By Doris Prado, Property Manager
Table of Contents
How can you make your mailbox safer? Mail theft is a felony–as it should be!
The Moors residents have been reporting mail theft in the month of May. South Florida Security has been made aware in case their Rovers see anything suspicious. Residents have been reporting he incidents to the U.S. Postal Service.
Tips to prevent mail theft
Learn the 8 quick tips for protecting your mail and preventing mail theft.
- What are thieves looking for?
- Go green
- Invest in a security camera
- Don’t flag your mailbox as a target
- Pick up your mail everyday
- Stop delivery if you are not home
- Talk to your neighbors
- Sign up for Informed Delivery through the postal service.
Collect your mails in time
A rule of thumb to prevent mail theft is that never leave your mails in the mailbox overnight. Remember that if you don’t pick your mails up, someone will do it for you. So pick up your incoming mail promptly after delivery or at least set an alarm to collect your mail on time to leave no nightly concern for the theft of mail. If you are not home, remember to arrange for a trusted neighbor to pick up the mail for you.
Report to the USPIS
Reporting to the USPIS (United States Postal Inspection Service) is an effective way to prevent mail theft, especially the repeated ones.
How to report mail theft to USPIS? Basically, there are 2 ways.
- File a mail theft complaint online.
- File a mail theft complaint over the phone at 1-800-275-8777 or 1-877-876-2455.
A rule of thumb to prevent mail theft is that never leave your mails in the mailbox overnight.
Mail and package theft
Each year, Americans trust the U.S. Postal Service with billions of letters and packages, and the vast majority of those arrive safely at their intended destinations. But there are always thieves who will target the mail. Postal Inspectors investigate these crimes and arrest thousands of mail and package thieves each year. Still, there are extra steps you can take to ensure your mail arrives safely at its destination.
Follow and share these tips to help protect yourself and others against mail and package theft.
Promptly pickup mail: Try not to leave letters and packages in your mailbox or at your door for any length of time.
Inquire about overdue mail: If you do not receive a check, credit card, or other valuable mail you’re expecting, contact the sender as soon as possible and inquire about it.
Don’t send cash: Be careful about what you send. Don’t risk sending cash in the mail.
Arrange for prompt pickup: If you cannot be home to receive a package, make another arrangement or use the USPS Hold Mail Service.
Use Hold for Pickup: When shipping packages, use the Hold for PickUp option, and the recipients can collect the package at their local Post Office.
Request signature confirmation: When mailing something important, consider requesting Signature Confirmation for the intended recipient.
File a change of address: If you move, make sure you file a change of address with the Postal Service and let your financial institutions know as well.
