Mail Identity Theft
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States for the past 10 years, and affects over 10 million Americans each year.
Mail theft is a common way that identity thieves can steal your identity, and the 60 million unlocked mailboxes in the US offer a treasure trove of opportunity for would-be identity thieves.
Victims of mail theft often do not realize they have been victimized until their credit record and good name is ruined. Remedying the outcomes of fraud and identity theft requires thousands of dollars and hours of your time.
This section provides information about the prevalence of mail and identity theft, and the precautions you can take to protect yourself and your name.
Mail Identity Theft
- More than 1 in 20 Americans are victims of ID theft each year
- ID theft is the fastest growing crime in the nation
- Only 35% of ID theft victims know how their info was compromised
- The majority of known ID theft is perpetuated via low-tech methods: stolen wallets, stolen mail and stolen trash.
- Mail theft is highly under-reported because most people don’t realize when their mail has been stolen
Mail Theft Monday – 1/25/10
Mail stolen from 9 mailboxes in Mooresville WCNC – 1/21/10 (MOORESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA) “Police say someone stole outgoing mail from nine mailboxes in Mooresville. The victims are concerned about identity theft because some of the stolen mail included bank statements and checks. Police do not have a suspect, but officers say a suspicious pickup truck was seen driving through neighborhoods.…
Mail Theft Monday – Hello, February!
Can you believe it’s already February 1, 2010? We can’t! Geez, the days are just flying by. Before you know it, it will be time for some spring cleaning! This year, spring cleaning around your home should also include measures to ensure the security of your family, like a security locking mailbox for identity theft prevention. A high-quality secure mail…
Provincetown Banner warns “Identity theft on the rise”
Well, we’ve been saying it for awhile here: Identity Theft is on the rise! To prevent identity theft, you need to understand how identity theft happens, and take certain steps to secure your personal information and protect your good name. This article in the Provicetown Banner does a good job of covering the basics: how identity theft happens and what…
Mail Theft Monday – 2/8/10
La Pine Mail Theft 1110 KBND – 2/8/10 (LA PINE, OREGON) “A La Pine woman faces mail theft charges related to incidents that occurred in La Pine. Sheriff’s Deputies on Saturday night took 13 reports of mail theft or tampering. The Sheriff’s Office log shows they cited Tiffany Brooke Hughes, 29 for the offenses. Deputies say these cases are related…
Mail Theft Monday – 2/15/10
Happy Birthday to George Washington and company! To celebrate, we’ve got over a dozen mail identity theft stories to share just from the past week. Hey… I know what would be a great birthday present for Abraham Lincoln smart investment – a high security locking mailbox to secure your mail and protect your identity! Just sayin… Anyway, here we go!…
Mail Theft Monday – 3/8/10
There are so many mail identity theft stories from the past week, so I’ll get right to it: Gadsden man convicted of mail fraud, sentenced to two years in prison WCSC – 3/8/10 (GADSDEN, SOUTH CAROLINA) “A Gadsden man was convicted of mail fraud and sentenced to two years in prison and to pay restitution for the deed, the US…
Mail Theft Monday – 3/15/10
People detail stories of missing mail Rutland Herald – 3/13/10 (RUTLAND, VERMONT) “A rash of vanishing greeting cards revealed itself in Rutland Friday. Ten people contacted the Herald in response to a story on an investigation into stolen mail, saying they had also received letters from the [USPS] Office of the Inspector General notifying them that an investigation had turned…
Mail Theft Monday – 3/22/10
Just this week we have mail theft from all over the country: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Texas, and Washington! We even threw in one from Canada this week, just for good measure. Those mail thieves have been almost as busy as we are!! Heartland woman claims her daughter is a victim of mail theft KFVS 12 –…
Mail Theft Monday – 4/5/10
I know, I know.. It’s Tuesday…. night. Let’s just say it’s been a busy week and leave it at that! We’ll get back on track for Mail Theft Monday (on Monday) next week. Hopefully. Any-who… here’s the latest and greatest in mail identity theft this week. Mail Theft Seattle Post-Intelligencer – 4/5/10 (SEATTLE, WASHINGTON) “This post originally appeared on Wallyhood,…
Mail Theft Monday – 4/26/10
This week, a huge bust in Vancouver Washington. Police found a ledger with over 400 individuals’ information along with stolen mail, credit cards and more. In addition, we’re seeing more and more mail theft from areas where people often say “that doesn’t happen around here”, including Minnesota and Iowa. For more details and our commentary, see below! Check this list:…
