Share and Follow
USPS customers are urged to think twice before using certain mailboxes after $23,000 worth of checks were swiped.
The theft has led to a warning about “washed” checks as fraudsters dig through the mail and yank money from unsuspecting consumers.
At least two victims have had checks intercepted and drained from a single curbside USPS box, cops confirmed.
The checks were dropped into the box on January 20 and February 16 and amounted to a massive $23,523.
Both were altered and cashed by unknown suspects, sparking a joint investigation with USPIS agents.
The thefts happened outside the Glen Rock Post Office in Bergen, New Jersey, approximately 20 miles from Manhattan.
It comes as thieves are using a method called “check washing” to get their hands on strangers’ cash.
This involves using chemicals to erase the recipient’s name from the check.
They then write in a different name as payee – and sometimes alter the amount the check was made out for.
This allows them to steal large sums and the victim often doesn’t know there’s an issue until their bank account is drained.
“Over the past several months, numerous reports of this nature have been received,” Glen Rock Police Chief Dean Ackermann said.
He said the problem hasn’t been limited to Glen Rock and has hit surrounding towns too.
It’s not yet known how the suspects accessed the mailbox.
Meanwhile, in upstate New York, police are dealing with a similar scam.
Cops in the Town of Tonawanda, in Buffalo, said checks were swiped from the Hiler Branch USPS, CBS local affiliate WIVB reported.
The thefts happened outside a USPS location, according to the authorities.
Those stolen checks were washed and then cashed.
The exact number of victims there has not been released.
Avoiding mail theft
To prevent mail theft, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) recommends residents take several precautions.
- First, avoid letting mail sit in your mailbox—inspect it daily and remove it promptly.
- For package deliveries, track shipments on the USPS website and sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed.
- If you’re not home when your mail is scheduled to arrive, consider asking a trusted neighbor to pick it up for you.
- For longer absences, you can have your mail held at the Post Office by requesting this service online.
- If valuable mail such as checks doesn’t arrive, immediately reach out to the issuing agency.
- It’s also crucial to update your address with the Post Office and any businesses you regularly correspond with to avoid potential issues.
- Lastly, for outgoing mail, it’s safer to hand it directly to your letter carrier or deposit it inside your local Post Office for added security.
Source: U.S. Postal Inspector
Chief James P. Stauffiger said the crimes “threaten the safety and trust our community places in our postal service.”
In a message to residents, he warned, “We urge all residents to be vigilant.”
“If you must send mail, please consider doing so inside the post office rather than using outdoor mailboxes,” he said.
Stauffiger said his department is working with the US Postal Inspection Service to track down those responsible.
Police have increased patrols around the branch as investigations continue.
They are also advising people not to leave their checks in the mailboxes for a long period.
Cops suggest dropping off mail inside a post office instead of using exterior boxes.
USPS didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment by The U.S. Sun.
