Prevent Identity Theft:  Invest in a Locking Mail Box

Each and every day we all get personal information delivered to us by mail.  In some cases we get credit card offers or bills that contain our personal information.  Although we don’t think much about it, most of us head out to our mailbox, collect the mail, and then go back in our houses.  All it takes is a thief to beat you to the mailbox by just a couple of minutes.  Once the thief has collected a few pieces of your mail, he can easily use your personal information to charge credit cards and other bad things using your identity.

The solution?  Invest in a locking mail box that is either cemented to the ground or bolted to your house, one that is deep enough to keep prying hands from pulling any mail out of the slot.

Although most people only think about their home and property when dealing with home security, the mailbox is equally as important.  On a daily basis, there is a lot of personal information that goes through your mail box.  Even though burglary is a concern, identity theft is just as big of a concern as well.  Most people don’t even think about theft proofing their mailboxes, which easily explains the increase in identity theft over the years.  Almost all non-locking mail boxes can be easily broken into, giving thieves instant access to personal information.

If you have a traditional mailbox now, you should replace it immediately.  As a replacement, you should look into a locking mail box made of steel.  The top of the box should be accessible to the delivery person, allowing him or her to put the mail in without a problem.  The bottom side of the mailbox however, should only be accessed via a key.  Mailboxes that require a key to get into will help protect you from identity theft – as the thief simply won’t have access to your mail.

Do make sure that the mail box is solidly anchored to something a thief can't walk away with.  A locking mail box does no good if someone can just take the entire thing and break the lock later.  And, make sure your new locking mail box is deep, so that the mail falls completely inside and away from prying hands. 

Locking mail boxes aren't cheap.  A good steel locking mail box can run you over $200.  You can find a fairly inexpensive locking mail box from Target for about $90.  It's not steel, but made of polyethylene plastic, and designed so that the mail drops down into a container.  The mail box is curved, making it difficult for a person to reach in and retrieve your mail.

Whether you use a locking mail box or one with no lock, do not mail anything with sensitive information, such as checks or credit card payments, from your home mail box.  Make sure you mail outgoing mail from a post office in time for that day's mail.  Don't allow your mail to sit overnight in a mail box, whether yours or a post office mail box.  Thieves have been known to take mail from government containers. 

Another tip regarding safety with your mail:  Start paying your bills online and request online-only statements.  This way there will be no paper bills with your information printed on them just waiting for a thief to take a look. 

Synonyms:  Locking mailbox and locking mail box are used synonymously.

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