Junk Mail

To Identity Thieves, There’s No Such Thing as Junk Mail

Junk mail is annoying, and a pain to deal with, but tossing paper junk mail unopened can set you up for a lot more pain. Often that paper junk mail contains personal information that identity thieves can use to steal your money and your identity.

How many times a week do you get a pre-approved credit card offer in the mail? Those already have your name and address, so it's a simple matter for identity thieves to fill out, change the address, and get a credit card in your name. (And if they can get other personal information from discarded mail such as bank statements, it's even easier). Another problem is that what looks like junk mail isn't always junk mail. For example, solicitations for more services from your bank or stock account might have your account number on them. Here’s a good example: A woman in Minnesota recently received an offer from Sears to consolidate her loans on her newly issued Sears' card. The problem is that the woman had never applied for a Sears' card. Had she failed to open this letter from Sears (which looked like junk mail), she would not have realized her identity had been stolen and used to open a new line of credit in her name.

Here are some tips to minimize the risks from junk mail, and to minimize junk mail where it starts!

·       Open all your mail and shred the junk, using a good cross-cut shredder. Yes, it takes time, but so does dealing with identity theft. (Kids of a certain age love feeding shredders. Heck, this could be fun!)

·       Get a locking mailbox or a post office box, so thieves can't steal junk mail, not to mention valuable papers and checks. Have a friend or neighbor pick up your mail or ask the post office to hold your mail if you are traveling for more than a few days.

·      Opt out to avoid getting junk mail in the first place. The national credit reporting agencies (CRAs) host a joint service to allow consumers to exercise their right to opt out by calling toll free, 1-888-567-8688, or visiting www.optoutprescreen.com. You can also opt out through the Direct Marketing Association at https://www.ims-dm.com/cgi/optoutemps.php.