Mail theft and check fraud is on the rise. To help you avoid financial stress and time spent resolving issues, follow a few simple tips that can significantly reduce your risk. Here’s how to protect your mail, your checks and your peace of mind.
Protect your mail from theft
- Get your mail promptly and try not to leave it in your mailbox overnight.
- Contact the sender if expected mail doesn’t arrive.
- Ask the post office to hold your mail if you will be out of town.
- Use security envelopes to conceal the contents of your mail.
- Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery to track incoming mail and packages.
- Drop outgoing mail inside your post office or use secure letter slots when possible.
Protect your checks from fraud and alterations
- Use pens with permanent black ink, which is more difficult to “wash” or remove.
- Fill out checks completely and avoid leaving blank spaces on the payee or amount lines.
- Don’t write personal details, such as your Social Security number, credit card information, driver’s license number or phone number on checks.
- Use online or mobile banking to regularly review images of cleared checks and ensure they are not altered.
- Review the back of checks if images of paid checks are available to ensure the endorsement information matches the intended payee.
- Consider electronic options such as ACH payments, e-checks or mobile payments when available.
- Follow up with payees to ensure your check was received.
What to do if you feel you’ve been impacted:
- Contact your bank immediately and request copies of any fraudulent checks. Your bank can help guide you in next steps.
- If fraud involved mailed checks, provide details such as when and where the check was sent to help determine where the compromise occurred.
- Share documentation with law enforcement, including copies of checks and relevant bank information.
- Report mail theft to the United States Postal Inspection Service* (USPIS) and the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center* (IC3)
By following these tips you can help protect your finances and respond quickly if something doesn’t look right.
*Please Note: There are external links included in this article that will take you to a website Bankers Trust does not control. Bankers Trust has provided these links for your convenience but does not endorse and is not responsible for the content, links, privacy policy, or security policy of external websites.
