The Mail is Safe
According to the Federal Trade Commission and several of its studies, stolen mail accounts for only a minuscule portion - two percent or less - of all identity theft.
Most identity theft occurs through other sources, such as stolen credit cards, internet fraud, via theft of identity through on-line and commercial transactions, personal acquaintance or family members stealing identification, and other sources.
Do you agree with this? Do you know anyone whose identity has been stolen through the mail? Click here to comment.
4 comments:
Several years ago, we had a Dr. have his idenity stolen through the Change of Address System. The perpetrator did a COA to a bogus address accessing the DR.s records, credit cards, check books etc. It was several years before he regained his idenity.
I would have to agree with the stats, thinking it's easier for a thief to steal your ID via the net...instead of watching your mail box and take the risk of being seen. I also think that is what is keeping us in business. If the net ever gets secure, people will switch over and there will be a huge increase in online bank statements and other bills.
This information is just the sort of thing we need to capitalize on. We need to have an advertising campaign emphasizing the security of paying bills by mail rather than online.
We also help prevent/solve some identity theft cases. Inexperienced identity thieves may attempt to divert the victim's mail via an unauthorized change-of-address or to create new accounts in the victim's name using a P. O. box address. The Inspection Service has been able to catch some identity thieves by following the mail trail.
Post a Comment