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Despite how much we are counting on this, it can be easy to keep the safety of the American postal service (USPS) for granted. After all, it is often that we send and receive important documents responsible for sensitive information and Precious packages . But the unfortunate reality is that many crooks are trying to exploit the service, especially where the sending of money is involved. And now the USPS has published some recommendations on how to avoid checks for check in the form of crime peaks per mail. Read the rest to see what you can do to protect yourself, you and your finances.

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While "porch pirates" can look like an increasing problem, Packing flight Is this not the only type of crime affecting the mail and package service. Check fraud has also increased in recent years while Crooks continues to exploit the payments of documents by making their way in the USPS.

According to data from the Financial Crimes Sun Network (Fincen), the banks have reported 680,000 Check the cases of fraud in 2022, marking an increase of almost twice compared to 350,000 reports in 2021, per Fortune . The US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) also said that the 300,000 complaints he had received for mail theft in 2021 had doubled the figures for the previous year.

Ironically, the point This type of fraud is opposite at the frequency to which the controls are really cut these days. "Despite the drop in the use of checks in the United States, criminals were increasingly targeting American mail from the COVID-19 pandemic to commit check in the check," wrote Fincen in an alert on February 27.

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Unfortunately, recent events show that this type of crime by mail remains a serious problem . Newton residents, Massachusetts, recently pointed out a mail flight in the USPS blue boxes used to deposit outgoing letters, reports the affiliated WCVB of Boston ABC. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

Some also said that the handwritten controls they had fallen into the receptacle had been intercepted and used in A "control washing" operation - including a woman whose amount has been rewritten at $ 10,000.

"It was shocking that a stranger with my check could take the check for $ 10,000. If I had to go to the Citizens Bank to collect a check for $ 10,000, they would submit to an interview," said in Newton Deborah Gordon said WCVB. "It is therefore incredible for me that this fraud happens and that it happens frequently."

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Although such types of mail flight remain a problem, the USPS has published a set of recommendations to customers to help abuse the probability They will become a victim.

The agency suggests that anyone depositing the outgoing mail in a blue collection box should do so before the last hour of collection of the day or as close to the planned collection as possible. Otherwise, putting the mail in your local post office is the best.

The USPS also warns that it is better not to leave any incoming letter in your mailbox during the night when they could be slipped. And if you plan to be outside the city for a while, organize your mail in your local post office or ask a friend or neighbor to collect it every day and keep it until your return.

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In addition to being in a timely manner with your pick-up and your mail fall, there are a few other ways of Help secure paper checks . According to Ryan Moody , Vice-president Director of Payments Product Management at Vericast, this includes Use of a gel pen To fill them, as it can make them more difficult to wash.

"When these chemicals are applied to a control that has this ink absorbed in paper, these chemicals are not very lucky against this, so it is very easy to see that the check has been modified," -It declared to Federal News Network in an interview on September 4.

But if you ever encounter a problem with your message, it is always better to report it to the authorities. "American mail should arrive unprecedented, not read and intact.

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