Red Flag 4

 

STOP!  What are you putting in your mailbox?  Any piece of mail that contains non-public personal information, for example checks, invoices, account numbers, etc. should be placed in a secure mail box INSIDE the post office.

 

Why?

 

Stolen mail is a common source of information for identity thieves. Residents you place their outgoing mail in rural mailboxes and raise the red flag for the mail carrier, also raise the red flag for mail thieves.

 

Even mail drops can be a risk.  It is not uncommon for the large mail boxes, even those located outside the post office, to be stolen.

 

Never place outgoing mail where it can be stolen.  Many businesses put their outgoing mail by the door, where patrons, thieves, and dishonest people (including dishonest employees) can steal the incoming and outgoing mail.

 

It’s highly recommended that you use a locked mailbox at home, so that thieves cannot steal your incoming mail. 

 

Keep note of when you expect to receive your credit card and other financial and utility statements in the mail.  If you don’t receive them, or if you don’t receive first class mail for a few days, and then it resumes again, this could be a RED FLAG.  It is possible that a thief could file a change of address card, collect several pieces of your mail over a few days, and then change the address back.

 

Some credit monitoring services will notify you if the post office records a change of address.  This could be a key piece of information flagging you that you may have been a victim of mail theft, and giving you an early warning that you may soon be a victim of identity theft.