NEW YORK - The Postal Service is the most trusted federal agency in the United States, and it's this trust thieves are banking on to get into your bank account.
A letter was recently mailed to neighbors in an affluent zip code where the median income is about $103,000.
The sender identifies himself as the head of investment banking at Barclays Capital.
The letter names a relative of the recipient and says after that person's death, his investment containing $8.3 million dollars is to be released to his next of kin.
Postal Inspector Jeff Fitch says the letters are well-written, and they often come with a U.S. Postmark.
Because the letters arrive in the U.S. Mail and not via e-mail, they can appear to be legitimate.
Neal Oppenheimer has been on the receiving end of a convincing bogus letter sent through the mail.
"It was one of those letters where you've inherited millions of dollars. I'm a lawyer, just pay these fees, lets get going, get you your money," he said.
He did what inspectors say everyone should do: Report the scam and shred the offer.
Postal inspectors say if you suspect you've received a letter scam, bring it in to your local post office.
They'll send it to a national database that inspectors use to track trends and issue public warnings.
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