A bill to amend title 39, United States Code, to restrict the mailing of chain letters containing statements implying or predicting harm or misfortune to recipients failing to transmit the letters or copies thereof according to instructions therein, and for other purposes.

Summary

Requires any person who mails any chain letter otherwise legally acceptable in the mails to place on the envelope his name and address as the sender, and the following notice: "Unsolicited chain letter." Provides that any addresses of a chain letter which the addressee, in his sole discretion, believes to contain statements which predict or imply that harm or misfortune will befall the addressee or any member of his family if he fails to transmit the letter or a copy to another in accordance with instructions contained in the letter may file with the Postal Service a statement that he desires to receive no chain letters through the mails. Provides that the Postal Service shall maintain a list of such requesters, and make it available, upon reasonable terms, to any person. Forbids the mailing of any chain letter to an individual on the list for more than thirty days. Prohibits the sale or use of such mailing list for any other purposes than those of this Act. Provides for civil actions by the Attorney General against violators of this Act for orders to refrain from mailing any chain letters, or for temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions. Provides a fine of not more than $5,000 or imprisonment of not more than 5 years, or both, for first offenses under this Act, and a $10,000 fine and 10 years imprisonment, or both, for any subsequent offense. (Adds 39 U.S.C. 3011a,b; 18 U.S.C. 1735A)

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1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 3 January 1973

  Open at official source

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