Mailbox Lock & Key Services – Locksmith Tucson
When you consider the amount of mail you receive every day, a lot of it containing personal details about your life, it’s not hard to see how the average suburban mailbox can be a gold mine for identity thieves.
Unfortunately, most people don’t even consider a lack of mailbox security as a credible threat. Therefore, most mailboxes are left exposed and unsecured, waiting for a thief to come and take their pick of personal information with which to create a new identity for themselves or make off with a shiny new credit card number.
Just imagine the momentous flow of information going through the average suburban mailbox on a yearly basis. Birthday cards, credit card statements, bills, government documents, and magazine subscriptions; each postal delivery provides one more piece of ammunition for nefarious individuals to profit off a fake persona they create in your name.
You may have a lock on your mailbox and think you’re safe, but are you? Most store-bought mailbox locks are flimsy affairs, installed mainly for show, and are easily beaten by the average screwdriver, or a sturdy pair of pliers.
Next thing you know, you have credit card statements piling up with charges you have no idea about, or the police arrive menacingly at your door chasing you for an outstanding fine for an incident that occurred in a town to which you’ve never been. This position is understandably a scary one to be in, as who knows what else the criminals may get up to in your name.
The only way to protect yourself against mail theft is to update your mailbox security by installing a high-security lock, or a full mailbox lock replacement to have a mailbox that poses a more significant challenge to a thief in the area.
Of course, no security system is going to beat the most determined thief, but when it comes to mailboxes, thieves have a small window of time in which to operate lest they are caught red-handed. Getting identified while perpetrating a crime is something they will always try to avoid at all costs.
If your mailbox looks like it needs a lengthy and determined effort for them to gain entry, then why would they when there are usually plenty of more accessible targets down the street to give them what they need? This situation may be unfortunate for your neighbor, but then, they also have the option of acquiring a more secure mailbox lock replacement.
If you are still using a standard store-bought mailbox with little to no security, then be aware that identity theft is on the rise. The ability to purchase anything from anywhere in the world with nothing but a credit card number, a fake name, an internet connection, and little to no chance of getting caught has an allure that many thieves just can’t resist.