How to Report Mail Fraud to the U.S. Postal Service
Mail fraud is covered under Title 18, Chapter 63 of the United Stated Code. (See Reference 1) This includes stealing or vandalizing mail as well as using by-mail schemes to commit consumer fraud. All suspected mail fraud should be reported to the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
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Things You'll Need
- Evidence of stolen or tampered mail
- Correspondence and/or merchandise received from company suspected of mail fraud
Instructions
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To Report Stolen, Vandalized or Altered Mail
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To report mail fraud online, visit the United States Postal Inspection Service home page at https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/. The USPIS web site differentiates between stolen/vandalized mail and mail-based consumer fraud; you’ll need to select the type of fraud you wish to report.
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To begin, click “Investigations.”
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Next, click on “Mail Theft.”
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Click “File a Mail Theft Complaint.”
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Click the type of fraud you wish to report: “Mail Theft,” “Vandalism,” “Tampering,” or “False Change of Address.”
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Fill out the form. You will be asked for your contact information, information about where the article was mailed from, who the article was addressed to, the contents of the mail, suspect information, suspect vehicle, and a description of your complaint.
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Click “Submit Complaint.”
To Report Consumer Mail Fraud
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To report consumer mail fraud online, once again, go to https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/ and click "Investigations".
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Click "Mail Fraud."
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Click “File a Mail Fraud Complaint.”
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Fill out the form. You will be asked for your contact information and the details of the fraud you’re reporting, including the type of fraud (chain letter, false bill, unwanted mail, etc.). There is a text box at the bottom of the form where you can describe the problem in detail. You may only report one type of fraud per form.
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Click “Submit Complaint.”
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Tips & Warnings
For advice or help filling out a mail fraud complaint form, call the Mail Fraud hotline at 1-800-372-8347. (See Reference 4)
Keep the reference number you receive when you submit your complaint form. If you come across more information relative to your complaint, you can use that number to access your complaint and add the new information.
Keep all evidence you have relative to your complaint (vandalized mail, tampered mail, a false bill, or any correspondence from the company you believe committed fraud). The Postal Inspectors may contact you and request this information if they need it for their investigation.
The United States Postal Inspection Service cannot handle email fraud or online identity theft. Report these crimes to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (a partnership between the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance) at www.ic3.gov. (See Reference 5)
References
Resources
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