Mail-Identity Theft: June 2012
If you learn one thing from our monthly round-up of mail-identity theft news stories nationwide, it should be this: Don’t trust your mailbox!
Stealing mail is one of the easiest and most common ways thieves obtain your sensitive information for identity theft. Most people don’t even realize when their mail has been stolen, because savvy thieves often take only what is useful for check fraud or ID theft and leave unsuspecting victims with junk mail. Be smart! Use a high security locking mailbox like the Mail Boss to secure incoming mail, and never send sensitive mail like checks or bill payments from an unsecured mailbox; bring them directly to the post office or use online bill pay – it’s more secure!
Enough lecturing… here’s your latest and greatest in mail identity theft (and a smidgen of mailbox baseball) from across the country.
June 1:
- Bloomfield Township, MICHIGAN: Bloomfield-Bloomfield Hills Patch – Bloomfield Twp. Police: Don’t Trust Your Mailbox
- Fresno, CALIFORNIA: KMJ 580 AM – Early Morning Mail Theft
- Chevy Chase Canyon, CALIFORNIA: Chevy Chase Estates Association – 911 call by CCEA director leads to arrest of canyon mail thief suspect
June 2:
- Libson, OHIO: The Review – Lisbon Police Reports 6-2
- La Cañada, CALIFORNIA: La Cañada Valley Sun – La Cañada Crime Blotter
- Bend, OREGON: KTVZ – Bend Man Charged With Theft From Elderly Victim
June 3:
- Bend, OREGON: The Bulletin – Bend man jailed in theft case
June 4:
- Monte Sereno, CALIFORNIA: San Jose Mercury News – Police Blotter
- Dover, PENNSYLVANIA: ABC 27 – 14 mailboxes vandalized in Dover Township
- Manteca, CALIFORNIA: Modesto Bee – Manteca man gets 5 years in prison for ID theft, fraud
June 5:
- Great Falls, MONTANA: Billings Gazette – Great Falls man charged with stealing bill payments from mail
- Dover, PENNSYLVANIA: The York Daily Record – Police investigate 14 cases of mailbox vandalism in Dover Township
- Chicago, ILLINOIS: Every Block Chicago – Beware of Mail Theft
June 6:
- Macon, GEORGIA: 41 NBC – Macon Woman Claims She’s Victim of Post Office Theft
June 7:
- Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA: Houston Chronicle – Identity Theft Most Popular Consumer Complaint in 2011
June 8:
- Bolingbrook, ILLINOIS: Bolingbrook Patch – Police Blotter: Stolen Mailbox
- Topeka, KANSAS: KIBW 13 – TPD Working to Solve Rash of Mail Thefts
June 10:
- Clay County, INDIANA: WTHI 10 – Two juveniles arrested for mail tampering
June 11:
- Fresno, CALIFORNIA: Central Valley Business Times – Fresno man pleads guilty to postal crimes
June 12:
- Solana Beach, CALIFORNIA: Del Mar Times – Postal service investigating mail theft in Del Mar-Solana Beach area
June 13:
- Madison, WISCONSIN: Leader-Telegram – Man gets prison term for theft from mail
June 14:
- Bradenton, FLORIDA: WTSP – Sisters convicted of mail theft scheme
- Bradenton, FLORIDA: Herald Tribune – Bradenton sisters convicted of mail theft scheme
- Stamford, CONNECTICUT: Daily Voice – Stamford Teens Charged with Mail Theft
- Corona, CALIFORNIA: Press-Enterprise – CORONA: Man arrested on suspicion of forgery
- Harrison County, KENTUCKY: LEX 18 – More than 100 Harrison Co. Mailboxes Damaged By Vandals
June 15:
- Stamford, CONNECTICUT: Stamford Patch – Stamford Men Charged with Mailbox Package Thefts
- Shawnee County, KANSAS: The Capital-Journal – Sheriff’s office warns of increase in mail theft
- Topeka, KANSAS: WIBW – Shawnee Co. Authorities Warn of Mail Theft Spike
June 17:
- Biloxi, MISSISSIPPI: WLOX 13 – Identity theft can haunt a victim forever
June 18:
- Blackman Township, MICHIGAN: MLive.com – Scam, identity theft prevention tips for seniors presented at Mike Shirkey event
June 19:
- Faulkner County, ARKANSAS: Log Cabin Democrat – Residents reporting mailbox damage
June 20:
- Edmonds, WASHINGTON: HeraldNet – 2 mail-theft suspects arrested in Edmonds
June 21:
- Edmonds, WASHINGTON: EdmondsBeacon.com – Mail thieves arrested by Edmonds Police
- Edmonds, WASHINGTON: Edmonds Patch – Edmonds Police Arrest Suspected Mail Thieves Near Lake Ballinger
June 22:
- Stockton, CALIFORNIA: ABC 12 – Stockton man sentenced to prison for stealing mail
- Sacramento, CALIFORNIA: Central Valley Business Times – Mail thief sent to prison
- Briarcliff, NEW YORK: Pleasantville-Briarcliff Manor Patch – Briarcliff to Crack Down on Mailbox Vandalism
June 23:
- Medford, OREGON: The Mail Tribune – Emergency Services
June 26:
- Snohomish County, WASHINGTON: KCPQ – Woman accused of being leader of identity theft ring in Snohomish County
June 27:
- Spokane, WASHINGTON: The Spokesman-Review – Heaps of stolen mail found in Spokane
June 28:
- Enumclaw, WASHINGTON: Enumclaw Courier-Herald – Vehicle prowls, stolen mail
- Monte Sereno, CALIFORNIA: San Jose Mercury News – Police Blotter
- Lower Gwynedd, PENNSYLVANIA: Lower Gwynedd-Ambler-Whitpain Patch – Lower Gwynedd Police Reports: Mailboxes Stolen
June 29:
- St. Cloud, MINNESOTA: AM 1240 – Police Investigate Theft, Burglary
- Enumclaw, WASHINGTON: Enumclaw Patch – Stolen Mail Recovered
- Mukilteo, WASHINGTON: Q13 FOX – Beware: If your mail is stolen, your identity may be, too
- Spokane, WASHINGTON: The Spokesman Review – Alleged Mail Thieves Denied Bail
I don’t like your list of mail theft issues around the country. It’s indicative of too much web surfing for what amounts to tradgety for most victims. Mail theft isn’t the only reason you’d get sales, is it? I doubt people enjoy being bombarded with bad news. If they did, they’d search it out themselves. Thanks.