losing whatever money to contribute to this scam anyway. A Chain letter is NOT started to "help friends" (or whatever they said in yours); it's intended to make money for the people who STARTED IT. I've said this before, but I'll repeat it for your benefit. You're not very likely to get prosecuted for merely participating in a chain letter, but if for some reason you are, the postal authorities have a very high rate of conviction.
Len	Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 \| 02:25 PM I just feel really "stupid" for even falling for this. I wish I found this site sooner. I never received anything like this before, this is the first time, so I thought it was legit for some reason. I guess we all have these thoughts in the back of our minds in someway... So if anyone gets a letter from Leonard (Philadelphia, PA), disregard it. Besides, I didn't really think I'd make a dime off of this anyway. So in a way, I feel like I'm in a casino just throwing money away. But for all of us, hitting money in a "legal" way would be a nice feeling. Back to reality now...
lh	Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2007 \| 05:19 PM I do have a question. Yes, we are all dreamers in one way or another. Everyone's situation is different. Everyone that has posted or responded must have received the same letter at one time or another. Heck, we all may have sent the letters out, but would probalby never honestly answer if you did or didn't. How can it be a pyramid letter, each name is moved up. There is no way the originator is still even on the list anymore. Once again, the question is,"Is IT or Is IT NOT" not legal. The letter states you are sending a dollar to be added to a mailing list. Second, the lists you buy are from humans just like up you have inquired about either home based business or earn extra money at home. That is the only way you get on a mailing list like this. How do you determine whats right or wrong anymore. Some states it illegal to gamble, so you do it elsewhere. Its illegal to gamble for money in private homes, does that stop us....no it doesn't. I live in a state that its legal to buy scratch off tickets, play buy powerball tickets, even has horse tracks....all LEGAL, but its legal to have a casino..... If you send the mailings out, who is it to determine whats in the envelopes. Remember its illigal to open mail that doesn't belong to you. But on the other hand the mail belongs to the USPS til its delivered. This is a mixed up statment. The mail belongs to the Postal Service til its delivered to the proper person, but does it give them the right to open envelopes without return addresses? IS that legal..... So really who is right or wrong here. The Postal system is making money by us buying and using the stamps, but illegal to mail the letters. We all daydream and hope to make it rich quick. But have others deciding whats legal or not. I thought we have certain rights. But I guess the government is trying to take that away also. I have vented enough here. lh
Charybdis in Hell Member	Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2007 \| 09:00 AM Lh, if you're still in doubt simply contact your local postmaster or check out <a href="http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/chainlet.htm">this link</a> from USPS.com. Postal Inspectors have the legal right to open your mail. It's done every day, especially during customs when mailing internationally. Again, most letters won't be opened, and even if they are you're unlikely to be prosecuted for it unless you're sending out hundreds or thousands of them. As to right, we all have the right to be protected from fraud. People who engage in fraud <i>should</i> be prosecuted, or would you rather the government sat back and didn't do anything to help people keep from losing their money?
Cranky Media Guy Member	Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 \| 04:11 AM You know, it's funny; I got my first-ever chain letter a few weeks back. It was from someone in Texas I don't know. I can't even figure out why this person picked me to write to. Now that I'm reminded of it, I'm debating whether or not to turn the letter into the postal authorities. If I knew for sure that the sender was the person who STARTED the chain, I would do it for sure. I suspect, however, that they are just some poor sucker who is way down the chain, in which case I would feel bad about reporting them.
Eightieschick70	Posted: Sun Mar 11, 2007 \| 05:23 AM Ok my question is ths, alright, we already know this is not leagal, that fack has been established but, Why in the letter does it tell you tp put away a percentage of the money for taxes??? wouldnt the IRS want to know how you aquired this extra money? If this worked and you got 800 thousand dollars (fat chance) how would you explain to the government how you got this money? wouldnt they prossacute you for getting money in a illegal way?
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