As July begins, more and more people are heading out of town
for vacation. Whether this is for long weekend to visit a friend several hours
away or a month long trip to another country, you need to consider your mail
before you head out.
Your mailbox has all sorts of valuables inside it. While you’re
gone, bank statements might be delivered. Maybe packages. There are tons of
different bills that could arrive, or items such as credit card solicitations.
Some of these things could just be stolen for their value, such as birthday
cards that could contain checks or items shipping to you. Other things could be
used to steal your identity. That is why you must have a plan in place for your
mail while you are away.
So, how do you protect your mail? Take a look at our tips
below.
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- Ask a close family member or friend to pick up
your mail while you are gone. This should be someone you really trust. The sad
truth is, there is a great deal of identity theft out there and you can never
be too safe. Ask someone who is trustworthy, and who can check your mail for
you daily.
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- If you have mail to send out right before you
leave, drop it off in a public mailbox or at the post office. Leaving your flag
up will indicate you have mail going out not only to a postal worker, but to thieves.
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- If you don’t feel comfortable letting someone
collect your mail, or you simply don’t know who to ask, you can ask the USPS to
hold your mail. This is of course, the safest option, as no one will have any
access to your mail while you are away. You can find the full details about
this service HERE.
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- Don’t forget about your newspaper! They’re often
left on doorsteps instead of in mailboxes and are visible for all to see. Get
those collected or temporarily stop the newspaper service while you are away.
