NCJ Number
111841
Date Published
1987
Length
106 pages
Annotation
Testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Postal Personnel and Modernization supports H.R. 939 and H.R. 1550, which are designed to counter misleading and deceptive mail solicitation practices, often targeting senior citizens, offering to provide for a fee services provided free by the Federal Government.
Abstract
The mailings targeted by the two bills are sent in brown envelopes having seals or statements intended to give the appearance of an official government correspondence and soliciting money for some service given free or at a lower cost by a Federal agency. The mailings typically relate to Social Security and Medicare benefits. Other solicitations using this format have included promotions for rebates on automobiles, real estate promotions, and a radon testing kit. The bills require a bold disclosure on any envelope that might be construed by a recipient as an official document, as well as on the face of the materials. The disclaimer would indicate that the mailing is not from the Federal Government and, if applicable, that the service being offered for a fee is free from the Federal Government. Witnesses, which include various members of Congress, including bill sponsors, a representative of the Postal Service, president of the American Association of Retired Persons, and the senior vice president of the Direct Marketing Association, support the bills. Statements and additional material.