Mail Identity Theft from Alaska to Florida!

A quality security locking mailbox necessary to prevent mail theft and secure your identity

Mail theft continues to plague the nation. Here are just a few recent news stories that underscore the need for a secure locking mailbox to prevent mail theft and protect your good name.

(SANFORD, FLORIDA)  Identity Theft Ring Busted in Sanford WFTV Orlando – 6/29/09

• “Agents say the main suspect was so successful that he had to hire employees to handle all his victims.”

This is a recurring theme in mail identity theft cases – generally the ID theft rings are very organized, with the top of the totem pole criminals offering drugs or money in exchange for stolen mail or other information that can be used to steal victims’ identities.

• “Eyewitness News learned that they were breaking into community mailboxes, stealing credit card statements and other personal mail and would use that information to make fake drivers’ license as well as creating checks.”

Community mailboxes (also known as cluster boxes) are often targeted because they often lack quality security features and offer a treasure trove of sensitive mail with a single break-in. Cluster boxes can usually be opened with a crowbar or screwdriver in just seconds, and are therefore extremely vulnerable to mail identity thieves. For more information and solutions, click here.

(FAIRBANKS, ALASKA)  Fairbanks woman linked to mail theft ring pleads guilty to drug charges Daily News-Miner – 6/20/09

• “A Fairbanks woman implicated in a local mail theft ring has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. Under the terms of the agreement, [she] pleaded guilty to one count of felony drugs misconduct and could face a sentence of up to five years in prison. Numerous other charges […] were dismissed in exhange for the plea.”

It is typical that criminals facing mail theft charges are also facing drug (most often methamphetamine) charges. It is also typical that they receive a slap on the wrist from the legal system, and are back at committing mail and identity theft crimes in a short while. This woman, though facing ‘up to five years’ in prison, will most likely be out on the streets stealing mail and identities in less than a year.

• “Local law enforcement received more than 700 reports of mail theft or tampering late last year, mostly in the outlying areas of Fairbanks. Cases range in severity from displaced mail being found at the side of the road to stolen checks and credit cards that have been used to purchase thousands of dollars worth of items from local businesses.”

Mail theft has plagued Fairbanks for over a decade now, with the earliest criminal prosecution back in 2006. We recommend homeowners in Fairbanks and surrounding areas check their local Fred Meyer for a Mail Boss locking mailbox.

• “Drugs appear to be the main motive behind the thefts. Fairbanks […] police broke the case in January when they stopped a man who claimed he traded meth for a shotgun and other people’s mail.”

Again, most mail and identity theft is highly correlated with the skyrocketing methamphetamine problem. Also, these identity theft rings are highly organized. Most often, those who steal mail are not the same criminals who ultimately use your personal information fraudulently or steal your identity.