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We’ve seen a recent uptick in our members reporting mail theft and subsequent attempts to cash fraudulent checks in the member’s name. This reflects a concerning trend in Northeast Ohio.

According to a report from the FOX 8 I-Team, thieves are stealing mail then forging and cashing checks found in the mail to steal thousands from their victims. And it’s becoming a growing problem.

“The I-Team has learned that the thieves are stealing mail by breaking into mailboxes. It has happened in recent weeks in Parma, Rocky River and Richmond Heights.

We’ve obtained records showing at least 19 people have filed police reports saying they had checks believed to be stolen in the mail. Those checks, then, were cashed for a total of about $130,000.“

The report also provided some tips to minimize your risk of stolen mail – especially when you mail a check:

“The Postal Service says, especially at night, instead of putting mail in one of the collections boxes, go into a post office lobby.

You can get into some around-the-clock and drop off mail inside.“

If you believe any of your OC Federal Credit Union accounts are at-risk due to mail theft, please contact our Member Service Center at (888) 696-4462. You can also visit any of our local branches.

We also recommend that members use Online Banking and regularly monitor recent activity on their accounts online. Members need to first enroll in online banking if they haven’t accessed their account online previously. If you have any problems enrolling or signing into OC Federal Online Banking, please contact our Member Service Center at (888) 696-4462.