Ddos 
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced that an 80-year-old Nevada woman, Barbara Trickle, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Trickle and her co-conspirators orchestrated the mailing of millions of fraudulent prize notices. These notices deceptively led victims to believe they had struck it lucky, promising substantial cash prizes in exchange for a seemingly small fee, typically ranging from $20 to $50. As the DOJ stated, the victims were led to believe that “they had been individually selected to receive a large cash prize and would receive their prize if they paid a $20 to $50 fee.”
The reality, however, was far from the promised windfall. Instead of life-changing sums of money, victims received either a worthless “report” on sweepstakes opportunities or a trinket of negligible value. Adding insult to injury, the perpetrators exploited the initial responses, subjecting victims to a barrage of further fraudulent mailings, creating a relentless cycle of deceit. Over the course of six years, from 2012 to February 2018, this elaborate scheme amassed a staggering $15 million in ill-gotten gains.
Trickle’s role in this operation was central. As the owner and operator of a printing and mailing business, she was instrumental in producing and disseminating the deceptive notices. She “supervised the lasering, printing, and mailing of the fraudulent mailings,” according to the indictment, highlighting her direct involvement in the mechanics of the fraud.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division emphasized this, stating, “The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is committed to protecting elderly consumers from fraudulent mass-mailing schemes.” He also acknowledged the crucial role of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) in their thorough investigation.
The Department of Justice urges everyone — especially older Americans and their families — to remain alert to fraudulent communications. If you receive a phone call, letter, or email promising a large prize in exchange for a fee, it is almost certainly a scam. Fraudsters often use official-sounding names or claim to be government agents to make their deception more convincing.
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