The U.S. Postal Inspection Service launched a major advertising campaign yesterday to warn senior citizens about the dangers of mail fraud scams.
The campaign includes postcards, newspaper ads and posters. Half-page advertisements will appear in at least 20 newspapers where readership includes large elderly populations. Three-million postcards will be mailed to elderly seniors, postal inspector Fred Van der Putte said.
TV public service announcements will feature actress Betty White available to any TV station that will run them, he noted. Warning posters will appear in 38,000 post offices.
Creative services for the ads, mailer and postcards were donated by Mullen Public Relations, Pittsburgh. The budget for the campaign was less than $1 million, Van der Putte said.
Joining the USPIS in this effort is the U.S. Postal Service, the Federal Trade Commission and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The Direct Marketing Association endorsed the effort.
“It is imperative that government create a safe and secure marketplace for consumers by identifying and prosecuting illegitimate businesses,” said DMA president H. Robert Wientzen, in a statement. “By ferreting out the bad apples, both consumers and legitimate businesses benefit.”
The campaign kicked off National Fraud Against Senior Citizens Awareness Week.
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