With Valentine’s Day approaching, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) want consumers to be aware they may be targeted for romance scams; a deceptive fraud that preys on individuals seeking companionship. These scams often start online but frequently escalate to requests for money or valuables sent through the mail, leading to devasting financial and emotional losses for victims.
How romance scams usually work is scammers create fake identities, often using stolen photos and fictitious personal details to cultivate online relationships over weeks or months, building trust through social media, dating apps, or email; sometimes including pledging their love early on. Once trust is established, they fabricate urgent financial needs such as medical emergencies, travel expenses, or business problems to solicit money. Victims are then pressured into sending cash, checks, wire transfers, or gift cards, making recovery difficult once the fraud is detected.
To help individuals stay safe, the USPS gives these tips on how to protect yourself:
- Be cautious of online relationships that escalate quickly, especially if the individual avoids in-person meetings or video calls.
- Look for inconsistencies in the person’s profile and the information they share.
- Keep your personal information private.
- Never send money, checks, gift cards, or personal finance information to someone you haven’t met in person.
- Be suspicious of requests for secrecy or urgent financial help.
- If you think it’s a scam, cut off communication immediately and report it.
For more information on romance scams visit Romance Scam – United States Postal Inspection Service.
If you or someone you know has been targeted by a romance scam involving the mail, report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at uspis.gov/report. Victims should also notify their local law enforcement agency and the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
USPS and USPIS also wish to remind the public that they are ramping up public outreach efforts to help Americans recognize and avoid mail fraud. In addition to proactive law enforcement measures, the Postal Service is spreading awareness through multiple channels to raise awareness, including:
- USPIS regularly shares public service announcements and prevention messaging on several social media platforms.
- Providing updated scam alerts, prevention tips, and reporting tools on Tips & Prevention – United States Postal Inspection Service.
- The official USPS Mailin’ It! podcast, where postal inspectors share true crime stories of real cases. These episodes highlight real cases where fraudsters have used the mail to target victims, reinforcing the importance of staying informed and vigilant.
- The USPIS social media campaign Wanted Wednesdays; spotlighting wanted criminals involved in postal-related crimes.
- Postal Inspection Service personnel engage with communities through live and virtual events to educate the public on emerging scam tactics.
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