Security Alert / USPS

[bullpinnie]

FYI, it is no longer safe to use the blue postal bins ( mail boxes). It seem that the USPS had the genius idea of having a single key work for all of postal bins. Enterprising thieves have copied the key, and are now using it to steal mail. Recently, I had nearly $100K worth of checks stolen that were addressed to the US Treasury, State Of Missouri, and others. The thieves used chemicals to wash and erase the names on the checks, then inserted fictitious names on them, and cashed them. Apparently this is wide spread issue.

I'll eventually, get the money back from my bank after their investigation is over, and they have done their best to collect funds from the other banking entities ( likely check cashing /payday loan companies)................. But it sucks because I still had to pay the IRS, State of Mo, and the other folks I thought I had sent money to. my advice is to reconcile you accounts regularly, avoid the blue postal bins, and to mail your checks directly from INSIDE the post office.

 

[widgeon]

My FIL has a check stolen and the amount changes from less than 200 to over 7k. He used the big blue box.

Gosh I hope this doesn't effect the election.

 

[num70]

FYI, it is no longer safe to use the blue postal bins ( mail boxes). It seem that the USPS had the genius idea of having a single key work for all of postal bins. Enterprising thieves have copied the key, and are now using it to steal mail. Recently, I had nearly $100K worth of checks stolen that were addressed to the US Treasury, State Of Missouri, and others. The thieves used chemicals to wash and erase the names on the checks, then inserted fictitious names on them, and cashed them. Apparently this is wide spread issue.

I'll eventually, get the money back from my bank after their investigation is over, and they have done their best to collect funds from the other banking entities ( likely check cashing /payday loan companies)................. But it sucks because I still had to pay the IRS, State of Mo, and the other folks I thought I had sent money to. my advice is to reconcile you accounts regularly, avoid the blue postal bins, and to mail your checks directly from INSIDE the post office.

What a complete PITA.
Sorry to hear it.
I had my 2017 returns stolen from the IRS processing center. (about 50k returns were stolen.)
Took me a solid 3 years to get it straightened out.
That was my last year of paper returns or handwritten checks.
Never again.

 

[bullpinnie]

Gosh I hope this doesn't effect the election.

 

[bullpinnie]

What a complete PITA.
Sorry to hear it.
I had my 2017 returns stolen from the IRS processing center. (about 50k returns were stolen.)
Took me a solid 3 years to get it straightened out.
That was my last year of paper returns or handwritten checks.
Never again.

Yep, Lessons learned, I had to close my personal, and business accounts, and open new ones ( This is especially a pain because my business get paid from about a dozen different companies by ACH. Then had to call three different credit agencies to freeze all of my accounts ( because the thieves had the account and routing #info). Filed a police report with the PD @Grif worked for. Sounds like they have a detective on the case.

 

[Native NV Ducker]

Can't they change the locks?

 

[H20DAD]

I use the usps to buy a duck stamp each year and send me free junk mail. Won’t trust them for anything else.

 

[negooseman]

Can't they change the locks?

When I changed locks on my house I wanted matching keys for simplicity. So, me and the wife are looking at locks at the store and 1 of the employees asks if we need help. We asked about having locks rekeyed to match. He said, just make sure you take locks out of the same box and they’ll match, most lock companies only make a few different key configurations. So, we picked what we wanted and went home and installed them. Yep, same key works in both. Kinda scary thinking how many people probably have a key to my house.

 

[BigSkyDuk]

That must be some pretty good check washing. A handful of checks adding up to $100K means each was probably large enough to get individual scrutiny (usually any check less than $5K just gets scanned through no questions asked).

Paying electronically has its own security risks, but none of them are nearly as bone headedly stupid as having one key for a hundred thousand or so postal drop boxes. I make it a point to pay electronically (with CC if possible, better protection) and have e-statements for everything.

 

[RedEyed Duck]

When I changed locks on my house I wanted matching keys for simplicity. So, me and the wife are looking at locks at the store and 1 of the employees asks if we need help. We asked about having locks rekeyed to match. He said, just make sure you take locks out of the same box and they’ll match, most lock companies only make a few different key configurations. So, we picked what we wanted and went home and installed them. Yep, same key works in both. Kinda scary thinking how many people probably have a key to my house.

Have a locksmith come out and re-key the locks. Then there will only be three folks that might have a key to your house (you, the wife and the locksmith)