'Mail fishing' thefts on the rise
https://www.northjersey.com/story/ne...sey/486534002/Long a symbol of convenience and security to postal patrons, that iconic blue mailbox at the corner means something very different to thieves prowling the streets of North Jersey: a potential gold mine of checks to be cashed.
In recent months, police throughout the area have seen a rash of mail fishing thefts — low-tech crimes in which rudimentary tools are covered with sticky substances to pluck bank documents, checks and birthday cards out of collection boxes.
The uptick in thefts, now the focus of a federal investigation, has prompted U.S. postal officials to mount a multi-pronged defense to educate patrons on ways to protect their mail. Meanwhile, police have made numerous arrests and caught suspects in the act.
"It's gotten to be a giant problem," said Robert Coyle, chief of police in Totowa, where eight people have reported checks stolen and fraudulently deposited. "They're almost telling people, 'Don't put your mail in mailboxes.' "
Be careful, guys. Especially if you still pay your bills by personal check in the mail instead of electronic funds transfer online.
If thieves ever get hold of one of your personal checks, they then have your bank's routing number and your checking account number which is printed on the bottom, which they can then use to steal your identity and drain your funds.
It's a different world we live in today, nothing is sacred any more.
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