The United States Postal Service has announced that they are still on the lookout for the suspect who robbed the Monitor Post Office in West New York located at 6100 Park Ave. on the afternoon of July 1.
In addition, the USPS is asking consumers to be on the lookout for several mail hoaxes that have increased in numbers recently.
“As the holidays roll around, there is often a related spike in crime.” – Postal Inspector Joshua Shandler
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Fake foreign lottery
Shandler said that some of the scams range from running a fake lottery to selling counterfeit items online. The average consumer might buy the fake goods while shopping for holiday gifts.
One of the most popular schemes is a fake lottery or sweepstakes. In some cases, a consumer might receive a letter asking them to participate in a foreign country’s lottery, but the consumer must pay to enter or pay a shipping fee.
However, federal law prohibits “the mailing of payments to purchase any ticket, share, or chance in a foreign country.”
In addition, federal law also prohibits sending lottery material via mail. The only exception is for mailings regarding U.S. state lotteries.
“Foreign lottery mail is one type of scheme postal inspectors have worked to protect the Postal Service’s customers from for over 200 years,” said Shandler.
Recently, Shandler attended a luncheon at the Bulk Mail Facility in Jersey City, which is just one of five international mail centers in the nation, to celebrate the milestone of having intercepted 1 million pieces of lottery mail by postal inspectors.
Another scam involves the purchase of counterfeit items online and the shipment of them. In a recent case, a New Jersey man was sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty to selling fake Herve Chapelier items, like handbags, via eBay. He would charge the consumer a shipping fee, then design on his computer a fake postage meter stamp, while keeping the profits.
Still on the lookout
In West New York, postal inspectors are still putting the word out about a $50,000 reward for information that could lead the arrest of a male suspect who robbed the Monitor Post office located at 6100 Park Ave at approximately 1 p.m. on July 1.
According to Shandler, the suspect is believed to be a black male in his late 20s to early 30s, approximately 5’10” to 6 feet tall, of medium build, and clean shaven. He was wearing a dark v-neck t-shirt, dark jeans, and armed with a handgun.
“We have some credible leads that the suspect is from the Bergen-Lafayette District of Jersey City, but we continue to evaluate all leads that come in,” said Shandler. “Anyone with information can remain anonymous.”
To provide anonymous information regarding the robbery, contact the USPS inspector’s hotline at: 1(877) US-MAIL-5.
Melissa Rappaport may be reached at mrappaport@hudsonreporter.com