Mail theft is on the rise in the Bay Area and the country. Thieves are looking to easily steal documents which include your name, address, birth date, bank account information, and other personal identifying information. Once in their possession, thieves will open fraudulent credit card accounts and bank accounts in your name, and make purchases which you may be held responsible for. You may also suffer the negative effects of a lower credit score do to the actions of the thieves, and you may spend many hours trying to clean up the damage which was done to your name. Below are some things you can do to try and prevent yourself from becoming the victim of mail theft:
- Use a locking mailbox at your home
- Retrieve your mail as soon as it is delivered
- Use a Post Office location to send your outgoing mail
- For vacations, place your mail on hold (USPS) or have a neighbor pick it up and hold it for you
- If gone for long periods of time, consider purchasing a PO Box at the USPS or a third-party mailbox delivery center
