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Dubious chain e-mail
is not illegal

Question: I received a printed letter titled "Grandparent to Grandparent Reading Cllub," with club misspelled with two l's. It appears to be a typical chain letter asking me to send a copy of the letter to six friends with grandchildren, then send a book to the top name. It claims not to be a "typical chain letter" and that it "has been approved by the Post Office." It also claims to be part of the "U.S. Literacy Campaign." Is there any validity to any of the claims?

Answer: The letter also says that if you follow the instructions, your grandchild should receive at least 36 books in two weeks and that "a few stamps should cover postage for most children's books."

Like most chain letters, it puts the onus on you not to break the chain, telling you "it wouldn't be fair to the other children if the chain is broken."

However, the letter was "not sanctioned or approved by the postal service. We would not do something like that," said Lynne Moore, manager of consumer affairs for the U.S. Postal Service in Hawaii.

But, because it doesn't really solicit any money or items of "substantial value," or promise you anything in return, "We don't think this particular (chain letter) is illegal," Moore said.

The Postal Service warns that chain letters are illegal whether they are sent through the mail, by computer or delivered in person if the solicitation involves mailing money or something of substantial value to participate.

However, chain letters asking for items of "minor value" are not illegal "since such items are not things of value within the meaning of the law," according to postal service regulations.

It's up to you to participate or not participate "at your discretion," Moore said. "It's like anything else: You have to be an educated consumer; you have to be aware of what you are responding to."

But if you do receive a chain letter asking for money or items of value, you are asked to turn it in to your local postmaster or nearest postal inspector. Write on the mailing envelope of the letter or in a separate letter, "I received this in the mail and believe it might be illegal."

We couldn't find anything about a "U.S. Literacy Campaign" tied to chain letters. If any reader has information about such a campaign, please call "Kokua Line" at 529-4773.

We did find references to a variation of your chain letter in Internet postings dating back to 2000, again supposedly involving a "U.S. Literacy Campaign," but asking parents to participate. Several people noted how disappointed they were in receiving only one book or none at all.

In the meantime we found a lot of warnings about chain letters on the Internet.

Hoaxbusters -- hoaxbusters.ciac.org/HBHoaxInfo.html#what -- for one, notes that the traditionally mailed chain letters have moved on to the e-mail circuit, potentially "clogging the network and interfering with the receiving of legitimate e-mail messages" because they're so easily sent.

"They play on your fear of bad luck and the realization that it is almost trivial for you to send them on. The chain letters that deal in money play on people's greed and are illegal no matter what they say in the letter," warns Hoaxbusters.

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