Dale Penn

Postal Inspector laments: “Like nothing we have ever seen!”

Nebraska police and postal authorities have uncovered what appears to be one of the largest cases of mail fraud and identity theft they have ever encountered.

A vehicle searched after a routine traffic stop uncovered a mountain of stolen mail which lead veteran postal inspectors to discover one of the largest caches of stolen mail in the state’s history.

Similar incidents in Fremont, California have led to the arrest and conviction of a couple who were recently sentenced to five years in prison and slapped with a $25 million dollar judgement for trying to misuse the U.S. Mail to defraud Microsoft Corporation.

The Microsoft case involved multiple defendants who were very organized and persistent.

In a frightening turn, it was discovered that the proceeds from the racket were being funneled out of the country and in to Pakistan, according to federal prosecutors.

Here are 5 simple ways to reduce your chances of being a mail fraud victim:

1. Only use a locked mailbox at home
2. Never leave mail for pickup in, on or around your mailbox (that red flag is a no no)
3. Stop your mail delivery when going on vacation
4. Utilize online bill payments to reduce the paper mail you receive
5. If you suspect you are missing mail, contact local police and Postal Inspectors pronto

Sadly, we have finally come to the point in our nation’s history when it is naive and foolish to utter the hackneyed phrase “the check is in the mail.”

Not all Identity Theft protection providers are created equal.

Many consumers are scrambling for answers and guidance. Some just roll with their hunches or simply give in to the relentless marketing barrage of the “high profile “solution providers.

We all know who they are. These companies seem to pop up every time we visit the web. Their promises to prevent financial peril have been carefully crafted to deliver the greatest set of wiz-bang features ever offered before.

Some firms prop up spokesmen who carelessly boast of their own invulnerability to financial theft, while others claim to have cornered the patented ability to deliver a cloak of protection which only they can serve up.

All these contenders with their endless features and benefits remind me of a fantastic local deli near our house. The menu is huge and there are just too many delectable choices with a wide variety of prices!

So what’s a typical security seeker to do?

First, answer these revealing questions:

• Are you a victim? (If so, contact your local police immediately!)
• Have I checked the FTC’s online resources for information and guidance?
• Am I prepared between $9 and $15 dollars per month for the “right” solution?
• Do I mind paying someone to do something I could do myself for free?
• Are the company’s promises and claims reasonable and realistic?
• Is my entire family in need of protection or just me?
• Have I been lured with promises of “free” services? www.freecreditreport.com
• Do I really expect to “cash in on those well publicized $1,000,000.00 loss guarantees?
• Should I take a deep breath and examine my real no cost credit report?
• Have I taken advantage of freely accessible steps to minimize my exposure?

Consider your needs before “jumping on-board” with a provider.

Simply scratch off anyone on your list who claims to be able to PREVENT your identity from being stolen.

Consider that the Big 3 credit aggregators are in the business of selling your personal information to data-hungry marketers, while they simultaneously “protect” you from many of the very vultures that they feed.

It makes sense to protect yourself from the seemingly inevitable world of data breaches, medical fraud and financial fraud.

Well known Silicon Valley IT expert Ravi Char refers to information security as “the delicate dance”. No one solution is capable of covering all the bases.

In today’s complex world of portable data and predatory opportunists, the best identity protection solution is to stay light on your feet and keep on dancing.