Mail Forwarding Abuse Scams via Postal Mail
How fraudsters submit unauthorised change-of-address requests to redirect victims' mail, enabling identity theft and financial fraud while cutting off the victim's receipt of important correspondence.
Part of: Mail Forwarding Abuse Scams
Last reviewed: 8 June 2026
Mail forwarding abuse involves a fraudster submitting a change-of-address request to a postal service in the victim's name, causing the victim's incoming mail to be redirected to an address the fraudster controls. The fraudster then receives the victim's bank statements, credit card mail, pre-approved credit offers, tax correspondence, and other sensitive documents for a period before the victim realises what has happened.
The USPS change-of-address process in the US has historically required minimal identity verification, making it a known vulnerability. Similar processes in other national postal systems vary in their security controls. Fraudsters exploit any weaknesses to establish a redirection that can run for weeks before detection.
The harm is compounding: not only does the victim lose access to important correspondence, but the fraudster accumulates identity documents sufficient to commit extensive financial fraud using the victim's details.
How this scam works on postal mail
A fraudster submits a change-of-address form to the postal service in the victim's name, directing all mail from the victim's real address to a new address — often a PO box, a vacant property, or a mule address. The postal service confirms the change, often by sending a notice to the original address — but this notice may itself be missed if the victim is not watching for it.
For a period of days to weeks, the victim's mail is silently redirected. The fraudster receives and copies sensitive documents, activates any pre-approved financial offers, and builds an identity profile. They may then reverse the redirection or abandon the address, having obtained sufficient material.
Victims typically discover the fraud when important expected mail fails to arrive or when financial accounts show suspicious activity.
Common red flags
- Regular expected mail such as bank statements, bills, or payroll stops arriving
- You receive a postal service notification about an address change you did not request
- Credit accounts show suspicious activity or new enquiries appear on your credit report
- Contacts who sent you mail report it was not returned but you never received it
How to protect yourself
- Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery (US) to preview expected mail items daily — gaps in delivery become visible
- Set up email or text alerts with your bank and financial providers for all account activity
- If you suspect a mail redirect, contact your postal service's fraud line immediately to cancel unauthorised changes
- Place a fraud alert with the credit bureaus immediately on suspecting mail redirection
- Consider a credit freeze to prevent new account openings while investigating
How to report it
- Report to the USPS Postal Inspection Service at postalinspectors.uspis.gov
- File an identity theft report at identitytheft.gov (US) or with Action Fraud (UK)
- Place fraud alerts with all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion)
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if my mail has been redirected without my knowledge?
Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery to see expected arriving mail. If items appear in the preview but do not arrive, your mail may be redirected. Contact your postal service's fraud line and check for a change-of-address submission in your name.