





Mail fraud is the oldest form of
fraud statutorily regulated and prosecuted by the federal government.
The objective of mail fraud is to
accomplish a desired result by deception, trickery, concealment, and/or
dishonesty, albeit through the use of the United States Mail Service
or other private/commercial interstate carriers. Statutorily regulated
since 1872, the United States Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld the
authority of Congress to pass the statute.
The elements of wire fraud directly
compare to those of the mail fraud
statute, but require the use of an interstate telephone call or electronic
communication made in furtherance of the scheme.
The key element placing this form of fraud
into the purview of "wire fraud"
is the use of interstate wire communications or other forms of facilitating
communications, such as television, radio, microwaves, or the internet.