USPS Warns Mail Theft Is Rising—5 Ways to Protect Yourself
Mail theft is a growing concern. The U.S. Committee on Oversight and Government Reform reports that letter carrier robberies increased by 845 percent between 2019 and 2023. And each year, Postal Inspectors recover more than $1 billion in counterfeit checks and money orders. To combat the issue, the United States Postal Service (USPS) installed “safe” mailboxes and high-security blue collection boxes in 2023.
Unfortunately, the problem persists. In fact, U.S. Representative Ami Bera of Sacramento County has called for a federal task force to address mail theft. Last week, he penned a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale, “to address the ongoing, rampant, and unrelenting theft of mail and postal keys, as well as the widespread vandalism and destruction of cluster mailboxes (CBUs) impacting communities across the Sacramento region.”
But this isn’t limited to California. Last month, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) launched an investigation into a series of mail thefts in the Baltimore region. Just yesterday, three people were arrested in Austin, Texas, after stealing mail from 37 different addresses. And these are far from the only instances.
While elected officials and the USPS work to sort the dangerous problem out, there are some simple things you can do to protect your mail, and in turn, your identity and finances.
RELATED: USPS Is Hiking Mail Prices This Fall—Here’s What It’ll Cost You.
1
Use a gel pen to write out checks.
Mail thieves are often after checks, and their method for stealing them is called “washing.”
“Check washing scams involve changing the payee names and often the dollar amounts on checks and fraudulently depositing them. Occasionally, these checks are stolen from mailboxes and washed in chemicals to remove the ink. Some scammers will even use copiers or scanners to print fake copies of a check,” explains the USPIS.
But believe it or not, using a gel pen instead of a ballpoint pen could help safeguard any checks you’re mailing.
Ryan Moody, senior vice president of payments product management at Vericast, told Federal News Network that the chemicals used to “wash” a check can’t lift the gel ink that’s already been absorbed into the paper, making it “very easy to see that the check has been modified.”
Oil-based ink, on the other hand, can be washed off the surface of a check.
2
Don’t use blue collection boxes at certain times of day.
Mail thieves tend to work at night when there’s less chance of them getting caught. Therefore, ensuring that your letters aren’t sitting in the mailbox overnight can greatly reduce your risk of becoming a victim.
“The biggest variable enticing these criminals to steal are customers depositing mail into blue collection boxes after the last collection of the day or during Sundays and federal holidays,” USPS said in a previous press release, as Best Life reported at the time.
“If customers simply used retail service or inside wall drop slots to send their U.S. Mail, instead of depositing it to sit outside overnight or through the weekend, blue collection boxes would not be as enticing after business hours to mail thieves for identity theft and check-washing schemes,” they added.
RELATED: See a Sticker on Your Mailbox? Don’t Touch It, USPS Says.
3
Don’t let mail sit in your home’s mailbox.
The same logic applies to your personal mailbox. If you have outgoing mail, don’t leave it sitting in your mailbox until a mail carrier comes. Instead, either hand the letter to them directly or bring it to your local post office.
If you’re going to be out of town, you can arrange for the post office to hold your mail, or ask a neighbor to collect your mail daily.
4
Enroll in Informed Delivery.
According to the USPS, “Informed Delivery is a free service from USPS that shows you preview images of incoming mail, as well as status updates about your incoming and outbound packages.”
Unfortunately, scammers have figured out ways to use the service to their benefit. According to Tennessee’s Local 3 News, bad actors sign unsuspecting people up for Informed Delivery and then use the previews to track and intercept any valuable mail.
That said, the service is still a good line of defense against mail theft. Local 3 News recommends signing up for an account, where you’ll have to verify your identity. If you notice any suspicious activity or missing mail, contact USPS immediately.
5
Install a doorbell camera.
If mail theft is a concern in your neighborhood, consider installing a doorbell camera like the Ring. This can help identify any potential thieves. Sometimes, just the presence of the camera on your house is enough to deter them.