| Believe it or not, most identity theft originates from mail | | | | There is no sure-fire way to prevent mail theft. |
| theft. The U.S. Postal Service handles 668 million | | | | Preventing such identity theft requires security |
| pieces of mail every day. The vast majority of it | | | | products, especially a locking mailbox. Security |
| arrives intact, but thieves get to some of it before | | | | products like the locking mailboxes are one giant step |
| delivery. Last year alone, U.S. Postal Inspectors who | | | | in the right direction when it comes to identity-theft |
| investigated mail theft led to the arrest of over 6,000 | | | | protection. Below is a list of mail theft facts that |
| theft suspects. Thieves steal mail from postal trucks, | | | | mailtheft.org has provided: |
| collection boxes, apartment mailbox panels, co-op | | | | - Postal Inspectors report that Identity/Mail Theft has |
| mailing racks, and neighborhood delivery and collection | | | | become the #1 white-collar crime in the country. |
| box units. They want your checks, your credit card | | | | - New reports indicate that mail theft is up 71% versus |
| applications, your bank account statements. In a matter | | | | last year. |
| of seconds a thief can walk or drive up to your house, | | | | - According to U.S. Postal Inspectors, it takes a |
| open your mailbox and walk or drive away with credit | | | | minimum of 44 months to recover from Identity Theft. |
| card statements, bank statements, and a number of | | | | - One in three cases involving identity theft occurs via |
| other personal letters that have information about you | | | | the mail. |
| and your family. | | | | - For the criminal, the mailbox is the gateway to |
| Even though Postal Inspectors are using a number of | | | | financial fraud, and victims are left with empty bank |
| proven remedies to put a stop to the theft, locking | | | | accounts and shattered credit ratings. |
| your mailboxes have become a necessity in today's | | | | - Parcel Packages are at their most vulnerable when |
| world, and a good one can prevent your mail from | | | | left unattended on your doorstep. With Internet |
| being stolen and reduce the risk of identity theft. | | | | shoppers increasing daily, more and more parcel |
| Police and the US Postal Service say that "deterring | | | | packages never find their rightful owner due to thieves |
| mail thieves is as easy as locking outside mailboxes | | | | who follow these trucks and grab packages left |
| and warns to never leave bills in mailboxes for postal | | | | unattended. |
| workers to pick up. Postal Inspectors term this "Red | | | | - According to local Police Chiefs, mail theft is one of |
| Flagging" and recommend that you always take | | | | the nonviolent ways drug users use to support their |
| outgoing mail to a Postal drop box or US Post Office. | | | | drug habits when they steal your bank checks and |
| You lock your front door and your car, so why not | | | | credit card statements from your mailbox. |
| lock your mailbox? Locking secure mailboxes come in | | | | - A mail thief can get up to $1,000 per box for a box |
| many different types but not all of them are created | | | | of reissued and/or new checks you receive through |
| equal. Poor quality locking mailboxes offer a little more | | | | the mail. Think about the fact that each time you move |
| than a moment's annoyance to an experienced mail | | | | you have to get new checks. |
| thief. | | | | - Use a gel-pen when writing checks to protect them |
| When choosing a locking mailbox, look for the following: | | | | from being changed There have been reports of |
| Be sure you get one that will last, and that is made of | | | | criminals chemically "washing" payee and amount |
| solid weatherproof material. Are they all keyed | | | | information from checks and replacing with |
| individually, or are there just a few tumbler styles to | | | | unauthorized payees and amounts ("cash" and |
| choose from? Choose a security mailbox that is | | | | "$10,000" perhaps). Apparently gel-pen ink is the only |
| approved for use by the Postmaster general. Get a | | | | type immune to this attack. |
| mailbox large enough for all of your mail; especially | | | | - Mail theft has become so common that some states |
| while away on vacation. Get one that will not need | | | | are considering legislation for stiffer penalties since |
| professional installation, unless you're prepared to pay | | | | current laws consider it only a misdemeanor theft. |
| much more for it. Consider where you want the mail | | | | - For the sophisticated criminals, mail can be extremely |
| retrieval door. Some are located in the rear. Be sure all | | | | valuable. Stolen checks are chemically "washed" of |
| exposed lock surfaces are tamper and wrench proof. | | | | their ink, so the thief can make out a new amount and |
| Is the construction welded together, or just | | | | a new payee. |
| pop-riveted? | | | | |