Thieves targeting USPS blue mailboxes have been using stolen personal information to drain bank accounts says the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Randy Smith warns people to be extra cautious when mailing checks or money orders after the sheriff’s office says they have seen an uptick in bank fraud cases.
Sheriff Smith recommends residents avoid those boxes altogether if possible and offers these tips:
- Place outgoing mail into the mail slot inside the lobby of the local post office or hand it directly to a postal service worker at the counter.
- If you use a blue collection box, place mail in the box just before the last collection time of the day. This time is usually displayed on the box. The longer mail stays in the box, the more susceptible it is to theft.
- After mailing a check or a money order, confirm with the recipient that they have received it.
- Don’t leave mail in personal/ business mailboxes overnight.
