It’s Best Not to Use USPS Blue Mailboxes During the Holidays
http://gty.im/1271588479 Tis the season for mailing holiday cards and gifts, but it’s also the season for thieves. The United State Postal Services says the number of mail fraud…
USPS Says It’s Best Not to Leave Mail in Blue Collection Boxes over the Holidays
http://gty.im/1271588479 Tis the season for mailing holiday cards and gifts, but it's also the season for thieves. The United State Postal Services says the number of mail fraud and mail theft cases tend to rise during the holiday season and the blue collection boxes seem to be the biggest targets.
If you do decide to take your mail to a blue collection box, make sure you do so before the last collection of the day. Check the pickup times posted on the boxes. USPS officials caution that you never want to leave your mail sitting in the box overnight. Leaving it late on Saturday means it will sit there even longer, since the boxes won't be emptied by postal workers until Monday.
The USPS has come out with some tips to try ensure your mail is safely sent and received this holiday season:
- One of the best things to do is hand mail directly to the postal carrier rather than leaving it in your mailbox
- Take it directly into the post office during regular business hours
- Never send cash in the mail. If it's stolen, consider it gone
- If you expect to receive something of value in the mail, let the sender know when and if you've received it
If you are the victim of mail theft, make sure you file a report online at emailus.usps.com. You can also file a mail theft complaint over the phone at 1-800-275-8777 or 1-800-ask-USPS
If you decide to leave mail for your carrier to pick up at your home, the USPS says it's wise not to use the mailbox flag. That signals something is inside and gives thieves a heads-up.
