European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 7, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday november 7, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 19pen pals beware of inmates scam today s crossword dear Annn Landers the postal inspection service has been investigating a postal Money order scam involving prison inmate pen pals. Although most of the inmates in question Are incarcerated at the Mississippi state prison at Parchman miss., the scam is spreading to other prisons across the coun try. I am asking you to print a warning to your readers. The scam involves altering . Postal Money orders. It works like this the inmate writes to the female victim saying he is not a criminal but he did a use poor judgment and is serving a Short jail sentence. He adds that he is financially secure. Soon the inmates letters Ann Landers become More personal and intimate. The inmate then asks for the woman a phone number and Calls her collect. The inmate then Butters up the woman and talks of relocating near her after his release so he can establish a a closer relationship with marriage in mind. Shortly after the correspondence begins the trusting victim receives altered . Postal Money orders usually in the amount of $700. At the request of the inmate the victim deposits the altered Money orders into her own Bank account. After this is done the inmate Calls requesting that the woman Send Money to help pay a Fine for an Early release. Once the inmate feels that he has gotten All he can from his hapless correspondent the relationship is Over. When the postal service notifies the Bank that the Money orders have been altered the Bank charges the victim for the amount of the altered Money orders. Victims have been stuck for a total of approximately $875,000 so far this year. Individuals have not Only lost what they believe to be a Chance at True love but also their life savings. Today i spoke with an elderly woman who had lost $14,000 and who did no to want her family to find out. She feared they would think she was incapable of making decisions and take Legal action. Exposing this scam would be a tremendous Public service. Please Tell your readers that if they have been victims of such a scam or Are currently involved in one they should Contact the . Postal inspection service or their local postmaster immediately. Robin Dalgleish postal inspector Memphis Tenn. Letters to Ann Landers should be addressed to her at . Box 11562. Chicago Iii. 60611-0562. C creators Syndicate danger could Lurk in Tatto oers Ink dear Abby i am writing in regard to the letter from a needs to know a whose Mother had recently been tattooed. The husband of the tattooed woman was concerned that she had put them both at risk for aids with the tattooing process you replied that the Federal centers for disease control had no recorded cases of transmission of the aids virus from a Tattoo Needle. You then stated that transmission is theoretically possible and that anyone tattooed should question the artist about sterilization of Needles and other skin piercing instruments. I would like to add to that caution i was tattooed approximately five years ago. I was in nursing school at the time and Felt i would be Able to determine whether or not the artist properly sterilized his instruments. I was satisfied with the process he showed me. I now have my bachelors degree in nursing and have been practising for a year and a half. I am also in the . Navy. The Navy doctor who gave me my physical asked me Point Blank a whatever were you thinking when you got that Tattoo a he went on to say that although i May have been satisfied with the sterilization of the Needles and instruments i should have been worried about the Ink a the Ink a he said a is very expensive and its highly quibble dear Abby unlikely that All Tattoo artists will discard the Ink after tattooing each customer and the Ink could be contaminated by the  Abby this was something i had not even considered. The fact is the aids virus is very fragile and would probably not have survived Long in the Ink. But of course there is a slight possibility. Please warn your readers that although sterilization of instruments May seem Complete they May have cause to worry about the Ink. Washington state . Dear . Thank you for wanting to share the warning. Anyone considering being tattooed should inquire about whether the Ink is fresh As Well As the method used for sterilization of instruments. People should also be aware that although there arc local health regulations Tattoo Parlours Are rarely inspected by the health department because of a shortage of inspectors. At least that a the Case in los Angeles Many states and counties have no regulations with regard to Tattoo Parlours and they Only recently have become aware that there should be More rigid government regulations. However because of the state of the Economy and Competition for every Dollar Tattoo parlor inspection May not be a High priority in state and local budgets. Letters Tor this column should to addressed to Doar Abby at . Box 447. Mount Morris Iii. 61054. 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