Postal Protection
Recently, a vocal minority has been singing the tune of privatization to the U.S. Postal Service, but a recent incident in San Diego County helps us understand why those people are just hitting sour notes.
On the eve of our last election, a fraudulent newsletter, cleverly disguised to resemble the local journal, was delivered to residents of Lehner Valley, a small, rural North County community that was considering annexation to Escondido. The bogus newsletter told of an eleventh-hour about-face, endorsing the measure it had once opposed.
As soon as the look-alike Lehner Valley News was exposed, the Postal Inspection Service began an investigation based on possible mail fraud.
That’s one of the many guarantees that a universal postal system provides, a guarantee to investigate, and prosecute if necessary, those guilty of mail fraud.
In a postal system composed of many separate postal entities, who would safeguard consumers from unscrupulous con artists who misrepresent themselves or their products?
The residents of that North County valley certainly are glad there is a universal postal system to protect their interest.
And by the way, the scam didn’t work. They voted against annexation.
MARGARET SELLERS
General Manager/Postmaster
San Diego Division
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