Mail Theft Identity Fraud in the US
How mail theft in the United States enables identity fraud through stolen bank statements, tax correspondence, and pre-approved credit offers, and what US-specific protections apply.
Part of: Mail Theft Identity Fraud
Last reviewed: 9 June 2026
Mail theft in the United States is a federal crime prosecuted by the USPS Postal Inspection Service, yet it remains a significant source of identity theft and financial fraud. The US postal system's reliance on roadside collection boxes and residential curbside mailboxes creates vulnerabilities that countries with secured communal mail points do not share to the same extent.
The US context also has specific features that amplify the identity fraud risk from stolen mail: pre-approved credit card offers mailed to verified addresses are immediately actionable for a thief, the combination of Social Security Number with name and address found in a single piece of tax correspondence is sufficient to file a fraudulent tax return, and the direct deposit default for government benefit payments means benefit-related correspondence reveals valuable account information.
US-specific programmes such as USPS Informed Delivery, which sends daily email previews of incoming mail, provide meaningful early warning capability that residents can use to identify missing mail before acting on it.
How this scam works on the US
A thief targets curbside mailboxes in residential areas, roadside USPS collection boxes, or mail in multifamily building common areas. Documents collected include bank statements revealing account and routing numbers, pre-approved credit card offers that can be activated using the victim's details, tax forms containing Social Security Numbers, and new payment cards en route to the owner.
With this information, the thief or a downstream identity fraud operation opens new credit accounts in the victim's name, activates the stolen pre-approved offers, files fraudulent tax returns to intercept refunds, and may sell the identity package to other operators.
Victims in the US often discover the fraud when unexpected accounts appear on their credit report, they receive IRS notices about duplicate tax returns, or benefit payment cards arrive for services they did not apply for.
Common red flags
- Regular expected mail — bank statements, bills, or government correspondence — stops arriving
- USPS Informed Delivery shows items in transit that do not physically arrive
- Credit report shows new account openings or enquiries in your name that you did not initiate
- IRS notifies you of a tax return filed in your name that is not yours
- Pre-approved credit offers you expected do not arrive but a new account is then opened
How to protect yourself
- Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery at informeddelivery.usps.com to preview expected mail daily
- Use USPS-approved locked mailboxes or retrieve mail promptly from curbside boxes
- Switch to electronic statements and correspondence with banks and utilities to reduce physical mail volume
- Place a credit freeze with all three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) to prevent new account openings
- File a fraud alert with the bureaus if you suspect mail theft has occurred
How to report it
- Report mail theft to the USPS Postal Inspection Service at postalinspectors.uspis.gov or by calling 1-877-876-2455
- File an identity theft report at identitytheft.gov
- Report fraudulent tax returns to the IRS at irs.gov/identity-theft-central
Frequently asked questions
What is USPS Informed Delivery and how does it help prevent mail theft?
USPS Informed Delivery sends a daily email with greyscale images of letter-size mail pieces expected that day. If an item appears in the preview but does not physically arrive, you can identify missing mail quickly and report it to the Postal Inspection Service before proceeding on the basis of contents that have been stolen.