Mailbox theft Don’t underestimate old-fashioned mailbox theft, either. Scammers sometimes try to steal checks from mailboxes. TheU.S. Postal Inspection Servicesays to check your mailbox regularly to help combat this. You can also sign up for the United States Postal Service’sInformed Deliver...
the law enforcement arm of the post office. The service said it received more than 299,000 complaints of mail theft from March 2020 through February
Identity thieves can steal mail from your mailbox, then change the billing address so they can use the information to continue the identity theft and prevent you from seeing fraudulent charges. They can also change the email address on your accounts for the same reason. You find out there’s...
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to help reduce your risk of getting taken advantage of by someone engaging in a mail theft-related check fraud scheme. Here are some tips to keep in mind to help protect yourself from check fraud when sending money to others: Pay digit...
Check alteration usually occurs in tandem with mail theft. Thieves intercept checks from recipients' mailboxes and alter them to change either the payee or the check amount. In check-washing fraud, criminals erase the information on the check with nail polish remover. They can then fill it in...
Look for black or nonerasable gel ink, which soaks into the paper and is more difficult to remove than the ink from your typical ballpoint pen. Go to the post office. Don't leave outgoing checks in your curbside mailbox or other unsecured areas. Instead, drop them in a secure USPS ...
Earlier this fall, CBS 2 uncovered a pattern of mail theft and check fraud in another northern suburb - Park Ridge. Court records say aDolton mansomehow got hold of a postal key and used it to steal from ablue mailboxoutside the Park Ridge Post Office. He was arrested in September, but...
Banks issued roughly 680,000 reports of check fraud to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, also known as FinCEN, last year. That’s up from 350,000 reports in 2021. Meanwhile the U.S. Postal Inspection Service reported roughly 300,000 complaints of mail theft in 202...
If possible, use a locking mailbox, or have mail sent to a post office box. Bank statements usually come in an envelope with your banks logo on it, making it easy for thieves to identify potential theft opportunities. Make sure that you empty your mailbox daily. When you send payments ...
3. Unexpected (or missing) physical mail Your mail box can be a great warning system for ID theft. One of the ways that identity theft happens is by scammers stealing your mail. Thieves look for official documents, credit card statements, or other mail that includes your sensitive personal ...