Written By: Madeline McGovern
When you are going to the mailbox to mail a check, the last thought In your mind would be that the check will be stolen. Unfortunately, this is a sad reality for many of the people in my community at the moment. The violation of privacy that this act places upon everyone is devastating for all the people affected. This violation of privacy has occurred on over twenty different accounts. Between mail being stolen, and cars being broken into within my town, many individuals feel violated and don’t feel safe within our community. It is important as a member of society to do what I need to do to bring awareness to this very disheartening issue. This is an issue that has to be dealt with and faced as soon as possible to prevent any additional potential fraud within our town. I decided to interview three of the neighbors that I have on my block concerning their opinions and potential ideas to be able to resolve this issue.
When you think of your community, the first and most important aspect is that you feel safe within your community. Trusting everyone within the community, and reinforcing the importance of the safety of everyone within the community is really important. Many Facebook posts within the community regarding the issue brought the attention of many. Dozens of people within the community explained that this has happened to them also.
The situation regarding the stolen mail has been devastating to all of those within the community. There are going to need to be many new potential strategies in order to prevent this from happening again. Potential ideas that I came up with after interviewing my neighbors and family members are locking mailboxes. Locking mailboxes will allow for a higher level of security within the community. These can be accessed with a key or a combination to allow only postal workers to access them. Locking mailboxes can allow for improved security measures to ensure that all envelopes will be protected. My neighbor Nancy stated, “There is nothing worse than mailing a birthday card and fearing that the card will not get to the loved one, but instead be forged and stolen by a stranger. It is a violating feeling and something no one should be worrying about.” In addition, precautionary measures can be established in order to preserve privacy and security. These measures can include collection of the mail more often than previously. This will ensure that the mail is not in the mailbox for extended periods of time. This precautionary measure can protect against fraud. In addition, we can allow for more efforts toward utilizing a PO box in order to mail priority mail.
After conversing with my neighbors Bill and Nancy, they suggested that surveillance cameras be installed in areas near the mailbox in order to prevent this from happening. Nancy stated that another possibility can be to promote reporting of suspicious activity and even have an incentivizing reward in order to bring the community together in reporting. Bill stated, “ Nancy and I have been looking closely at the mailboxes and are very cautious and aware now thanks to the Facebook posts.” There should be flyers in place to bring awareness to the topic and also to educate all members of the community including members that don’t have access to Facebook posts to become aware of what is happening within the community. Bill stated that “the best you can do is spread the news to your neighbors in order to make them aware of the issue surrounding the mailbox.”
A really amazing idea that was pointed out by my other neighbor Frank is the idea of motion-sensor lighting. Motion-sensor lighting is a really great idea when it comes to detecting thieves. Motion-sensor lights will enable the mailboxes to be lit during the nighttime in order to appear less attractive to thieves.
Another issue regarding the forging of these checks and strangers cashing these checks is the use of electronic deposits that banks within the community allow for. Although electronic deposits allow for convenience, there is a dangerous aspect to it as well. The danger of people cashing checks that were not intended for them is an unfortunate reality as of recently. It is really important to ensure security with deposits.
When speaking to my neighbor Frank, he spoke about who is deemed responsible for the checks being deposited by those who were not intended. Frank spoke on how dangerous electronic deposits can be when it comes to these checks. There must be more security measures put in place in order to prevent those from cashing checks that weren’t intended to.
Part of living within a community is ensuring your family and others’ safety. The recent events within my community have brought devastation to many. Bringing awareness to the community regarding this violation of privacy. Ensuring that the mail will be protected further relates to the personal and individual security of each person within the community. It is really important to feel that level of security when it comes to protecting your own mail. In addition, these higher levels of security will allow for more trust within a community with each individual. Establishing new precautionary measures will also allow for a better community reputation overall.
As an intentional member of my own community, I decided to bring attention to the issue that is currently going on within my community. It breaks my heart to know that members within my own town feel a violation of privacy when it comes to mailing checks or cards in the mail. As a concerned member of my community, I must do my part in order to ensure the privacy of others. I have made all of the members of my family aware of this issue, ensuring that they might think twice before mailing a card with money or a check in the mail.
