Fraudulent Activity Via Mail Dropped at the Southie Post Office
When you drop your mail off at the post office, there’s a sense of trust that comes with it. You hope the US Postal Service will get your mail to its final destination in a timely manner without incident. But sometimes, crazy sh*t happens, like the following story.
One Southie resident dropped his mail in the mailbox outside of the post office on East Third Street. Included in his mail was a check made out to Eversource for $118.66. When he checked his bank statement via the Rockland Trust mobile app, he noticed a $5000 discrepancy in his checking account. The original check to Eversource had been altered, forged, and cashed for $5000 – made out to an unknown individual. Gheesh!
How is this happening?
It’s something called “check washing,” where criminals steal signed checks from postal boxes, then use nail polish remover to remove the dollar amount and the name of the “payee” or recipient. After that, they rewrite the checks for a new recipient and a much larger amount and then cash the check. Yikes!
Evidently, this practice is on the rise! Back in February, the following alert was issued.
So how are these criminals getting their hands on checks?
According to an article in the New York Times, criminals sell copies of washed checks online in addition to stolen or counterfeit master keys – aka arrow keys, that open Postal Service collection boxes. There have even been cases where letter carriers are robbed at gunpoint for these keys. There was a local case that you can read about it here.
Also, postal employees have been accused of stealing the checks themselves at sorting and distribution centers. They then recruit others to loot collection boxes or act as check cashers. It’s quite an elaborate scheme.
So, a word to the wise, if you’re still writing out paper checks, stop and pay your bills
Maureen Dahill is the editor of Caught in Southie and a lifelong resident of South Boston sometimes mistaken for a yuppie. Co-host of Caught Up, storyteller, lover of red wine and binge watching TV series. Mrs. Peter G. Follow her @MaureenCaught.
Here’s some advice. Don’t put mail in ANY mailbox after the final pick-up time. The time is posted on the box. Mail deposited after the final pick-up could possibly stolen by these thieves. They operate at night, usually in early morning hours.
The thefts from blue collection boxes happen at night.
Don’t mail anything after the final collection time. The time is posted on the box.
Sorry about repeating myself!
I read that this has been happening in a number of communities including Milton, Dorchester Wellesley and I’m sure ma my others. Now I mail inside the post office but if some employees are involved, I guess that’s not safe either
Former postal employee here. If it IS a postal employee, the Postal Inspection Service will catch him or her. They have about a 98% conviction rate. Stealing mail, opening mail not addressed to you and keeping stolen mail are federal offenses.
I doubt it is an employee because emplyees are under surveillance the entire time they are working .
I once witnessed a letter carrier get arrested by Postal Inspectors. She wasn’t delivering free detergent samples to every house on her route. Someone complained. Postal Inspectors went undercover dressed up like homeless people to surveil her. THEY caught her in the act. She was arrested for theft and it ended her postal career. She was DONE .
What theses misguided individuals need is a good dose of street justice. Unfortunately crime will continue to rise.
The justice system is broken. The elected officials don’t care. Although this is a Federal Crime you don’t hear any out cry
from Your Boston elected councilors.
Really out of control. Oh, I know the answer more programs and jobs. Do You really think they want to work? No they want to steal our hard earned money.
Walk the check into the post office. This is rampant all over the Country.
This is really scary stuff! Going inside the post office and handing whatever check has to be mailed out to someone who works behind the counter is a good way to protect oneself against this horrendous crime.
Another way is to use black ink-gel pens, rather than ordinary ball point pens to write checks with, because the ink in ink-gel pens doesn’t wash off so easily.
If a building of residence has an indoor mailroom with a box for outgoing mail to be dropped into and that only a mail carrier who takes the mail from your building arrives at a regular time each day , and the mailroom is kept locked, that increases security, as well.
The idea of mailing a check at a postal mail box shortly prior to pick up time is a good idea, as well.