If you suspect someone is stealing your mail, this might be a good idea to help the cops locate them. Never handle this on your own.
Kim’s cart: 10 genius buys that keep you (and your stuff) safe
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I test a lot of gear. Every product here solves a sneaky problem and helps you stay one step ahead of scammers, snoops and opportunists. I’ve done the digging so you don’t have to. Let’s go shopping!
✍️ 1. Pens that stop check washing
Fraudsters love “washing” checks and rewriting new amounts unless you use this pen. Its ink chemically bonds with paper, so the info can’t be scrubbed off. Get Uni-ball 207 Gel Pens ($6.08).
📦 2. Safe mailing, sealed tight
Sending something sensitive? These tough mailers make it obvious if someone tried to tamper with your package. Shop Columbian Security Envelopes ($18.89, 6% off).
🖐️ 3. Skip the shredder
It’s fast, easy and way more fun than shredding. Just roll this over addresses or barcodes to obscure them. See the Identity Theft Protection Stamp Roller ($9.99, 33% off).
📬 4. Your mailbox, upgraded
Curbside mail theft is real. This locking mailbox keeps your deliveries secure, and it’s built like a tank. Buy the Mail Boss 7506 on Amazon ($99.99).
💳 5. Block digital pickpockets
Stylish and secure, this thin wallet stops RFID scanning and looks good doing it. There’s a women’s version, too! Get the RUNBOX RFID Wallet ($21.45, 17% off).
🔌 6. Power without the risk
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The QR code scam hiding in your mailbox
Get a diamond ring in the mail? No, it’s not from a secret admirer. It’s from a scammer trying to loot all your money.
💍 Diamonds aren’t forever: What if a mystery red box with a diamond ring arrived in your mail? Ask Tiffany Grove. She got one from the “Global Gemological Research Academy,” did some digging and realized it was a scam. It came with a QR code for a “warranty” that leads to a phishing site. Apparently, the only gem they’re offering is emotional damage. Don’t scan it, just report it.
1 day
That’s how fast your online order could arrive, courtesy of USPS’s quiet glow-up. They’ve ditched the snail jokes and entered the express lane with Priority Mail Next Day to compete with FedEx, UPS and Amazon. It’s currently live in 62 markets and delivers packages under 20 pounds within one day, as long as they’re dropped off by 6 p.m.
Vacation mode: If you’re on vacation for a week or more, hold your mail, so it doesn’t pile up. Log in or create a USPS account and verify your identity. On Amazon, go to Your Orders, find anything pending and click Reschedule. Choose a new date on the calendar and hit Confirm.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Know someone who has a Ring doorbell?
The check might be in the mail. Yep, Ring is settling a class-action lawsuit.
📞 Scammers posing as IRS agents: Just ask Brad, who got a call saying he misfiled his taxes and owed over $800 or else he could face jail time. The scammer knew his address and wife’s name, and Brad ended up giving him access to his bank account. PSA: The IRS never calls or texts. If it’s legit, it comes by mail.
Temu is planting seeds for something: A Texas man ordered a dog toy from China-owned Temu but received seeds instead. It’s the fifth suspicious package reported in the state. One was an invasive plant species. If you receive seeds in the mail, don’t throw them away or plant them. Report it to your state’s Department of Agriculture.
Catching porch pirates and mail thieves
A savvy woman fought back against porch pirates by mailing herself an Apple AirTag, leading to the capture of the thieves who had been stealing her mail.
1,198 investigations
Into serious crimes involving postal service mail in 2023, nearly double the total in 2019. There’s been a huge jump in robberies targeting mail carriers. Not so surprising when you consider there were 425 active Postal Police Officers in 2020 … and 3,000 in the 1980s.
Time to stop mailing checks
Do you still mail in your check? Now’s the time to go paperless.
Watch out for these holiday scams
Are you waiting for your Christmas presents to arrive in the mail? Be wary of emails or texts about your orders. Here’s why, in 60 seconds.