Lock Your Mailbox
Mailbox with a Lock
I realize most people don’t have mailboxes with locks on them; but they should. An endless stream of sensitive documents are delivered to our mailboxes daily yet almost nobody actually locks their mail. Sure, it’s a felony to steal mail, but folks interested in identity theft aren’t too worried about the punishment for mail theft. Credit card offers and balance transfer checks are being shipped out to people all the time and are just waiting, in their mailboxes, for someone to steal them.
A lockable mailbox might cost you $100 now, but, in the long run it could save you tens of thousands of dollars and a huge headache as you try to reclaim your identity. Even if you just have to retrofit your standard mailbox by adding a padlock and cutting a slot in the door (just make sure you don’t leave sharp edges) it is better than leaving your mail unsecured.
You can buy a locking mailbox at Lowes or Home Depot or even online. I have a mailbox similar to the one shown here that is mounted to a post beside my house.