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Re: MONEY!!! EASY DOLLARS!!!
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To: Vertti Kiukas <eiole@jssj.o>
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Subject: Re: MONEY!!! EASY DOLLARS!!!
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From: Shawn Lawson <ShawnL19@eos.net>
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Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 16:29:59 -0400
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Article: 14955 of alt.sustainable.agriculture
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Newsgroups: alt.super.nes, alt.supermodels, alt.supermodels.cindy-crawford, alt.support, alt.support-heart, alt.surfing, alt.surfing.bodyboard, alt.surrealism, alt.survival, alt.sustainable.agriculture, alt.svens.house.of.12.year-old.lust, alt.swedish.chef.bork.bork.bork, alt.sweepstakes, alt.swp.socialist.mark.curtis.guilty.of.child.rape, alt.syntax.tactical, alt.tadley.dull, alt.taiwan.republic, alt.talkers, alt.tanya.shalayeva, alt.tarot, alt.tasteless
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Organization: Personal Productions
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References: <323DDBF3.5179@jssj.o>
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Xref: newz.oit.unc.edu alt.super.nes:7326 alt.supermodels:30437 alt.supermodels.cindy-crawford:3359 alt.support:12913 alt.support-heart:93 alt.surfing:40219 alt.surfing.bodyboard:309 alt.surrealism:6358 alt.survival:564 alt.sustainable.agriculture:14955 alt.svens.house.of.12.year-old.lust:892 alt.swedish.chef.bork.bork.bork:4608 alt.sweepstakes:20 alt.swp.socialist.mark.curtis.guilty.of.child.rape:11 alt.syntax.tactical:3159 alt.tadley.dull:14 alt.taiwan.republic:19888 alt.talkers:54 alt.tanya.shalayeva:1152 alt.tarot:14436 alt.tasteless:108824
This is from the United States Postal Service web page at:
http://www.usps.gov/websites/depart/inspect/chainlet.htm I suggest you and everyone
else that posts this crap read it.
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 procedure, 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 simply 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 participants in a chain letter
will be winners is
mathematically 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 inexpensive 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."
--
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ShawnL19@eos.net or ShawnL@tso.cin.ix.net
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References: