There was a time when people could place outgoing mail in their mailbox, lift the red flag and not give it a second thought. Unfortunately, we no longer live in such innocent times. With so many people away from home at the time of mail delivery, your mailbox becomes a primary target for thieves. I've mentioned mail theft in an earlier post because it's a common "low-tech" way for an identity thief to obtain information about you without stealing directly from inside your home or being computer saavy enough to use more high tech methods. What are they looking for? Outgoing checks are more than enough to let someone inflict serious damage. After all, checks are very easy to alter, and they provide your bank's name and your account number. Other valuable items include bank statements, credit card bills, utility bills, pre-approved credit applications and other junk mail. Anything with personal or financial information is fair game to help them access current accounts or open new ones in your name.
So what can you do to protect your mail? First of all, you can protect your outgoing mail by dropping it off at the post office directly, an official USPS postal collection box or hand it to your mail carrier directly. For incoming mail, consider a more secure mail collection method like a locked mailbox or a front door slot, or if you have a post office box, you may consider having your bills sent there. I've already offered suggestions to eliminate junk mail from your box here.
If you suspect that your mail has been stolen, contact the USPS for a Postal Inspector to investigate. You may also want to order a copy of your credit reports to check for fraudulent accounts opened in your name.
I'll continue posting different ID theft methods and how to protect yourself from them. Some have been mentioned in earlier posts, but all of them deserve some expanding on to give you a better picture of what you are dealing with.
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