Postal Workers Accused of Mail Theft and Key Crimes in NYC

The Growing Problem of Mail Theft

• 💡 Mailboxes contain sensitive information like new credit cards and tax refund checks, making them targets for criminals.
• ⚠️ There's a significant concern over an increase in criminals stealing mailbox keys from postal workers to access mail.
• 🚨 New cases reveal that some postal workers themselves are allegedly involved in these mail theft crimes.

Arrow Keys and Internal Investigations

• 🔑 An "arrow key" is a universal postal key capable of opening any mailbox within a specific zip code, including those in apartment buildings and public boxes.
• 🕵️ Seven on Your Side investigated over a dozen local cases where postal workers were accused of participating in mail theft.
• 📊 The Inspector General's office has investigated 17 cases over four years involving employees stealing or losing their keys in the tri-state area.
• 📈 In New York City alone, 500 internal investigations were launched against letter carriers accused of mail theft.

Cases of Postal Worker Involvement

• 📍 In Norwalk, Connecticut, a postal worker was suspected of stealing a key to steal mail.
• 📬 In Cherry Hill, New Jersey, a missing key led inspectors to a letter carrier's car, where tubs of mail were found.
• 💳 A USPS worker in Brooklyn admitted to stealing a key, selling it, and stealing credit cards and checks from her route.
• 💸 A letter carrier in New Jersey was arrested last month for stealing mail and selling an arrow key.

Impact on Consumers and Financial Fraud

• 🏦 Mail theft and fraud are top complaints, with stolen checks being washed, altered, and cashed, affecting pensions, 401ks, IRS refunds, and disability benefits.
• 📝 Even outgoing mail, like rent and utility checks, can be stolen, altered (e.g., from $500 to $5,000), and lead to bank account wipeouts.
• 😥 Recovering funds from banks after fraud can be extremely difficult, even with proof of theft.
• 💰 A woman in East New York had $66,000 in disability benefits stolen from the mail, with the postal inspection service suggesting it was an internal theft.

Tips to Prevent Mail Theft

• 📬 Check your mail daily, especially in large buildings with vulnerable mailboxes.
• 📱 Sign up for USPS delivery alerts to track incoming mail.
• 📮 Drop important mail at the post office instead of a corner mailbox.
• 💻 Insist on paperless communication and direct deposit whenever possible.
• 💳 Utilize autopay and bill pay to eliminate checks traveling through the mail.
• ⚠️ Be wary of USPS text scams and do not fall for them.
• ✍️ Use a fraud prevention ink pen (gel pen) that is not washable.