Increase in Mail Theft: How to Keep Your Personal Mail Safe

During the height of the pandemic, mail theft saw an 87% increase between the years of 2019 and 2022. Since then, the number of investigations into serious crimes has doubled, from 609 cases of mail carrier robbery to almost 1,200. The reason? They are on the hunt for your checks, credit cards, and information for identity theft. 

Thieves are using sticky substances commonly found on rodent traps and attaching them to a wire to stick and pull mail out from blue collection bins. Criminals are taking any checks they find, “washing” what is written by using chemicals, and altering the name and amount. What may have started as a check written for $45 can be altered to be cashed for hundreds, thousands, or more.

Keep your mail safe by following these prevention tactics:

• Don’t let your mail sit in your mailbox; retrieve it daily.
• Don’t drop mail into a collection bin at night. Take it into a post office or a drop off bin attached to a post office before the last pick up of the day.
• You can sign up for Informed Delivery with the post office to get a preview of what mail and packages are coming.
• If you are heading out of town, sign up to have your mail held at your local post office.
• Be involved in your neighborhood and warn others about mail theft and potential threats to mail carriers.
• Watch for your mail carrier and if you see something that looks suspicious, call 911.

If you believe you are a victim of mail check fraud, please report it to the United States Postal Inspection Service immediately and also inform your financial institution of the fraud so they can review your accounts.