Are Chain Letters Illegal?

It's only human nature to hope for the best, and to dream of easy and attainable wealth. It's easy when the bills are piling up and the kids just won't stop growing out of their clothes, and the car breaks down, or the credit cards are maxed out to read a simple letter in the mail that promises you a solution to all these problems.

Chances are either you already have or someday will receive a chain letter in the mail. Perhaps you read the letter, out of sheer curiosity, or perhaps you just tossed it out, or maybe you read it and wondered to yourself if perhaps this one might just be true.

To better understand the answer to the question, “Are Chain Letters Illegal?” it's important to first look at what a chain letter consists of, and how to tell if you have received one.

What Is A Chain Letter?

A chain letter is defined as being any form of written communication, sent to multiple recipients that requests or urges the recipient to resend the letter, with or without specific alterations, to other people.

Some chains letters play on fears, threatening and warning any person who ‘breaks the chain' (i.e.: does not forward the letter) that they will be the recipient of some form of misfortune. Some chain letters may even provide examples of people who broke the chain and contracted a deadly illness or even died or had a loved one die. Others may promise good fortune for keeping the chain going, wealth or riches, or promises of overall life improvement. Still other chain letters do both threaten and promise.

Now, it's important to understand that there are different types of chain letters before we answer the question about whether or not chain letters are illegal.

A chain letter by itself is not technically illegal. What it takes to make a chain letter illegal is the exchange or monetary consideration. That is, if the chain letter asks you to send money, in any amount, to any other person in exchange for the promise of you receiving something in return and then forwarding the chain letter to someone else to do the same, then that is an illegal chain letter.

Why Are Chain Letters Illegal?