Community Chat

[Kachina624]

@stellabystarlight.    I would not call stealing mail out of a mailbox a scam.  It's theft pure and simple.  A scam is when a person is deliberately deceived into giving information or money by someone using illicit information

[stellabystarlight]

Kachina, it is a scam when signatures on checks are wiped out using nail polish remover and cashing checks.  Our local Police told us it was a SCAM.  Why are you so concerned with the wording.  Bottom line is:  Be Aware.  That is the reason for my post.  I don't need criticism.

[software]

I signed up for the USPS Informed Delivery.

I receive an email every day showing the mail I will receive that day.

If I am missing any or all, I am told to contact the post office.

I was missing 1 piece one day, but I waited until the next day and it arrived, I didn't neet to notify the post office.   The only important information I receive by mail is from Medicare and Social Security.   Nearly everything else is junk.   My bills are online.

Sad day indeed.    

[bonnielu]

Most of my bills are paid online.  If I need to mail a check I take it directly to our rural post office.  

[tipsy]

There is a conversation going on in my local neighborhood online forum about mail that has been deposited into the slot directly INSIDE the Post Office.  Cards & envelopes with cash & giftcards were intercepted at the sorting facility/distribution center & had the contents stolen.  The envelopes were slit & the contents removed, then the empty card was delivered to the person.  Some bills paid by check were "washed" & cashed with a different name. I have never had a problem mailing cash or checks, but then I always tape up the seams & that seems to be a deterrent.  I did just purchase some of those fraud-inhibiting pens with the special ink, in blue.  

So here it's postal employees who are stealing.  

[NYC Susan]

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@chrystaltree wrote:

I think that's pretty old.  I remember that type of thing happening years and years ago.  At that time, they were mostly looking for Christmas and Birthday cards that had cash and checks in them.  I wouldn't even call that a scam, it's just old fashioned theft.  

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I remember hearing about this many years ago too.  Just another way to steal.

I also remember seeing it on a sitcom.  Someone was trying to retrieve a letter they hadn't meant to mail, and they used either tape or chewed gum on the end of a stick.

[RoughDraft]

The mail boxes in my city have been jerry rigged so that it is "almost" impossible for anyone to retrieve mail from the box.  They only open a few inches.  Now I know why.

[Nataliesgramma]

Some mailboxes were removed in one area beacuse they had too much theft going on at night.....you have to use the mailboxes at the Post Office now

[Ladybug724]

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@stellabystarlight wrote:

This is a fairly new scam in my area.

In Westchester County, New York, we have been advised of a scam called "Fishing" in our mailboxes with the chute type of entry.  Thieves get a long stick - put tape at the bottom and shove the stick in the chute type mailbox and remove mail.  They look for checks.  When they open up envelopes which they believe are checks, they do what is called "washing."  This involves removing the signature  and the person for whom the check is written to, and putting their own name, etc. and cashing it.  Many people's rent checks etc. was never received. 

The Postmaster and the Police warned us to put any checks directly inside the post office mail.  And told us to buy permanent ink pens.  Staples sells them.  Also they redesigned the mailboxes.  Now there are no chutes - just thin slots so that the "Fishing" stick cannot fit.  I bring all of my important mail directly inside the Post Office.  Also more areas in New York have been hit by this scam.  What is this world coming to!

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The check stealing sounds very involved--it would probably be easier if they just got a job

[Ladybug724]

In Westchester County, New York, we have been advised of a scam called "Fishing" in our mailboxes with the chute type of entry.  Thieves get a long stick - put tape at the bottom and shove the stick in the chute type mailbox and remove mail.  They look for checks.  When they open up envelopes which they believe are checks, they do what is called "washing."  This involves removing the signature  and the person for whom the check is written to, and putting their own name, etc. and cashing it.  Many people's rent checks etc. was never received. 

The Postmaster and the Police warned us to put any checks directly inside the post office mail.  And told us to buy permanent ink pens.  Staples sells them.  Also they redesigned the mailboxes.  Now there are no chutes - just thin slots so that the "Fishing" stick cannot fit.  I bring all of my important mail directly inside the Post Office.  Also more areas in New York have been hit by this scam.  What is this world coming to!

[Financialgrl]

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@Cats3000 wrote:

I avoid a lot of this by paying bills on line and, where possible, having payments directly deposited to my checking account.

But yes, there's a scam a minute.

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I can't think of anything I mail anymore other than maybe a birthday card for someone I don't see that often or maybe a "Thinking of You" card for a friend whose older, very sick and doesn't understand use of computers.   I've always said if those crooks harnessed their energy into inventing or developing something that ppl need they'd be rich.