Whatever system the crooks use, mail theft, dumpster diving, account invasion, the end result is the same: An innocent person like you is ripped off.

Think about this for a minute; what is a very low-tech way use by thieves to pull off identity theft? It is easily stealing mail from unsecured mailboxes. Thieves have been stealing mail out of unsecured mail boxes for many years; but it has only been in the recent time that thieves have come to comprehend the income to be achieved from the financial information they can get. How safe is your mail box?

Mail theft happens nearly all of the time, according to statistics, at places where open and easy to get to mailboxes are these are mailboxes without a lock and in normal places. Does your mailbox fall into this category?

Thieves know how to and carry out, using outgoing stolen mail, get enough valuable information to begain a new account in the victims (your) name. Crooks can take pre-approved credit card application, change the address to a new address, and then send it in. A thief can watch your incoming mail for a new credit card or ATM card, steal it, and charge thousands of dollars to it in one afternoon. Criminals can steal a credit card statement, lift the account number, and buy goods or services.

What about the red flag on your mailbox? One mail carrier said, The postal service call those red flags the steal me flags. Thieves can and will do much damage with what they remove from your mailbox. Start taking your out-going mail to the post office or drop US mail boxes on your way to or from work.