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Postal inspector warns of scams

JOHNSTON — A U.S. postal inspector out of the Cleveland office was at the Johnston Senior Center to help spread the word about what the agency can do to investigate and help prosecute people executing scams that often affect the country’s older population.

U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Russell, receives a lot of complaints from constituents about phone and mail scams and held the informational meeting Friday with postal inspector Sean Brogan.

“Many people don’t know the U.S. Postal Service has an investigative arm,” Joyce said. “We hold these ­– this is our 11th one — in an effort to educate people that there are investigators out there and you should report these scams so something can be done about it.”

The inspectors aren’t only after phishing schemes sent through the mail, but those that come through over the phone.

Often, in the mail, the target of the scam is told he or she won the “Jamaican lottery” or a “Nigerian inheritance” though he or she never entered a lottery and doesn’t have any connection to the country. But the goal of the scammer is to collect as much personal information as possible, by “phishing” for details. Sometimes they call and say the person’s family member is in trouble in a foreign country and he or she should send money to help.

“They create a profile of you that they can sell. The more information you give them, the more valuable it is,” Joyce said.

Joyce said when someone gets a letter like that to throw it away. And if it is a phone call?

“Be rude,” Joyce said. “If someone is asking for your information and getting pushy, be rude. They are using the information to perpetuate a scam.”

And report it.

“Report these issues to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. They can go after these people. The more reports they get, the more likely they will be able to go after them,” Joyce said.

Joyce said he has heard from constituents who have lost money in the scams.

“It is sad,” Joyce said.

Brogan said he and other postal inspectors like to travel to inform people about what they can do.

“Many don’t know what type of federal resources we have to go after these guys,” Brogan said. “The best way to spread that information is through word of mouth. We encourage people to discuss this with their friends and family.”

rfox@tribtoday.com

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