A US Postal Service official warned customers about missing mail and delivery woes while urging customers to ignore random messages from the agency.
Identity theft comes in many forms, including mail fraud.
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The USPS has been working to combat letter carrier robberies and other ways scammers obtain personal information using mail.
Since the agency started Project Safe Delivery in 2023, there have been about 2,400 arrests made for mail thefts and robberies.
David Gealey, U.S. Postal Inspector and Public Information Officer, shared statistics proving that the project is working.
“Under Project Safe Delivery, there’s been a 27% decrease in letter carrier robberies,” he said at a press conference on Wednesday.
Gealey said the arrests have been a deterrent for criminals.
“They are getting more jail time, and word on the street is, ‘You can’t just do this and get away with it,'” the USPS official said.
While the situation is improving, customers can still be threatened by scammers.
USPS officials warned against some common schemes that customers should look out for.
“USPS, the postal service, doesn’t send unsolicited text messages,” Gealey said.
The USPS will also never include a link in a text or email, officials said.
Customers should also look out for brushing scams, which is when schemers send unsolicited packages and then the “seller” posts a fake customer review using your name.
“They just use you as a tool to help booster their sales or their online marketing,” Gealey explained.
If you are sent an unsolicited package, officials said you can keep it if you want but warn against using a QR code if one is provided in the box.
These QR codes can be used to confirm your personal information.
Avoiding mail theft
To prevent mail theft, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) recommends residents take several precautions.
- First, avoid letting mail sit in your mailbox—inspect it daily and remove it promptly.
- For package deliveries, track shipments on the USPS website and sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed.
- If you’re not home when your mail is scheduled to arrive, consider asking a trusted neighbor to pick it up for you.
- For longer absences, you can have your mail held at the Post Office by requesting this service online.
- If valuable mail such as checks doesn’t arrive, immediately reach out to the issuing agency.
- It’s also crucial to update your address with the Post Office and any businesses you regularly correspond with to avoid potential issues.
- Lastly, for outgoing mail, it’s safer to hand it directly to your letter carrier or deposit it inside your local Post Office for added security.
Source: U.S. Postal Inspector
Officials also advised customers to report the package immediately and check their bank and credit accounts just to make sure they weren’t affected.
Gealey warned against counterfeit stamps as well.
If you see an online offer for a huge discount on stamps, it’s most likely too good to be true.
Gealey also warned against romance scams.
Romance scams are when fraudsters use fake identities to earn someone’s trust and then get them to send money or personal information.
“Customers should never send money, checks, gift cards, or personal information to someone you’ve not met in person,” he said.
If you get a USPS-related email or text that you believe is spam, officials ask you to forward the email to [email protected] or forward to message to 7726.
