Community Chat

[RespectLife]

The small company I work for was hacked ONLINE..$189K...so that's not any safer either.

These theives will find a way.

[Tinkrbl44]

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@depglass wrote:

It is downright pathetic that we can't trust postal employees to guard outside boxes.  Of course, if this was done by an employee, they could have snagged the envelope inside the building also.  Just make sure your envelope doesn't get stuck at the opening, especially at Christmas when there might be cards filling the box.

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@depglass 

While the PO system has security cameras all over, they really can't "guard" outside boxes.  Personally, I would never put any sort of check or money in an outside box ... I'd take it inside.  The only things that are probably ok are greeting cards ... but maybe they'd be ripped open, hoping for a check or cash inside.  

I don't use paper checks very often ... only a few each year.  My last order will probably last me the rest of my life!  

[Jk9]

I had a PO Box for my law firm at a small post office on my way home.  I started that because I am not at my office daily and had a problem with mail disappearing from the on site outside box.  Last Christmas the post office was broken into and all the mail was taken from the boxes.  I had always been careful not to go by that post office at night because of the more isolated location but never thought someone would break in!

I wanted to give the small community post office support by increasing the amount of mail they handled, but I ended up closing that box and opening a box at the bigger post office in the town closest to my home.  

[on the bay]

I was out and trying to find the mailbox I knew was there a few years ago. Somone told me you could mail a usps letter at the UPS

store. So I got directions there and she said the mailbox kept being broken into so they took it down.

In all my life I've never heard anything like this. 

The world has gone crazy for sure. 

What a shame.

Though I know there a still very good people in the world too.

[Roni18]

This has been going on a long time but theft from postal boxes is increasing.   I read about mail carriers even being attacked for their keys to outside boxes.  I try to take my mail inside the PO when possible.  I also try to use the anti-fraud pens to write any checks.  I think the brand is called uni-ball 207.

Sadly, Nothing seems safe any more.

[IMW]

Thanks for info- just ordered a dozen 

[songbird]

I'm getting ready to give a birthday gift to my brother.  A check in the mail.  Then I read this.  I'll still mail him the check, but I might use next day air or some such fancy shipment.  And in the post office of course. 

[Jo1313]

We have had checks and gift card that have gone missing from time to time.

On the other hand they got "kudos" from me  last week..My son mailed me my grandson's "baseball cards" from his little league..

We thought they were "lost in the mail"

We got all of them in a PO envelope stating "damaged in delivery process".It was my son's fault for mot putting them in a padded envelope. They included the messed up envelope that was crumpled like it was caught in the sorting machine.

This is a small town so I go to the PO to mail my stuff.Never use the few blue boxes arounfd here.

[Eileen in Virginia]

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@Mindy D wrote:

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@Eileen in Virginia wrote:

This happened to us a few years ago. Someone stole our half-year real estate tax payment and altered the check to change the payee and almost triple the amount. DH had mailed it in an outdoor, drive-up mailbox in the Post Office driveway. Luckily, the bank caught it. We now have checks that are treated to show attempts to alter a check. Although we pay most of our bills online, we take any hard copy payments to the mailbox INSIDE the Post Offiice. 

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@Eileen in Virginia @How do you get the treated checks? Do you know what they are called? 

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@Mindy D  Our branch manager recommended them after our check had been altered. I don't see a description of the type of check on the folder that our checks come in or on anything else related to them. If you order your checks through your bank, ask about them the next time you're there.

[Kmac444]

You have got to be kidding!  It is not their job to "guard" outside boxes.  What do you want the postal service to do...post a guard at every outside box 24/7?