Change of Address Redirect Fraud via Postal Mail
How fraudsters submit change of address forms on behalf of victims to redirect financial mail, intercept statements, and enable identity theft and account takeover.
Part of: Change-of-Address Redirect Fraud
Last reviewed: 8 June 2026
Mail redirection services exist to help people manage correspondence during a move, but they can be misused to redirect another person's mail without their knowledge. By submitting a change of address request on behalf of a victim — using postal forms, online redirection services, or by impersonating the victim with a utility or financial institution — a fraudster can intercept bank statements, credit card details, tax documents, and cheques before the victim sees them.
Change of address fraud is particularly insidious because the victim does not know it is happening. Their mail simply stops arriving, which they may initially attribute to normal postal delays or administrative glitches. By the time the fraud is detected, accounts may have been taken over, cheques endorsed, and sensitive documents harvested for wider identity fraud.
This guide covers both the postal service redirect form route and the account-level change of address fraud that occurs through financial institutions.
How this scam works on postal mail
In the postal redirect route, a fraudster submits a change of address form in the victim's name with the national postal service — in the US this is a USPS form available online or in post offices — directing the victim's mail to an address controlled by the fraudster or an accomplice. Once active, financial statements, pre-approved credit card offers, cheques, and tax documents are all redirected.
In the account-level route, the fraudster contacts the victim's bank, insurer, or other financial institution — using personal data obtained through phishing or a data breach — and requests an address change for that specific account. They then use the new address to receive account communications, request replacement cards, or initiate password resets.
In both cases the fraud may remain undetected for weeks or months. Victims notice that expected mail has stopped arriving, that statements are missing, or that account communications reference an address they do not recognise.
Common red flags
- You stop receiving expected monthly statements or financial mail for several weeks
- You receive a postal service notification confirming an address change you did not request
- Your bank or another institution sends a confirmation of address change to your known address without your action
- Pre-approved credit offers or account documents arrive at your address for a recent period then stop abruptly
- You receive a cheque return or account communication referencing an unfamiliar address
How to protect yourself
- Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery (US) or equivalent tracking services to receive daily notifications of incoming mail
- Monitor financial accounts online weekly to catch address changes or unexpected activity
- Contact your bank and other institutions immediately if you stop receiving expected statements
- Place a credit freeze so that any attempt to open new accounts after a redirect is unsuccessful
- Report any USPS change of address you did not request to 1-800-ASK-USPS and your local postmaster
How to report it
- Report to the USPS Postal Inspection Service at postalinspectors.uspis.gov
- File a report with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and use identitytheft.gov for a recovery plan
- Contact the financial institutions whose mail may have been redirected
- File a police report for use in disputing any fraudulent accounts or cheque fraud
Frequently asked questions
How can I find out if someone has submitted a mail redirect for my address?
In the US, sign up for USPS Informed Delivery at informeddelivery.usps.com. You will receive a daily email showing items expected in your mailbox, making any unexplained absence visible. You can also contact your postmaster to ask whether any forwarding order is active for your address.
What should I do if I receive a USPS change of address confirmation I did not request?
Contact USPS at 1-800-ASK-USPS immediately to cancel the redirect. File an identity theft report at identitytheft.gov and report to the FTC. Alert your bank and other financial institutions that your address may have been targeted.