🚀 go-pugleaf

"JHB" <JHB@prodigy.net> writes: > Hello;
> 
> If you are reading this notice you are amoung the first to see the mailing
> list concept applied with a $5 charge instead of the usual $1.  This will
> increase your income
> substantially without competing with the $1 groups out there.
> 
Was flaming these one by one, but my fingers got tired.  Let me post this here and be done with it.

DROP DEAD AND/OR GET OFF THE INTERNET!



                        United States
                  Postal Inspection Service

                        Chain Letters




                         A  chain  letter  is  a  "get  rich
  quick"  scheme  that promises that your mail box will soon
  be stuffed full of cash  if  you  decide  to  participate.
  You're  told you can make thousands of dollars every month
  if you follow the detailed instructions in the letter.

  A typical chain letter includes  names  and  addresses  of
  several  individuals whom you may or may not know. You are
  instructed to send a certain amount of money--usually  $5-
  -to  the person at the top of the list, and then eliminate
  that name and add  yours  to  the  bottom.  You  are  then
  instructed  to  mail  copies  of  the letter to a few more
  individuals who will hopefully repeat the entire  process.
  The  letter  promises  that  if  they follow the same pro-
  cedure, your name will gradually move to the  top  of  the
  list and you'll receive money -- lots of it.

  There's at least one problem with chain  letters.  They're
  illegal  if they request money or other items of value and
  promise a substantial return to  the  participants.  Chain
  letters  are  a form of gambling, and sending them through
  the mail (or delivering them in person or by computer, but
  mailing  money  to  participate) violates Title 18, United
  States Code, Section 1302,  the  Postal  Lottery  Statute.
  (Chain  letters  that  ask  for items of minor value, like
  picture postcards or recipes, may be  mailed,  since  such
  items  are  not  things of value within the meaning of the
  law.)

  Recently, high-tech chain letters  have  begun  surfacing.
  They may be disseminated over the Internet, or may require
  the copying and mailing  of  computer  disks  rather  than
  paper.  Regardless  of  what technology is used to advance
  the scheme, if the mail is used at any step along the way,
  it is still illegal.

  The main thing to remember is that a chain letter is  sim-
  ply  a  bad  investment. You certainly won't get rich. You
  will receive little or no money. The few dollars  you  may
  get  will  probably not be as much as you spend making and
  mailing copies of the chain letter.

  Chain letters don't work because the promise that all par-
  ticipants  in a chain letter will be winners is mathemati-
  cally impossible. Also, many people  participate,  but  do
  not  send money to the person at the top of the list. Some
  others  create  a  chain  letter  that  lists  their  name
  numerous times--in various forms with different addressee.
  So, in reality, all the money in a chain is going  to  one
  person.

  Do not be fooled if the chain letter is used to sell inex-
  pensive  reports  on  credit,  mail  order  sales, mailing
  lists, or other topics. The primary  purpose  is  to  take
  your  money, not to sell information.  "Selling" a product
  does not ensure legality. Be doubly suspicious if  there's
  a  claim  that  the  U.S.   Postal  Service or U.S. Postal
  Inspection Service has declared the letter legal. This  is
  said  only  to mislead you. Neither the Postal Service nor
  Postal Inspectors give prior approval to any chain letter.

  Participating in a chain letter is a  losing  proposition.
  Turn over any chain letter you receive that asks for money
  or other items  of  value  to  your  local  postmaster  or
  nearest Postal Inspector. Write on the mailing envelope of
  the  letter  or  in  a  separate  transmittal  letter,  "I
  received this in the mail and believe it may be illegal."



http://www.usps.gov/websites/depart/inspect/chainlet.htm

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