Do post office workers steal mail?
The overwhelming majority of Postal Service employees work conscientiously to move the nation’s mail to its proper destination. Unfortunately, a small number of employees abuse the public’s trust by delaying or stealing the mail.
Is stealing mail from a mailbox a federal offense?
Because the United States Postal Service is a federal agency, mail theft is considered a federal crime. According to the United States Code 18 Section 1708, federal mail theft is a felony. Being charged with stealing mail could land you in federal prison for up to five years and cause you to pay a fine up to $250,000.
What do people look for when they steal mail?
Personal and account documents are also a common target of mail theft for the same reason. Such post allows an identity thief to get your birth date, Social Security Number, phone, driver’s license number, username, and passwords. Basically, identity thieves may target any direct mail that includes personal details.
What do I do if someone stole my mailbox?
If you believe the check was stolen from your mailbox, it’s also a good idea to report it to the police. If someone cashed and/or altered the check, and you’re worried about identity theft, you may want to report the theft to the FTC.
What happens when a postal worker steals mail?
The law also applies to those employed by the postal service, as workers are forbidden from removing or tampering with anything inside a piece of mail. In either case, if convicted, mail theft can result in a maximum prison sentence of five years, along with a fine.
How often does mail get stolen?
It’s estimated that 3% of all mail is lost by the US postal service. There is no definitive answer to the question of how much mail is lost each year. While some estimates report 3%, it’s difficult to know for sure as the post office doesn’t measure its delivery performance and never has.
What can I do about someone stealing my mail?
Report suspected mail losses to Postal Inspectors by calling 877-876-2455 or at www.uspis.gov. Keep Registered Mail separate from other mail. Require employees to sign for Registered Mail™ to establish accountability.
What can you do about mail theft?
. Report mail theft to police and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 800-275-8777 (not your local post office). .
How often does mail theft happen?
With the increase in online shopping, package theft numbers are rising. Even though USPS lost mail statistics show that lost mail can’t be counted, it’s estimated that 1.7 million packages are stolen per day in the US. That’s around $20 to $30 billion lost every year.
Do people steal mailboxes?
Rash of mailbox thefts: stop putting checks in your mailbox. A rash of mailbox thefts in one town is not isolated, check stealing, washing and cashing is widespread.
How often is mail stolen?
Even though USPS lost mail statistics show that lost mail can’t be counted, it’s estimated that 1.7 million packages are stolen per day in the US. That’s around $20 to $30 billion lost every year.
How can I protect my mailbox?
4 Ways To Make Your Mailbox More Secure
- 4 Ways To Make Your Mailbox More Secure.
- Sign Up For Notifications Of Mail Delivery From USPS –
- Get A Locking Mailbox To Increase Security-
- Install A Mailbox Alarm For An Added Sense Of Security –
- Add A Mailbox Security Camera –
How can I keep my mailbox safe?
Does USPS insurance cover theft?
File a USPS Claim If your package was not insured and a missing mail search was conducted and the package was deemed stolen or damaged, a claim will only cover the shipping costs.
How do I secure my mailbox?
How likely is it for mail to be stolen?
Are USPS mailboxes safe?
“Those are designed to be a very secure method of receiving that collections mail,” Adam Sale, USPS inspector, said. Even as safe as they are, they too, just like neighborhood mailboxes, can sometimes become the target of thieves. Which is why the USPS never recommends leaving things in mailboxes overnight.
What do thieves do with stolen mail?
In the simplest scheme, mail thieves steal checks out of the mail and create fake IDs to match the names on the stolen checks. The thieves then cash the checks at local check-cashing businesses.
How to stop mailbox theft?
Do not leave outgoing mail in your unlocked mailbox
How to stop mailbox vandalism?
Report the Case You can either report the case to the police or your postmaster. Calling the police is an ideal step in the case of repeat vandalism.
How to stop mail thieves?
– Shop around for the best monthly monitoring prices. – Be sure to set the alarm each time you go out, and change the code every year or two, using something hard to guess, but easy to remember. – If the alarm company offers signs for windows or your lawn, use them.
How to report mail theft to police and to USPS?
Determine where you want to report. You can report mail fraud locally or at the federal level.