Identity Theft Close To Home: Identity Theft And Mailboxes
Identity theft is a crime in which an unscrupulous individual takes on the identity of their victim with the purpose being financial gain. Generally the thief is able to access sensitive personal information which when gathered gives the thief the ability to assume the other individual's identity. This type of crime is reaching epidemic proportions and it is therefore important for individuals to be watchful when it comes to securing their private and personal information.
Ways that an individual can steal another person's identity is through the stealing of sensitive personal information. Such information can be found on birth certificates or Social Security cards. Or, an individual may use modern-day technology to "hack" into a company's database with the purpose being to access the personal and financial information of the company's customers.
In addition, identity theft and mailboxes can go hand-in-hand as low-tech thieves may simply steal their victim's mail. To minimize the chances of being victimized by identity theft and mailboxes being accessed there are some precautions that an individual can take. Also, if a person has reason to believe that they might be a victim, there are several actions that can be taken.
Minimize The Risk
Identity theft and mailboxes can be the perfect crime and location of such a crime for those who wish to steal another person's identity. This is because so much of our personal information, monthly bills, offers to open new credit card accounts, etc., arrive at the home through this standard method of correspondence. To minimize the risk of being a victim of identity theft it is important to keep in mind a few simple precautions.
Practically speaking, when it comes to identity theft and mailboxes, it is important to make sure that the delivery of outgoing and incoming mail is secure. Therefore, it is of extreme importance that outgoing mail never be left out in the open for the postal carrier to pick up. The most secure method of having mail delivered by the postal service is to deposit the outgoing mail in a secure U.S. postal mail box.
In addition, make sure that delivered mail is deposited in a secure mail box receptacle. Also, if away from your home for any extended period of time, make sure that a trusted neighbor picks up your mail on a daily basis.
Actions To Take If Victimized By Identity Theft
First of all it is important to take immediate action if an individual feels that they have been victimized by identity theft and mailboxes being violated. One of the primary steps is to take advantage of the fraud alert system offered by Experian, Equifax and Trans Union. Once the service has been activated these three companies will flag the individual's name and report any suspicious activity or the opening of new accounts will be blocked and reported.
Also, if you have reason to believe that your personal mail has been taken by others, it is important to report that possible theft to the U.S. Postal Service. This will accomplish two things.
The first thing is that it is a federal crime to tamper with the U.S. mail, therefore the mail service will activate their resources to investigate this activity. In addition, the reporting of this possible crime will ensure that there is a record of this criminal activity. This may help to minimize any potential damage that is done by another individual utilizing your name.
