Protecting your family from mail fraud

CLEVELAND - Thieves often steal mail because it's rich with information to steal someone's identity.

In the Medina case , mail was taken from the Post Office. It's also common for it to be stolen from your own home.

If you're mailing a bill or any sensitive information take it to the Post Office, hand deliver it to your mail carrier, or drop it in a secure mailbox. Don't stick it in your mailbox and put up your red flag. All that does is flag down a thief and potentially puts you at risk.

Thieves want personal and sensitive information found on bills and your checks.

The credit card offers you get in the mail are another source of ID theft, so don't leave mail sitting in your box. Put your account on hold if you are going out of town, and shred those credit offers when you get them.

If you're mailing something to a loved one, say a gift card, make a copy of the back of it. This protects you it if it's lost or stolen from the mail.

In this case, police believe the thieves were looking for gift and credit cards.

This is why you always need to watch your statements closely for fraud and always get your free copy of your credit report. 

There is a way to get your report once a year for free. Three agencies offer it to you, and if you plan correctly you can monitor it all year for free. Check one agency every four months instead of checking all three agencies once a year. That way you have a better handle on your finances.  To obtain your free report, go to Annual Credit Report .  It's the only agency that offers the free report. Don't fall for the other "free" sounding website that actually charge you money to see your report.

If you suspect mail fraud, call the Postal Insepctors at 1-877-876-2455.

The Ohio Attorney General has a toolkit that can help you if you're a victim of identity theft.  It's called the Passport program.  It allows you to verify to law enforcement officers and creditors that your identity has been stolen. You can enter the passport program once your ID has been stolen and you've filed a police report.

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If you have a consumer tip, let me know: strathman@newsnet5.com or call the Consumer HotLine 216-431-3457. You can also follow Jenn on Facebook: Jenn Strathman WEWS and Twitter: WEWSConsumer to stay up to date on the latest consumer trends and for money saving advice.