Champaign Police are reminding the community of important precautions to help prevent mail and package theft when sending and receiving gifts, cards, and other items this holiday season. With a growing number of items being delivered by the United States Postal Service and other shipping companies, postal officials have shared several simple measures that area residents can take to reduce the risk of mail theft and protect their identity. They include:
- Promptly removing mail from your mailbox after delivery, especially when expecting checks, credit cards, or other negotiable items.
- Being home to receive tracked packages or making arrangements for oversized packages to be delivered out of sight to reduce their visibility from would-be thieves.
- Contacting the issuing party as soon as possible if you do not receive a check or other valuable mail.
- Signing up for USPS Informed Delivery to have a better idea of what mail to expect to be delivered each day.
- Dropping outgoing mail into a USPS collection box prior to the last daily pickup time listed on the box. Otherwise, mailing it inside your local Post Office.
- Monitoring financial accounts and credit profiles for fraudulent activity, even if you are not a victim of mail theft.
- Placing credit holds or freezes with the three major credit bureaus – Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax – to avoid identity theft through stolen mail.
Champaign residents who believe they have been the victim of mail theft this holiday season should file a report with Champaign Police online at champaignil.gov/policereport or by calling 217-333-8911. Additionally, these individuals are encouraged to file a report with the Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455, and to closely monitor financial accounts and credit profiles for any fraudulent activity.