6 Simple Things To Do To Protect Your Mail From Identity Thieves February 5, 2008
Posted by Vedis The Home Lover in : Home Safety Tips , trackback
By now, you likely know that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States. The United States Post Office does acknowledge that a victim’s mail is involved in most of them. It is not a coincidence, that as cases of identity theft continue to climb so do incidence of stolen mail.
Take for example, the situation in the paradisal state of Hawaii who ranks No. 15 in the nation for identity theft complaints. Mail theft is more out of control at residential mailboxes if compared to commercial mailboxes. It would of course be a hard fact to deny, seeing that Hawaii has seen a 1,403% increase in stolen mail in the last few years.
Now that you understand how your mail can essentially hand over your good name to an identity thief-it is time to learn what next steps and precautions you can take to guard against it.
Here are some simple things that you can do to protect your mail from thieves:
1. Never send cash or coins in the mail. Doing so is just asking for trouble. Instead, send checks or money orders and wrap them in an additional paper inside a security envelope.
2. Promptly remove your mail after delivery. If this is not possible, consider purchasing a locking mailbox that allows the postal carrier to deliver the mail, but prohibits the mail from being removed without a key or combination.
3. You may also be able to rely on a friend or relative to pick up your mail, on a rare occasion that you are not home.
Remember though, 25% of all identity thieves are someone that victims know.
4. Contact your local post office to hold your mail. While you’re on vacation or away from your home for an extended periods of time don’t let your mail sit in your mailbox just waiting for someone to steal it.
5. Be alert for mail that you are expecting but don’t receive. If you don’t receive a check or other valuable mail that you’re expecting, contact the issuing agency immediately. If they sent it out and you should have received it, contact your local Post Office.
6. Never send mail by placing it in your mailbox for the carrier to pick up when they deliver. Always deposit your mail in a mail slot at your local post office, or hand it to your letter carrier. Thieves drive around your neighborhood looking for those mailboxes with the little red flag up, obviously indicating that there is outgoing mail.
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