Mail fraud involves use of the postal system to steal money and valuables from victims. It is most often committed through solicitation letters, phony sweepstakes, bogus catalogs, or work-at-home offers. Thieves can commit mail fraud by simply stealing mail - such as bank statements, credit card offers or checks - out of your mailbox.
- Buy and install a locking mailbox.
- Don't leave bill payment envelopes in your mailbox for pickup -take them to a postal mailbox.
- Know when your bank and credit card statements, Social Security checks or pension payments are supposed to arrive each month. Better yet, get your statements online.
- Know your billing cycles, and watch for any missing mail.
- Follow up if bills or new cards do not arrive on time.
- Carefully review all of your monthly accounts for unauthorized charges.
- Never respond to a sweepstakes letter by sending in a check to claim your prize.
- Only send checks to charities with which you are familiar.
- If you are asked to send a "deposit" to "get started" with a work-at-home offer or a pyramid scheme, don't respond.
- If you order merchandise from a catalog and it doesn't arrive or isn't what you ordered, call the Better Business Bureau.
- If merchandise you didn't order arrives COD (Cash On Delivery), just send it back.