Theft of Mail After Delivery Security of your mail and mail theft prevention "Mail theft" like any theft of personal property can lead to financial loss and considerable inconvenience. Once Canada Post has delivered your mail, it becomes your personal property. Mail theft prevention For those with delivery to the door, to community or group mail boxes, or to apartment or business mail panels Most people have their mail delivered to them by one of the following methods: Door-to-door delivery through mail slots or to outside mail receptacles. Delivery to community or group mailboxes. Delivery to apartment or business mailboxes.

Download pdf file Get Acrobat here!

Minimize the opportunities for mail theft by following a few simple steps:

• Pick up your mail as soon as possible after it's been delivered.
• If you're planning a holiday, have someone pick up your mail on a daily basis or take advantage of Canada Post's Hold Mail service. For a small fee, Canada Post will keep your mail at the delivery office while you're away and deliver it upon your return.
• If you receive mail that's not yours, please don't leave it in an unprotected area. If the mail has been delivered incorrectly, please write, "delivered to wrong address" on the front of the envelope. If addressed to someone not living at your address, write "not at this address." In either case, deposit the mail into a red street letter box or the outgoing mail slot of your community mailbox at your earliest convenience.
• If you see suspicious activity, call police at 911.
• If you see that a mailbox has been overturned or vandalized, contact Canada Post at 1-800-267-1177.

Delivery to apartment mail boxes

• Never use your intercom to let a stranger enter your building.
• Never hold the outer door open for strangers when you're entering or leaving your building.
• Check the physical security of your apartment mailbox to ensure there's no significant gap between the box door and the frame which could allow it to be pried open. Notify your Strata Council or building management if your box does not appear to be secure.

Minimize the risks and protect your mail!

Recommended security enhancements for building managers

• Consider installing a recessed high security steel lock box connected to the micro switch/timer, removing the Canada Post lock from the intercom panel. Timers for Micro-Switch panels are available from any locksmith.
• Consider installing security hardening and a seven-day timer in the intercom/micro switch panel, controlling the Post Office lock access into the building. Security hardening for micro-switch panels, including security screws, secondary locks, reinforcement strips and/or brackets, are also available from any locksmith.
• Program access times for Canada Post delivery personnel from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with evenings, statutory holidays and weekends blocked out.
• Consider installing Anti-Pry kits to harden the physical security of mailbox panels. Anti-Pry devices for mailbox panels are available from general metal fabricators, locksmith suppliers and mailbox manufacturers.
• Ensure that mail compartment locks are changed whenever new tenants move in or building keys are not returned by former tenants.
• Consider Closed Circuit Television surveillance of building access and mailbox panels.

Security of outgoing mail

Red street letter boxes are located for your convenience throughout all urban areas. Here are a number of ways to help keep your outgoing mail secure:

• Use postal money orders, available at all post offices, for all your cash transactions.
• Deposit your mail close to the scheduled pickup time posted on the mailbox.
• Deposit mail items containing sensitive/financial information/business or large quantities of mail at your local post office.
• If you see any suspicious activity, call police at 911 immediately.
• If you see a mailbox that is overturned or vandalized, please contact Canada Post at 1-800-267-1177.

Disposing of your correspondence

It is essential that your sensitive financial documents be shredded prior to disposal.

The inconvenience and potential financial losses caused as a result of mail theft can be prevented with the help of the tips in this brochure. If you suspect that your mail has been stolen from your mailbox - notify the police, call Equifax or Trans Union Canada.

Important links
Phonebusters*
1-888-495-8501, www.phonebusters.com

Credit Bureaus:
Equifax Canada
1-800-465-7166, www.equifax.com/EFX_Canada

Trans Union Canada
1-877-525-3823, www.tuc.ca/TUCorp/home.asp

*Phonebusters is a national anti-fraud call centre operated by law enforcement agencies, including the RCMP. The centre collects complaints and forwards them to the appropriate law enforcement agencies.