Christmas is always a wonderful, joyful time in the year, but it’s also a busy season where mail is a total nightmare. Last Christmas, my packages of long hours wasted shopping online was snatched right from my doorstep a mere few minutes after their arrival!
So not only did I lose a great deal of money, but I was left with embarrassingly empty hands for the holidays. So how to avoid the Grinch of Christmas? Here are a few precautions to take to have the perfect Christmas! _ and protect your mail from the Grinch.
Keep a Close Eye on your Mailbox
Don’t let any missing piece of mail, whether it’s a magazine subscription or a statement, go by unnoticed. If you notice a pattern in mail getting lost or anything fishy you catch, like a mistake in your name or address, alert the sender immediately.
Also, never let your mailbox overflow! If you’re going away for a while, make sure your mail is checked daily, whether from a neighbor or a relative. Unattended mail can lead to a risk of credit theft or identity theft. Consider getting a virtual mailbox always to have full online access to your mail.
Shred any Sensitive or Critical Mail
Always remember to shred all critical mail like bank receipts, statements, or government papers. Anything containing your bank accounts info, social security number, date of birth, or any personal info can be an open door for thieves to steal your identity.
Consider using a Mailbox Lock.
Talk to your postal carrier about the option of adding a lock to your mailbox or any other measures you can take to secure your mailbox.
Go Paperless
Look into receiving your bank statements and bills online instead of through mail; this will lessen the chances of receiving risky mail. Better yet, go completely paperless and have all your mail sent to you digitally!
Using a virtual mailbox means you’ll receive all your mail online through a secure server and not need to worry about your mail falling into the wrong hands.
How to get your Virtual Mailbox?
A virtual mailbox service means the post office will send all your mail to a secure facility with 24/7 security guards. All correspondence and personal info are well protected behind highly-secured encryptions. Once mail arrives, you’ll receive an instant notification and a scanned image of the envelope. Then you can choose to open & scan it, forward it, or shred and recycle it.
You can access your mail at any time and from anywhere. It will always be under your complete control. With a virtual mailbox, you never need to worry about mail theft! PostScan Mail even provides you with physical storage space if required, so if you’re ever away, your mailbox won’t ever overflow, and a virtual mailbox provider will take care of your packages.
Are you having Mail Trouble? Report it Now!
If you notice any missing mail or anything suspicious, file a complaint now at the U.S. Postal Inspection Service or contact them at 877-876-2455.
Mail theft isn’t limited to missing bills and subscriptions or packages with a “Delivered” status disappearing from your front door. It is a serious issue that that can lead to identity theft. So stay alert and handle it immediately. Prevent mail theft and save yourself unwelcomed troubles and expenses!
