Identity Theft Starts at Your Mailbox (20 Things Thieves Pull From Your Trash and Porch)

#identitytheft #scamprevention #homesecurity #fraudprevention #securitytips There's a metal box at the end of your driveway you never lock, and inside it on any given week is enough paper to become you. Retired security guard Curtis Hayes (31 years) walks the 20 things thieves pull from your mailbox, your trash, and your porch to steal your identity: the incoming bank statement, the pre-approved credit offer the Justice Department names as a top cause, outgoing mail with the flag up, check washing, the change-of-address trick that reroutes your whole mail stream, the unshredded envelope, medical paperwork and pill labels, shipping boxes and old cards, the bin pattern thieves learn, the package label, the porch camera on a weak password, and the social-media quizzes that hand over your security answers for free. Plus the two master locks most people never set: the credit freeze that stops a new account cold, and the one house rule that ends the whole crime. No fear, just friction, and most of it costs nothing. Disclaimer: This video is for general educational purposes only and is not professional security, legal, or financial advice. If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, contact your bank, freeze your credit with the three bureaus, and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov. If a crime is in progress, call 911 or your local emergency number. CHAPTERS: 0:00 - The Box You Never Lock 0:53 - No. 20: The Incoming Bank Statement 1:24 - No. 19: The Pre-Approved Credit Offer 1:59 - No. 18: Outgoing Mail With the Flag Up 2:27 - No. 17: The Check Itself 3:03 - No. 16: The Change-of-Address Trick 4:09 - No. 15: The Whole Unshredded Envelope 4:39 - No. 14: The Medical Paperwork 5:33 - No. 13: The Boxes on the Curb 6:03 - No. 12: The Receipts and Old Cards 6:38 - No. 11: The Pattern Your Bins Keep 7:15 - No. 10: The Package Label 7:45 - No. 9: The Delivery Notifications 8:09 - No. 8: The Porch Camera Nobody Secures 8:44 - No. 7: Mail Left Sitting While You Travel 9:08 - No. 6: The Phone Call Built on Your Paper 9:39 - No. 5: The Mailbox Any Key Opens 10:26 - No. 4: Your Own Social Media 11:00 - No. 3: Freeze the Credit Before Anything Happens 11:56 - No. 2: Watch for the Quiet Signs 12:28 - No. 1: Nothing Readable Leaves the House 13:08 - The Honest Word and Your Homework SOURCES Dumpster Diving: Identity thieves still look through your trash (WFMY News 2) - https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/dumpster-diving-identity-thieves-still-look-through-your-trash-shred-documents-mail-paperwork-with-personal-information/83-d281484c-f008-4602-a455-15b2a3ea1e44 Mail theft and check fraud (Allstate Identity Protection) - https://www.allstateidentityprotection.com/content-hub/how-does-mail-theft-lead-to-fraud The Importance of Shredding Credit Card Offers and Junk Mail (Shred-it) - https://www.shredit.com/en-us/blog/protect-your-identity-from-junk-mail-secure-shredding-services How Thieves Steal an Identity (Grant County, WA) - https://www.grantcountywa.gov/1153/How-Thieves-Steal-an-Identity