An Oakland woman received more than 700 pieces of fundraising mail after she contributed to a few groups that used so-called "fright mail" to solicit donations.

Congress needs to put tighter reins on mass mailings from private groups that raise millions of dollars by raising questions about the future of Social Security and preying on the fears of the elderly, a Senate panel was told Monday. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, D-N.Y., said "fright mail" often arrives in official-looking envelopes from groups with names resembling those of government agencies, exhorting senior citizens to send money to protect their benefits.

Senator Kuchel described it as "fright mail." Its tone was hysterical, fearful, conspiratorial, hateful, suspicious, and intemperate.