Change of Address? USPS Will Confirm
After I wrote about identity fraud that is perpetrated through the U.S. Postal Service, a reader said his friend's angry ex-girlfriend changed his address without his knowledge. I found it hard to believe such a feat was possible. If fraudsters could change people's addresses at will, then it could cause all kinds of problems, including missed bills, identity fraud, and major headaches.
Luckily, it's not so easy to mess with the mail. I asked Doug Bem of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to explain how address changes are monitored. His words should be reassuring to people with angry exes in their life. He says:
- Customers can file change-of-address orders online at usps.com or by telephone using a credit card, or with a paper form that requires a signature. All methods require some form of identity verification.
- Once that form is filled out, the Postal Service mails a "move validation letter" to the original address. It doesn't contain the forwarding address, but it gives the recipient a number to call (800 275-8777) if there is any problem. A letter is also sent to the new address within 10 days.
- Over 40 million change-of-address requests are filed each year, and the fraudulent ones amount to less than a tenth of 1 percent, according to the Postal Service. The Postal Inspection Service investigates any fraud claims.
- Rather than going through the Postal Service, identity thieves often instead change addresses directly with vendors, banks, and other financial institutions. So if you haven't received a bill or statement lately, make sure you contact your institution.
Tags: Postal Service | identity theft
Tools: 
Share
|
| Comments (28) | Print
Reader Comments
Change of address
My apologies to any delicate sensibilities I may have offended with my previous statements but after finally getting through to an actual human being it turns out I had indeed correctly jumped through the hoops like a good little abusee but the Rep was unable to make her system take the info just as I was unable. Thanks loads, to the Postal Service and our wonderful government beurocracy that has syccessfully reminded and demontrsted precisely why our country has only a few short years left to exist.
Change of address
To whomever the decision maker is having to do with address changes, both web site and phone, I wish all the worst things that can happen to you and yours now and forever. I tried to change my fahters address as he has moved to a retiremwnt home. I did everything correctly but the site rejected it, of course. I then tried to use the number but unlike virtually every other customer service arrangemnet, I was hard-blocked from speaking to anyone to try and solve the problem when I continued to hit all kinds of problems. I was prepared to prove who I was and everything but was given no opportunity to do so. If the US has anymore attacks from abroad I hope it starts with the Postal Service.
wow
Wow, are these comments for real? are these real people?? These are the most asinine, pointless, unintelligible comments I've ever seen.
As for the USPS, they are worthless for both privacy protection and identity verification. What else would you expect? I certainly don't feel comfortable relying on them to prevent someone from changing my address without authorization, and I have my reservations about giving them my credit card information to change my address.
But then, what did you expect in this country? When was the last time someone at the supermarket even bothered looking at the signature on your credit card?
advertisement
