Chattanooga’s Police Department recently warned of an uptick in the theft of outgoing mail containing checks from residents’ mailboxes. Unfortunately, this isn’t a new issue, and these thieves could be tampering with your incoming mail as well.
Mailbox thieves are usually looking for an opportunity to “wash” information from stolen checks so they can be rewritten and cashed, or they’re looking for credit card or account information and any other details that might help them steal your identity.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to minimize the risk of identity theft coming from mailbox thieves. Here are some tips from your BBB:
> Use the letter slots inside your Post Office for your mail, or hand it to a letter carrier. It may be inconvenient at the time, but mailing checks and other important information directly from the post office will greatly reduce your chance of theft, saving you a lot of heartache and time in the long run. If you must use your mailbox for outgoing mail, try to put it out as close to when your mail carrier will pick it up.
> Pick up your mail as quickly as possible after it’s delivered. If you are expecting checks, credit cards, or other important documents and won’t be home consider asking a trusted friend or neighbor to pick up your mail.