The Mailbox Vigilante - How to prevent mail theft

The Mailbox Vigilante - How to prevent mail theft

Upon visiting the office supply store to buy a pack of paper and meeting a couple whose identity was stolen in early 2009, this author discovered the most amazing behavior. The wife has made it her job to watch every day for the mail carrier to arrive so that she can run out to the curb and collect her mail to avoid its being stolen again. This vigilante's husband is working three jobs now to make ends meet. He is anxious for one job to be over each day so that he can have 30 minutes to grab a bite before reporting to job number two.

They have lost two homes.

They have had their bank accounts emptied. That's cash stolen from the mailbox.

Stolen mail is stolen cash. How do thieves do this to you? Did you know that when you pay a bill by check and place it in the mailbox for the mail carrier to collect you are really inviting mail thieves? How do they use this check? The actually wash it, duplicate it and use it to buy whatever they want. You may say, "Oh, I take my outgoing mail to the postal service drop box." Of course you do. That's great! But what happens to the checks your credit card company mails you? Yes, they are placed in your mailbox ready for thieves to retrieve and, you know, use for whatever they want to buy.

Suppose the Department of Motor Vehicles sends your new driver's license to you through the mail. If that is stolen, what happens then? Well, it can be used to get you in a lot of trouble! What if the thief is not a good driver? What if he is driving a stolen car? What ID will he show to the officials? What do you think?

So you apply for a new Medicare or Medicaid card. It arrives in your mailbox. What numbers are on that card? Oops! Now you could be in real trouble because the thief can do tons of damage with that Social Security Number. He can open credit card accounts in your name, purchase a vehicle titled to you orhow many other things can you imagine? Tax returns, healthcare, bank accounts and on and on comprise his agenda for your personal information that he has stolen.

"But I have a locking mailbox," you say. Great! That is a thoughtful step toward deterring mail thieves. Is that locking mailbox of yours constructed of plastic, wood, tin, aluminum or even 14 gauge steel? If so, you could easily bash it in yourself and the lock would make no difference. Is it mounted on a wall or a wood post? If it can be knocked off its post, then the box and the mail are both stolen.

Mail theft is an easy crime to commit. If convicted, thieves may get a year in jail and be out to steal again. Conviction is hard to achieve if there is no evidence found or eye witness to the deed. Thieves know this and repeat these crimes again and again.

This vigilante couple has a traditional rural mailbox mounted on a wooden post at the curb in their suburban neighborhood.

They are still looking over their shoulders because they don't know where their personal information is now. It is still out there somewhere. The emotional strain, the wondering if the mail carrier is going to be on time or be a substitute mail carrier on any given day is never ending. This couple has been devastated and is fighting to survive the loss of their savings and good credit. How this author would have loved to have been able to give them a solution to mail theft in early 2009.

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