My partner and I are postal inspectors which means we investigate any crime that involves the mail today that means doing a stakeout on a low-life accountant he works for an investment firm it's really just a front for a complicated fraud scam they've been ripping people off to the tune of thousands of dollars he's got no clue what that kind of financial loss means to his victims he never gets to see that side of the story, but I do do you have any luck flipping this guy? no he dummied up on me said they kept them in the dark about how business operated certainly living the high life for a CPA. Not anymore [Phone Rings] Goddard inspector Goddard, this is Andrea Bashir's with News 12 did I catch you at a bad time? actually andrea I have nothing but time, what's up? we're doing a special on fraud for sweeps and we need some first-person perspective on the crimes, you know talk to victims and hear their stories do you think you could help us out? yeah that sounds good to me we could stop a lot of this stuff if more people more aware of it hey you know Karla Horan our victim witness coordinator? she might have some leads for us, let me run in past her and I'll get back to you later this week [Music] Oh [Music] Financial crime attacks its victims at their core whenever someone loses control of their money or their identity they often also lose their critical sense of security they doubt their own judgment and many suffer depressive episodes after the crime my job is to help people rebuild not only their financial security but their lives Mr and Mrs Patterson, hi thanks so much for coming in listen please don't be nervous if you stumble or you're not happy with what you say we can always shoot it again. please have a seat tonight on news 12 we continue our special series on mail fraud return to sender three years ago Matt and Lisa Patterson were the victims of identity theft along with hundreds of other victims in the area they had their lives turned upside down by two young criminals Lisa how did you find out that there was a problem? we were trying to buy a new house and our real estate agent called and said our loan would not be approved that we had outstanding bills on our credit cards and we even had a loan that we had defaulted on Matt do you remember how you felt that morning? oh it was awful yeah your first response is that it's it's a mistake if it's just an error and it sinks in and then you feel angry powerless we didn't get the house but we were actually lucky the postal inspectors had a specialist to work with the victims and she explained what steps we needed to take to repair our credit report she helped us with letters and affidavits and really walked us through the whole process she she called my boss to explain why I would have to miss work to appear at the trial she she even helped us with the victim impact statement for the judge to read before sentencing those two you can handle things for a while? sure what's up? I think I know someone who needs to hear these stories I do not want to wait for him to catch the news I won't be long okay [Door Knock] who is it? its Postal Inspector Alan Goddard, open up Harrison hello inspector what can I do for you? well you could ask me in for starters, thought we'd have a little chat I told you I don't know anything about this case I don't know what good it can do to keep talking to me about it can I come in or do I need to get a warrant come in, pardon the mess [Music] she asked you to leave didnt she ahh what did you expect if she found out what kind of man you really are didn't have anything to do with these allegations against the company right ah, okay if I sit can I uh offer you a shot Inspector? guess not on duty and all [Music] you didn't come here to talk to me about my marriage did you? I came here to ask you a question Mark do you believe in fairy tales? What kind of talk is that, fairy tales yeah Little Red Riding Hood, Humpty Dumpty fairy tales you believe in them? no of course not, me neither that's what I'm not believing any of this crap about not knowing anything about the scams that your company is pulling see what I am saying, buy what you want, believe what you want I told you already, why what do you want me to do. I want you to take a ride with me are you arresting me? no you're not under arrest there's some people I want you to me I just want you to listen to what they have to say, can you do that for me? I lost only a 30 thousand dollars in that investment fraud the worst part about it was that I thought that I had it it was a good investment I really thought it was good investment and I encourage my family and friends to invest also and because my background is in banking my friends they listen to me when I found out that I had been conned I felt personally responsible for the money that they had lost you know I felt like I lost my credibility can you imagine having to go home to your wife and tell her that you've lost a large chunk of your savings or calling my best friend to let him know that you know hey the stocks that I told you we're good we'll actually a scam you know I felt respsonsible for that, it made me look like a fool Mandy Richards served a six-month sentence in Alderson federal prison for women for her part in helping provide lists of potential victims that were used in an identity theft scam by her boyfriend she joins us by satellite now Mandy I know you have been through a lot over the past year how did your boyfriend get you involved in all of this well he fooled me and he told me that he really needed some help to meet a quota at work and he said you know how about giving me some of those applications that people turn in the people that you guys don't hire what was he doing with those applications he was stealing people's identity, I didn't know that he told me he was trying to do a good job at work so naturally I wanted to help him out but it's not what it was doing how did you find out what he was using the applications for? well when they came to my job and interrogated me and then eventually I was arrested, and they took my little girl away well that's one person who has suffered a lot is your daughter yes yes about that well I mean like I said they put her in foster care yes you have kids dont you, yeah two girls people never think about the kids they get left behind when their parents go to jail I know that your boyfriend threaten to kill you in the past what happens when he gets out of jail well I don't know,but there's a way I can find out when he gets out it's a website and it's called VNS, everybody should know about it it's a victim notification system and it lets me know when he gets out of prison so I don't have to be afraid all the time Miss Horan, youre next so we need to get you to make up, right thank you think your girls would be proud of what you are doing? I lost everything, my wife wouldn't forgive me for well I had borrowed money from our son's college fund I wanted to send him to a better school I thought I could double my money. but but I can barely afford the community college tuition that he goes to now and a few months after the trial my wife left me these crooks got eight years for mail fraud and the cells they live they are bigger than my apartment my ex-wife has to take a second job so do I it seems like my family went to prison too except they didn't do anything wrong, I did that reaction isn't uncommon people often blame themselves for things that happen to them even though they're really no fault of their own often times they are so embarrassed that they won't even tell their own family we see all kinds of very intelligent educated people who fall into these scams well is Mr. Matson's story unusual? I wish that it were, Ive seen victims lose their homes, suffer job losses have problems in relationships, even divorce well the good news is that you're there to help them rebuild their lives we're out phase one all right let's get out of here look Inspector I would like to talk to you about the company I think maybe I can help put some of the pieces in place all right you want to bring your lawyer in? that'll be best wouldn't it? do you think maybe the US attorney would make me a deal I can't speak for him Mark but uh i'm sure he will take your cooperation into consideration Were all those people we're watching today ones that lost from our no no no those are those are all from older cases i always thought the banks or the credit card companies will cover their losses I know how it seems just like the fairy tale all the king's horses and all the king's men just couldn't put things back together again let's go take that statement [Music] we need that paperwork by Tuesday, you got it boss all right thanks Mark Harrison's remorse about his crime proved to be short-lived after agreeing to testify against the leaders of the fraud ring he was arrested again less than a year later for helping to operate an Internet auction scam these types of criminals rarely have any regard for their victims or the damage that they've done to their lives if you or someone you know has been a crime victim it's important that you know about victims rights and the service is available to you in 2004 the justice for all act was passed strengthening the rights for federal crime victims most states have similar protections for cases handled in the local criminal justice system all of these victims Bills of Rights were created to give victims a proper place in the criminal justice system they provide an opportunity to participate in and be heard and offer practical assistance to minimize the inconveniences and frustrations that crime victims suffer you can find out more about your rights as a federal crime victim by visiting this website www.crimevictims.gov the US Postal Inspection Service investigates many different types of financial crimes most are handled in the federal justice system in addition to providing educational material about crime victims rights and services the Inspection Service continually strives to inform the public about current fraud scams and how to avoid becoming a victim education is your best defense. keep up to date on the latest scams by visiting our websites wwww.usps.com/postalinspectors and www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com remember being the victim of a crime is nothing to be ashamed of neither is seeking help to recover from it