Your credit card’s billing address changes.If you notice a significant decrease in the volume of mail you usually receive, call the post office to check that your details are still the same. You stop receiving mail at your home address.If you get either, call your local post office immediately to confirm if anyone filed a change-of-address form. By default, the USPS sends a confirmation of an address change and a validation letter. If you ever receive mail from the USPS, open it immediately. You receive a change-of-address confirmation form in the mail.Here are five of the most common signs that you’re being targeted by a scammer: But there are a few warning signs that can tell you if it’s happening to you. Related: Family Identity Theft Protection: The Parental Guide for 2023 → 5 Warning Signs of Change-of-Address FraudĬhange-of-address fraud can be easy to pull off. But those letters can take weeks to arrive.Īt the same time, scammers will place a vacation hold on any mail going to your current address, giving them time to exploit your mail at the new address before you catch on. The postal service sends a move validation letter to both your previous mailing address and the new address whenever they receive a change-of-address request. If you stop receiving mail, you could miss the signs that a criminal is committing deed fraud.Īlthough USPS is trying to prevent address fraud, there are still flaws in the system that criminals can exploit. (You can find out more on the USA.gov website.) With access to sensitive information like pay stubs, bank statements, and healthcare details, identity thieves could open new accounts or order a new driver’s license, which they can then use for further crimes under your name. This drop could harm your chances of securing a car loan or mortgage until you resolve the matter with credit bureaus-which could take years. Even a failed application can have a negative impact on your credit report. The change-of-address scam also ramps up during the holiday season as scammers target mail containing cash and gift cards. If scammers gain access to your debit card or new credit cards, they can quickly run up fraudulent bills and leave you with a lot of debt. If this happens to you, the consequences of identity theft can hit hard: With that information, an identity thief can redirect your mail and take control of valuable information. The perpetrators only need your home address and a forged signature - which isn't verified by the postal inspection service. The change-of-address scam is one of the most straightforward identity crimes. What Can Scammers Do if They Change Your Address? Try Aura’s identity theft protection free for 14 days to secure your identity against scammers. ✅ Take action: If scammers change your address, your bank account, credit card, and other accounts could be at risk. Make sure you only use the official USPS change of address website. Scammers have started to create fake change of address websites that promise to update your information for you and charge excessive fees. □ Safety tip: If you choose to change your address online, make sure you’re using the right website. Unfortunately, some victims say that even the online system has allowed scammers to make changes to their address. It’s important to note that the change-of-address scam should only work if the scammer uses a mail-in request.įor online changes, the USPS website requires a digital payment to cross-check your bank account with your address. They open your mail and access your bank statements, drivers license renewals, and other sensitive information they can use to rob you or conduct financial crimes under your name.The scammers divert your mail to the new mailing address where they have access.No verification is required for mail-in applications. That person (or accomplices) submits a USPS change-of-address form through the mail via the U.S.They might find this by stealing your physical mail or buying your basic information off the Dark Web. An identity thief figures out your contact information such as your full name and address.Here’s how scammers take advantage of these vulnerabilities to illegally change your address: Unfortunately, change-of-address requests made through the mail aren’t nearly as secure. The United States Postal Service (USPS) has a secure online change-of-address form that requires verification and documentation of a bank withdrawal. Change-of-address fraud, also known as a change-of-address scam, is when an identity thief makes an unauthorized request to the postal service to change your mailing address in order to intercept private information and sensitive documents.īut how can a stranger change your address, even if you haven’t moved into a new home? How the Change-of-Address Scam Works
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