Avoid Using Big Blue Mailboxes In New York State

Officials with the United States Postal Service are once again warning people to avoid using the big blue mailboxes over the weekend.

Officials are stressing that those mailbox in public areas are not being monitored by employees over the long holiday weekend and mail thieves are stealing mail from them

Why You Shouldn't Use Big Blue Mailboxes Over The Holidays

Officials said that during long holiday breaks, your mail could be compromised since employees of the USPS don't check those big blue mailboxes.

During the normal workweek, those boxes are emptied on a daily basis, but during the holidays, they are not. That means that the mail piles up, and some thieves are breaking into the mailboxes to steal the mail.

These thieves are hoping to find cards with cash, identity information, and more.

When Can You Use The Big Blue Mailboxes?

The best time to use them is during normal USPS operating hours. If you do need to mail something using one of those boxes, it is best to use one in front of the post office. These are under camera surveillance 24/7.

What Should You Do If Your Mail Is Stolen?

If you think your mail has been stolen, there are some things you should do.

1. Contact your local Post Office and make a report that your mail was stolen. You can also contact the United States Postal Inspection Service. You can report the mail theft here: www.uspis.gov/report. The USPIS investigates mail theft and other postal crimes.

2. Contact the sender of the mail if you think your mail address to you has been stolen. If you think the mail you sent was stolen, contact the person you were sending it to to let them know, and to let you know if they received the mail.

3. If you think your identity was compromised, you should contact the Federal Trade Commission at www.identitytheft.gov to make a report.

These are some things that you can't mail using the USPS.