AUSTIN, Texas — In December 2022, a property manager in Austin received a complaint from a client who noticed there was fraud on one of their checks.
"After some additional complaints from multiple office buildings that we managed in the northwest Austin area, it was apparent that someone had access to an arrow lock key," said Victoria Owan, a senior property manager at Egret Property Management.
Owan explained that the perpetrators who have access to the mail lock key can open any mail box kiosk within that post office distribution center. One distribution center can include several Austin-area ZIP codes. So far, 30 businesses have filed complaints.
This has led to the "worst case of fraud" Owan has seen in her 25-year career.
"This is actually some sort of crime ring or a larger scale operation where they're taking checks and then altering the payee and then changing the amount on the check," Owan said.
Luckily, Owan said the banks caught the theft early enough before the checks were all cashed in or stolen – but the checks totaled to hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of attempted fraud.
Denise Perkins works for Avende, one of the impacted businesses. Perkins noticed the business wasn't receiving checks sent by its customers and noticed a check that was changed in its bank account.
"It's time-consuming. That's where it is because I'm having to do a lot more steps to ensure that we're getting the checks from our customers without trying to make them panic," Perkins said.
Owan claims she's reached out to the United States Postal Service (USPS) but said it has no plans to change the locks or correct the situation where the theft will stop.
KVUE reached out to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) for a response regarding the locks and attempted fraud. USPIS provided the following statement:
"Every day, the US Postal Service safely delivers mail to more than 150 million addresses; mail that includes checks, money orders, credit cards and merchandise. While the U.S. Mail remains one of the most secure means to transmit such items, unfortunately, these items are also attractive to thieves.
"The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has received reports of mail theft throughout the city of Austin and the surrounding areas. Inspectors take every report of mail theft seriously. They use a variety of investigative tools and actively work with our local law enforcement partners and with the community to identify those responsible for mail theft.
"Postal Inspectors rely on the reports by customers to identify any items taken from the mail. If you are a victim of mail theft, you should report it to your local police AND to the Postal Inspection Service by calling our hotline at 877-876-2455 or visiting our website at www.USPIS.gov/report.
"Every mailbox, from an apartment panel to a blue USPS collection box, has strong security measures in place to protect the contents. However, thieves will use a variety of methods and tools to attempt to bypass these security measures. The Postal Inspection Service also works closely with the Postal Service to ensure the security and safety of the U.S. Mail, including the security of collection boxes, and provides recommendations on security issues. Decisions related to changes in policy or security measures are made by the Postal Service.
"Mail theft most often occurs in the over-night hours when there are fewer people around to witness it. While mail theft does occur, there are steps postal customers can take to minimize becoming a victim. Don’t let incoming sit in your mailbox. Postal Inspectors recommend checking your mailbox every day and removing your mail as promptly as possible. Customers can deposit their outgoing mail into the mail slot inside the lobby of their local post office or into an official blue USPS collection box. If they use the USPS collection box, they should ensure they drop off their mail BEFORE the last collection time, which is displayed on the box. Mail theft is an opportunistic crime. The longer your mail sits in any mailbox, the more susceptible it is to theft.
"For more information about mail theft prevention, please visit our website, www.USPIS.gov.
"If you are a witness to mail theft or have knowledge of mail theft related activity, Postal Inspectors ask that you provide your tips by calling our hotline or visiting our website.
"Mail theft is a crime punishable by up to five years prison and substantial fines."