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According
to Palm Springs
Police, identify theft is on the rise in our city.
National statistics indicate that more than 3 million
Americans have credit accounts falsely opened in their
name each year. 400,000 of these crimes can be traced
to stolen mail.
Steps to Protect Against
Mail-Related Identify Theft:
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Purchase and install a
locked mailbox.
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Call 888-567-8688
to stop consumer reporting firms from selling your
name to credit card companies
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Call
877-774-2094, hotline for Acxion US Consumer
Hotline to remove yourself from mortgage refinancing
and home equity loan offers. You can also contact
them in writing:
DateQuick
Attn: Opt-Out Dept.
9620 Towne Cener Drive
San Diego,
CA 92212
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Write for a free
form to stop mail solicitations sent from Direct
Marketing Association’s 5,200 member companies.
Direct
Marketing Association
Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 648
Carmel, NY 10512
You can also get a form for $5 at
www.dmacomsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist.
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Purchase a shredder to
shred all documents containing personal
identification information.
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Locking Mailbox
We have
discovered a great locking mailbox: Armadillo Mailbox.
It is Postmaster General approved and is very strong.
It is shaped
like a regular rural mailbox but has a very deep throat
downward. It accepts a shoebox-size package and can have
its locking door facing either the street or the house.
The big advantage is that it is virtually impossible to reach
down inside to steal mail; there is only a ˝-inch
clearance at the back. The price compares favorably
with other locking mailboxes on the market –
approximately $404 installed (in grey) in the Palms
Springs area.
If you want
a color other than grey (black, green or white), it
would cost $20 more. If the mailbox interests you, contact Armadillo Enclosure
for more information.
Armadillo
Enclosures, Inc.
P.O. Box
462199
Escondido,
CA 92046
Tele:
760-480-2354
Fax:
760-480-1314
Or visit their website at:
www.armadillomailbox.com
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