The Postal Inspection Service is offering new videos that provide tips to help protect customers from becoming mail scam victims.
The four videos, which are available on the Inspection Service’s YouTube channel, come in the wake of a crackdown on an international mail fraud ring that robbed postal customers of millions of dollars.
In one video, “Postal Inspectors Warn Public About Scams that Target the Elderly,” inspectors describe the importance of taking action.
“[Victims] are sending money to these fraudsters and we have to do something,” Postal Inspector Clayton Gerber says in the video. “This is why we do what we do.”
In another segment, “Have the Talk,” inspectors urge the children of older adults to safeguard their parents’ finances before trouble strikes.
“Stay vigilant, keep an eye out,” says Gerber. “If you go into mom and dad’s house and their table is covered with solicitations, pay attention.”
The other videos are “Why Are Seniors Especially Vulnerable to Scams?” and “Dealing with Lottery Fraud Victims and Their Families.”
In addition to these videos, the Postal Inspection Service’s Delivering Trust site offers tips on avoiding scams involving foreign lotteries and sweepstakes.