As previously mentioned, mail and wire fraud are federal crimes that are associated with committing various types of fraud, or wrongfully enticing others to give you their money, property, or belongings through mail or wire, and has been a federal crime since 1872. If you use U.S. mail or any interstate delivery service in an attempt to engage in fraud, you run the risk of being prosecuted under the federal mail fraud law.
It is important to note that even if you do not use the United States Postal Service, and instead utilize a private delivery service like UPS or FedEx, you can still be charged with mail or wire fraud. In fact, the law states that this includes items: “…sent or delivered by the Postal Service, or deposits or causes to be deposited any matter or thing whatever to be sent or delivered by any private or commercial interstate carrier, or takes or receives therefrom, any such matter or thing, or knowingly causes to be delivered by mail or such carrier…”
An example of wire or mail fraud can be as simple as using the mail to send a forged or fraudulent check. Another example of mail fraud is sending mail that looks like it is government issued in order to trick someone into sending money. Mail fraud can also occur when get rich quick schemes, or fake insurance ads or charity ads are sent via mail in order to gain donations or money.