Secure Letterbox/Flap - Identity Theft
 

Hi,

I live in a flat where the letterboxes are a bank of 7 at the front
door. They all have normal letterbox flaps but the mail falls into a
fairly shallow box and is easily removed from outside.

Some of my mail is being stolen from my letterbox - before I get to it,
and I am reasonably sure that someone is having a go at identity theft
or similar.

The simplest answer would be 7 new letterbox fronts, (i.e. the flaps +
surrounds), which are too narrow to get fingers through, and with a lip
on the inside so the letters fall below the lip.

I can find lots of normal letterbox flaps, but none that are narrow, nor
with the security lips.

Any ideas??


Many Thanks

--
Richard Faulkner

Richard Faulkner wrote:
Hi,

I live in a flat where the letterboxes are a bank of 7 at the front
door. They all have normal letterbox flaps but the mail falls into a
fairly shallow box and is easily removed from outside.

Some of my mail is being stolen from my letterbox - before I get to it,
and I am reasonably sure that someone is having a go at identity theft
or similar.

The simplest answer would be 7 new letterbox fronts, (i.e. the flaps +
surrounds), which are too narrow to get fingers through, and with a lip
on the inside so the letters fall below the lip.

I can find lots of normal letterbox flaps, but none that are narrow, nor
with the security lips.

Any ideas??


Many Thanks

have your mail stopped at the sorting office and collect on saturday mornings.



RT

In message , "[news]"
writes
Richard Faulkner wrote:
Hi,

I live in a flat where the letterboxes are a bank of 7 at the front
door. They all have normal letterbox flaps but the mail falls into a
fairly shallow box and is easily removed from outside.

Some of my mail is being stolen from my letterbox - before I get to it,
and I am reasonably sure that someone is having a go at identity theft
or similar.

The simplest answer would be 7 new letterbox fronts, (i.e. the flaps +
surrounds), which are too narrow to get fingers through, and with a lip
on the inside so the letters fall below the lip.

I can find lots of normal letterbox flaps, but none that are narrow, nor
with the security lips.

Any ideas??


Many Thanks

have your mail stopped at the sorting office and collect on saturday mornings.


Thanks for that - it is one of my options, which I may well do - or I
could have it redirected to an alternative address. However, My
experience of instructions to the Royal Mail is that they do not always
follow them. It's also a PIA if you are either expecting a particular
item of post, or if there is none.

I would like to try and prevent it at source if I can as, I need to take
steps to solve the problem for the other tenants when the other flats
are let.

--
Richard Faulkner

Richard Faulkner wrote:
In message , "[news]"
writes
Richard Faulkner wrote:
Hi,

I live in a flat where the letterboxes are a bank of 7 at the front
door. They all have normal letterbox flaps but the mail falls into a
fairly shallow box and is easily removed from outside.

Some of my mail is being stolen from my letterbox - before I get to it,
and I am reasonably sure that someone is having a go at identity theft
or similar.

The simplest answer would be 7 new letterbox fronts, (i.e. the flaps +
surrounds), which are too narrow to get fingers through, and with a lip
on the inside so the letters fall below the lip.

I can find lots of normal letterbox flaps, but none that are narrow, nor
with the security lips.

Any ideas??


Many Thanks

have your mail stopped at the sorting office and collect on saturday mornings.


Thanks for that - it is one of my options, which I may well do - or I
could have it redirected to an alternative address. However, My
experience of instructions to the Royal Mail is that they do not always
follow them. It's also a PIA if you are either expecting a particular
item of post, or if there is none.

I would like to try and prevent it at source if I can as, I need to take
steps to solve the problem for the other tenants when the other flats
are let.

I hear what you're saying about the post office not following instructions,
've had similar experiences with them in the past. your only option may
be to install your own solid steel locking leterbox this company do some
very stylish stainless letterboxes http://www.stainlesssteelpalace.com/
bit pricey, granted, but less than the cost of regaining your identity ?



RT

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 09:44:16 UTC, Richard Faulkner
wrote:

I live in a flat where the letterboxes are a bank of 7 at the front
door. They all have normal letterbox flaps but the mail falls into a
fairly shallow box and is easily removed from outside.

Some of my mail is being stolen from my letterbox - before I get to it,
and I am reasonably sure that someone is having a go at identity theft
or similar.

A sideways approach....

Get a PO box and collect it from the delivery office (this is different
from the sorting office in many cases, and may be nearer and easier).
Costs about a pound a week.

You can ask for mail to be held for that particular address, but it
isn't a specific service as far as I know. It seems to be a bit
unreliable, and depends on the particular postman on duty.
--
Bob Eager
begin a new life...dump Windows!

In article , Richard Faulkner
writes
Hi,

I live in a flat where the letterboxes are a bank of 7 at the front
door. They all have normal letterbox flaps but the mail falls into a
fairly shallow box and is easily removed from outside.

Some of my mail is being stolen from my letterbox - before I get to it,
and I am reasonably sure that someone is having a go at identity theft
or similar.

The simplest answer would be 7 new letterbox fronts, (i.e. the flaps +
surrounds), which are too narrow to get fingers through, and with a lip
on the inside so the letters fall below the lip.

I can find lots of normal letterbox flaps, but none that are narrow, nor
with the security lips.

Fix a couple of L-shaped plates behind the flap to reduce the depth to
less than finger size or certainly less than hand knuckle size.

| |
/|| |
/ ||___|
/ |
/ |_______
/
/ plates
flap / _______
/ |
/ |
/ | ___
/ || |
|| |
| |

Plates could be Ali but will need to be larger then the slot width and
well fixed at the sides, not just top and bottom, in order to resist
being bent out of the way.

The higher the slot the greater the distance between probing fingers and
the mail, wont stop use of wire/tools tho' but will hopefully discourage
the casual thief.

How's that?
--
fred

"Bob Eager" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 09:44:16 UTC, Richard Faulkner
wrote:

I live in a flat where the letterboxes are a bank of 7 at the front
door. They all have normal letterbox flaps but the mail falls into a
fairly shallow box and is easily removed from outside.

Some of my mail is being stolen from my letterbox - before I get to it,
and I am reasonably sure that someone is having a go at identity theft
or similar.

A sideways approach....

Get a PO box and collect it from the delivery office (this is different
from the sorting office in many cases, and may be nearer and easier).
Costs about a pound a week.

You can ask for mail to be held for that particular address, but it
isn't a specific service as far as I know. It seems to be a bit
unreliable, and depends on the particular postman on duty.
--
Bob Eager

When you have a PO Box number as your address, certain organisations
naturally will not deal with you. Fraudsters use PO Boxes liberally.
Although anyone has the right to know the name and address of the holder of
an any PO Box number. Few people know that.

You also have the right to have a bank account in another name. As long as
the account leads back to you it is fine. I'm not sure if a bank has to give
the real name of the holder on request. I think they don't have to. Again,
fraudsters use this facility liberally. A PO Box number can raise alarm
while a bank account as a front cannot. Britain is a fraudsters paradise.



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On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 11:18:40 UTC, "Doctor Evil"
wrote:

When you have a PO Box number as your address, certain organisations
naturally will not deal with you. Fraudsters use PO Boxes liberally.

I guess you would know. I have not observed any problems except when
peope send parcels which may or may not be delivered by Royal Mail.

Although anyone has the right to know the name and address of the holder of
an any PO Box number. Few people know that.

Actually, it's pretty widely known.

--
Bob Eager
begin a new life...dump Windows!

When you have a PO Box number as your address, certain organisations
naturally will not deal with you. Fraudsters use PO Boxes liberally.
Although anyone has the right to know the name and address of the
holder of
an any PO Box number. Few people know that.

You also have the right to have a bank account in another name. As
long as
the account leads back to you it is fine. I'm not sure if a bank has
to give
the real name of the holder on request. I think they don't have to.
Again,
fraudsters use this facility liberally. A PO Box number can raise
alarm
while a bank account as a front cannot. Britain is a fraudsters
paradise.

You are certainly right about using PO Box number and the suspicion
that this can raise.

However as to someone's right to have a bank account in another name, I
would be extremely surprised if any bank entertained this, unless you
had documents identifying you as the named person. For instance, you
are entitled to change your name and have a passport issued in the new
name.

http://www.ukpa.gov.uk/textonly/engl..._your_name.asp

Banks are now highly regulated and there are stringent regulations
requiring them to identify their customers (in banking parlance this is
referred to as KYC. Anyone who has tried to open an account for their
children will realise the difficulties this has led to.

Obviously on Usenet, you can readily change your name.....IMM, Dr Evil
etc. But this is not going to work at your local bank!

On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 10:44:16 +0100, Richard Faulkner
wrote:

Hi,

I live in a flat where the letterboxes are a bank of 7 at the front
door. They all have normal letterbox flaps but the mail falls into a
fairly shallow box and is easily removed from outside.

Some of my mail is being stolen from my letterbox - before I get to it,
and I am reasonably sure that someone is having a go at identity theft
or similar.

The simplest answer would be 7 new letterbox fronts, (i.e. the flaps +
surrounds), which are too narrow to get fingers through, and with a lip
on the inside so the letters fall below the lip.

I can find lots of normal letterbox flaps, but none that are narrow, nor
with the security lips.

Any ideas??

Hi,

How about a cover with a Yale lock over the letterboxes. This could be
released in the evening after people have collected their mail and
then closed by the postman in the morning when the letters are
delivered.

Or have a switch on the cover which activates a loud buzzer, to alert
people it has been opened, which may deter a potential thief.

Or have each letterbox feeding a chute if there is space.

Anyway with a carefully placed CCTV camera you may be able to get some
ID on who is stealing the mail, esp used in conjunction with the
second option.

cheers,
Pete.

Richard Faulkner wrote:
Hi,

I live in a flat where the letterboxes are a bank of 7 at the front
door. They all have normal letterbox flaps but the mail falls into a
fairly shallow box and is easily removed from outside.

Some of my mail is being stolen from my letterbox - before
Any ideas??


add a strip of wood (full door thickness) in the gap to halve its
height

Insert large headed bolts, one either side, to restrict the flap
opening.

Make cutouts in the boxes and put a sloped floor in each box (with cadr
etc) so letters fall into another container. Said container could be a
sack that lets the letters drop to almost floor level.

Seal up the flaps and provide a bell push, labelled 'postman press
bell'

Put a locking steel mailbox on the outside, you empty it daily.

Put up a sign 'smile, youre on camera'

etc etc

wrote in
ups.com:

However as to someone's right to have a bank account in another name, I
would be extremely surprised if any bank entertained this, unless you
had documents identifying you as the named person.

It is perfectly possible to have two bank accounts in two different names.
My partner has exactly this - though one is in her (former) married name
(which is what she usually uses) and the other in her otherwise unused
maiden name. The latter was only opened a year or two ago. The bank did
want some documentary evidence of this and that. (Is this what you meant
about the documents identifying you as the named person?) I doubt that I
would express it as any form of 'right' to do this.

--
Rod

www.annalaurie.co.uk

"Bob Eager" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 31 Mar 2005 11:18:40 UTC, "Doctor Evil"
wrote:

When you have a PO Box number as your address, certain organisations
naturally will not deal with you. Fraudsters use PO Boxes liberally.

I guess you would know. I have not observed any problems except when
peope send parcels which may or may not be delivered by Royal Mail.

Although anyone has the right to know the name and address of the holder
of
an any PO Box number. Few people know that.

Actually, it's pretty widely known.

It isn't.


_________________________________________
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More than 120,000 groups
Unlimited download
http://www.usenetzone.com to open account

fred wrote:


| |
/|| |
/ ||___|
/ |
/ |_______
/
/ plates
flap / _______
/ |
/ |
/ | ___
/ || |
|| |
| |


I think you missed off the razor blades ;-)

In message , Rod Hewitt
writes
wrote in
oups.com:

However as to someone's right to have a bank account in another name, I
would be extremely surprised if any bank entertained this, unless you
had documents identifying you as the named person.

It is perfectly possible to have two bank accounts in two different names.
My partner has exactly this - though one is in her (former) married name
(which is what she usually uses) and the other in her otherwise unused
maiden name. The latter was only opened a year or two ago. The bank did
want some documentary evidence of this and that. (Is this what you meant
about the documents identifying you as the named person?) I doubt that I
would express it as any form of 'right' to do this.


I that dIMM meant any old name you choose, rather than a maiden name
which you would have some documentary evidence for. Money laundering law
requirements I guess.
--
Chris French, Leeds

On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 20:59:23 GMT, chris French wrote:

I that dIMM meant any old name you choose, rather than a maiden name
which you would have some documentary evidence for. Money laundering
law requirements I guess.

AIUI the money laundering stuff just wants you to be able to prove you
really are who you say you are. The bank just wants to be pretty sure
that they or the authorities will be able to find you if the need
arises. What gets printed in the cheque book or what name the account
will accept payments in is seperate and much less controlled.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Hi Richard,

What do you mean by normal letterbox flap?
I'm working on something.
maybe I can help.

Regards

Julio

Secure Letterbox/Flap - Identity Theft
 

Richard Faulkner Wrote:


I can find lots of normal letterbox flaps, but none that are narrow,
nor with the security lips.

Can you make a narrower slit and fasten it inside the existing slot?
--

Dave

sure, you can do that.