More consumers are shopping online than ever before. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, e-commerce sales grew nine times faster than traditional brick & mortar store sales between 1998 and 2017, and that rate of growth continues.
With Cyber Monday coming soon, everyone will be getting more items in the mail. In fiscal year 2018, Postal Inspectors arrested almost 2,500 suspects for theft of the mail and packages. These “porch pirates” are very crafty. They often know the delivery routes for shipping services, and will follow delivery trucks waiting for the right moment to swoop in and steal packages.
Here are some basic tips that you can take to protect your packages and make sure your holidays stay merry!
- Promptly pickup mail. Try not to leave letters and packages in your mailbox or at your door for any length of time.
- Deposit mail close to pickup time. Deposit outgoing mail into collection boxes before the last collection or inside your local Post Office.
- Inquire about overdue mail. If you do not receive a check, credit card, or other valuable mail you’re expecting, contact the sender as soon as possible and inquire about it.
- Don’t send cash. Be careful about what you send. Don’t risk sending cash in the mail.
- Arrange for prompt pickup. If you cannot be home to receive a package, make another arrangement or use the USPS “Hold Mail Service”.
- Use Hold for Pickup. When shipping packages, use the “Hold for PickUp” option, and the recipients can collect the package at their local Post Office.
- Use a package tracker app. Most major shipping services provide an app. Some offer real-time tracking of your package, so you can be sure to be at home when your package is delivered.
Source: https://www.uspis.gov/tips-prevention/mail-theft/*
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