Vocal Point: Take precautions to prevent mail theft

Viewing crime news stories on television, hearing about them on the radio or reading the headlines in the newspaper – never imagining that it could happen to you.

I was one of those naive people. Not anymore because I recently became a victim of mail theft.

Initially, I felt anger followed immediately by how inconvenient this experience is going to be on my daily routine I had to contact my creditors along with my medical providers; the list goes on. I felt violated because I live in the comfort and serenity of the Valley. It’s not supposed to happen here. Did I have a lot to learn.

Mail theft is a growing crime that can affect every person, costing time and money. The U.S. Postal Service handles 668 million pieces of mail daily, the majority of which gets delivered intact but in some instances, thieves can intercept the mail. It’s been reported that more than 6,000 mail-theft suspects have been arrested.

Last month, a Spokane Valley man was arrested as part of a ring of more than 50 alleged identity thieves. There is no limit to which mail thieves will go to gain access to your mail. They steal from postal trucks, collection boxes, apartment mailbox panels, co-op mailing racks and neighborhood delivery and collection box units. Credit cards, convenience checks, Social Security, unemployment and welfare checks are delivered to your home address and this is what the mail thieves count on.

I would be remiss, if I didn’t also include statements from your medical providers. Did you know that your medical information is like a gold mine to the mail thief because now he or she can receive medical attention at your expense.

Some people utilize mail-order pharmacies, which is an opportunity to steal your medications. It’s a wonder to me that most mailboxes sit unlocked, unprotected and vulnerable to mail thieves. If you think about it, it’s like having your letter carrier deliver the most sensitive, personal and financial information to a shoe box out by the street. How scary is that?

Most frightening, is that you may not even be aware that you are a victim of mail theft for months to come until you start receiving foreign credit card bills, a consequence of your identity having been stolen.

Mail theft is a prelude to identity theft. My daughter-in-law was a victim of that most surreptitious of crimes. Her lifestyle took on a different meaning when her identity was stolen, and it still affects her life.

You now are asking yourself, what can I do to protect myself from such an invasion of my privacy? First, never put outgoing mail in your mailbox, raising the red flag. Invest in a locking mailbox. That’s what we did; sure hindsight is 20/20 and we paid the price for being naive. Remove mail as soon as it is delivered and never have your check orders delivered to your home address. If you go out of town, arrange to have your mail held at the post office.

Reduce the number of credit offers sent to you and periodically contact the following credit reporting agencies: Equifax (800) 997-2493 or www.equifax.com; Experian (888) 397-3742 or www.experian.com and TransUnion (800) 888-4213 or www.transunion.com.

Make sure your mailbox is in good condition. Mailboxes in poor condition can expose the contents to the mail thief. These steps can eliminate the hassle of being a mail-theft victim, and it’s better that we go that extra step now instead of paying the price later.