Mail theft is a serious problem across this country. When
your mail is stolen, you’re not only losing a gift card or a package; you risk
becoming a victim of identity theft. Your mail can contain a lot of personal
information, and if that falls into the wrong hands you could be facing a lot
of stress. We have some new tips to help you keep both your mail and identity
safe.
First off, if you have packages arriving, have them sent to your job instead of your
home. Packages delivered to your home often sit on your porch for everyone
to see, usually for hours. Thieves not only can steal the package, but see
private information that is on the packing slip. Not everyone can get packages
sent to their jobs but if you can, it can be a lifesaver.
You can’t always get to your mail the moment it is delivered,
but never leave your mail overnight.
A thief is going to try and steal mail when they will not be noticed. This may
be during the day when many people are at work, but it can also be at night
when people are sleeping. It is likely no one would notice someone creeping up
to your mailbox at two in the morning. If you’re going out of town have the
post office hold your mail, or at least ask a friend or family member to collect
it.
You should also sign
up for the USPS Informed Delivery program when it opens nationwide later
this month. The service is free from the USPS. Every morning you will be emailed
with images of the mail you will be receiving later that day. This is an
amazing tool for helping to prevent identity theft. If you see you have
something important in the mail, you may ask a neighbor to pick it up for you.
Additionally, if you get an image of your mail and when you get home you are
missing something, you can quickly report it. But make sure your email account
has a strong password. You don’t want anyone else seeing what mail you are
going to be getting that day.
Don’t just throw junk
mail away, destroy it. You don’t have to sit down and shred grocery store
papers, but if you are sent special offers, that sensitive information could
fall into the wrong hands. It’s better to be safe and shred it or cut it up
before tossing it.
We’ve mentioned this one before, but consider investing in a
mailbox that locks. A thief won’t
want to be seen fighting with a locked mailbox and is likely to move on. CBUs
are great for this very reason, but if you need a residential unit please consider
one that locks. Speaking of tips we’ve mentioned before, send outgoing mail through the post office. That flag indicating
you have outgoing mail will attract thieves. Be safe with your personal
information and drop it at the post office.
