Change of Address Scam?

[DETRoadster]

Just got a notice in the mail from USPS today. It's addressed to someone I dont know, at my current address. We bought our house from the original owner and have been here 10 years so its definitely not a past owner or resident. Apparently the USPS received a change of address request from this person, asking the USPS to forward mail FROM my current address to some new address. The USPS sends these notes to the old address and the new address in the hopes that you receive them both and confirm that "yes, this is the change I want."

Could be a mistake like a legit change of address from this guy who fat-fingered the address and accidentally entered mine, but that seems like a long shot. My guess is its some sort of scam. anyone familiar with this one? Is the goal to simply re-direct mail in the hopes that a big check or something is received? or is it more sinister like someone tries to take out a credit card using my info and want the statements sent to a different address so that I dont notice until they charge up a bunch?

My credit is frozen across all 3 bureaus though I've had it unfrozen off and on this year as we have been applying for a mortgage re-fi and a construction loan. I checked all 3 bureaus and there's no abnormal hard inquiries, no accounts I dont recognize, etc. All seems good on that front.

Any ideas?

[2000cs]

Sounds like a scam attempt to me, but I’m pretty wary of these things since the day when a PO employee was washing my checks. That’s why I now shred virtually all mail, especially credit solicitations.

I think responding is necessary, and in my little town (not where the washing took place), I’d go visit the PO and chat with them about it. If it is a fraud attempt, they might want to follow up.

[cmyx6go]

This happened to me a few years ago. I googled the name and found that there was a typo on the house number. Also turned out to be my GP's father in-law.

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by 2000cs

Sounds like a scam attempt to me, but I’m pretty wary of these things since the day when a PO employee was washing my checks. That’s why I now shred virtually all mail, especially credit solicitations.

I think responding is necessary, and in my little town (not where the washing took place), I’d go visit the PO and chat with them about it. If it is a fraud attempt, they might want to follow up.

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

This happened to me a few years ago. I googled the name and found that there was a typo on the house number. Also turned out to be my GP's father in-law.

OK, that's 1 vote for fraud, 1 vote for mistake.

I did go online and filled in the USPS form that says "hell no, this isnt me." I submitted and it said someone would be contacting me to review. Any bets on how long that takes? LOL.

[UncleWede]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

I submitted and it said someone would be contacting me to review. Any bets on how long that takes? LOL.

Make sure you answer the scam call, when it comes in
They might also ask you to renew you auto warranty.


I have the opposite problem. I get invoices from an insurance company, and regularly things from the Superior Court, all addressed to someone who hasn't lived in my house at least during the previous 30 years. I even called the insurance company, with the account number (after committing federal mail fraud by opening the letter) because every month I RTS the envelop, but they just keep coming. Told them to put a note on the account, the next time this person comes in and pays, to get their correct address. Nope, they still come to my mailbox.

[vreihen16]

Put me down in the suspected fraud column. Saw two USPS web site credentials email phishing scams in the traps this afternoon after reading this thread, which leads me to believe that someone overseas is trying to get access to do something like set up forwarding.

Let me also throw in my recommendation to change your USPS password ASAP if you or someone in your household has a user account with them.....

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Put me down in the suspected fraud column. Saw two USPS web site credentials email phishing scams in the traps this afternoon after reading this thread, which leads me to believe that someone overseas is trying to get access to do something like set up forwarding.

Let me also throw in my recommendation to change your USPS password ASAP if you or someone in your household has a user account with them.....

Password changed. Good tip, thanks!

[RickFLM4]

Try searching the property appraiser’s web site for the name of the person to see if the address is similar enough to explain a mistake. But it sounds like a scam.

I have had mysterious boxes of stuff show up at my house, including a Harry & David basket that was pretty good. Then a package of new men’s underwear arrived sent by a woman. Fortunately, they were small so my wife knew it was no women I met. I told her not to worry unless someone starts sending me steaks. I kid you not, a box from Omaha Steaks showed up the next week. Then stuff just stopped. But someone did file a tax return using my name which was a moderate hassle to resolve. Now I keep my credit frozen all the time to be safe. Identify theft and scams in general are a giant PITA.

[cmyx6go]

I panicked at first too and thought scam but was relieved when I googled the name and street to see the people lived a few blocks down on the same street. The post office fat fingered the house number.

My business has had check fraud issues on and off for over 20 years and I’m convinced it is from within the post office. Actual checks we mail have the payee and amount altered. I don’t trust the USPS but just maybe this is incompetence and not a scam.

[TiMSport]

I think it's incompetence. Recently they've delivered the wrong mail to my home on multiple occasions. I mean the house numbers are very similar but c'mon, pay attention!

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

Try searching the property appraiser’s web site for the name of the person to see if the address is similar enough to explain a mistake. But it sounds like a scam.

Tried. My county doesnt allow you to search on name only. You need a parcel number or an address.

Originally Posted by cmyx6go

I panicked at first too and thought scam but was relieved when I googled the name and street to see the people lived a few blocks down on the same street. The post office fat fingered the house number.

Hope that's the case. Guess I'll find out someday if they ever contact me. Nit holding out a lot of hope for that though!

Originally Posted by TiMSport

I think it's incompetence. Recently they've delivered the wrong mail to my home on multiple occasions. I mean the house numbers are very similar but c'mon, pay attention!

OMG, like every...single...week... for me. I finally signed up for the USPS informed delivery service that e-mails me a daily image of what the USPS is supposed to be delivering. Incredibly handy when things like you car tag renewal goes missing or an IRS letter. Miraculously they are batting 1000 on delivering junk mail. My car tag renewal notice mysteriously showed up about 4 months late. That IRS letter just never arrived. That was a fun one to figure out. At least 1 bill per month goes unaccounted for. it's clearly my local office as the photos are taken at their central sorting facility.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

OMG, like every...single...week... for me. I finally signed up for the USPS informed delivery service that e-mails me a daily image of what the USPS is supposed to be delivering. Incredibly handy when things like you car tag renewal goes missing or an IRS letter. Miraculously they are batting 1000 on delivering junk mail. My car tag renewal notice mysteriously showed up about 4 months late. That IRS letter just never arrived. That was a fun one to figure out. At least 1 bill per month goes unaccounted for. it's clearly my local office as the photos are taken at their central sorting facility.

Interesting, I wasn't aware of this service. I keep a separate PO box for items I do not want delivered to my street address. Anything related to financial stuff such as credit cards will always go to my PO box address. I think someone else may have mentioned this but any kind of junk mail with my name and address affixed to it is getting shredded. I don't leave anything to chance. My folks have been screwed on a couple of occasions with people stealing their credit card application (junk mail delivered to their mailbox).

It is simply amazing how much junk mail we receive. So much money must be wasted towards printing this stuff. I mean some of the envelopes and marketing behind a lot of this junk has got to be costing these companies a lot of $$. Incredible the amount of shit you get sent to you if you have a good credit score.

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by TiMSport

Interesting, I wasn't aware of this service. I keep a separate PO box for items I do not want delivered to my street address. Anything related to financial stuff such as credit cards will always go to my PO box address. I think someone else may have mentioned this but any kind of junk mail with my name and address affixed to it is getting shredded. I don't leave anything to chance. My folks have been screwed on a couple of occasions with people stealing their credit card application (junk mail delivered to their mailbox).

It is simply amazing how much junk mail we receive. So much money must be wasted towards printing this stuff. I mean some of the envelopes and marketing behind a lot of this junk has got to be costing these companies a lot of $$. Incredible the amount of shit you get sent to you if you have a good credit score.

it's a cool service. Might not be available in all areas though.

I've thought about the PO box but then realized that if my local USPS office cant figure out how to get them mail to the correct house, they also probably cant figure out how to get it in the PO box. So, screwed either way!

+1 on the shredding. Ours works overtime. Anything with our name, number, address, etc. Shredded.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

it's a cool service. Might not be available in all areas though.

I've thought about the PO box but then realized that if my local USPS office cant figure out how to get them mail to the correct house, they also probably cant figure out how to get it in the PO box. So, screwed either way!

+1 on the shredding. Ours works overtime. Anything with our name, number, address, etc. Shredded.

Haha, yeah I can understand the skepticism about the USPS but I will tell you, I haven't had any issues with my PO box and I've owned it for many years now. It's a peace of mind to be sure. At the very least it involves less sorting and transport. I can count the number of times I have received the wrong mail in that PO box on one hand over a long period of time. Street mail box? Maybe I can count on one hand in a couple of week period.

[Yapakanichi]

The ex owners of my house still use this address for things. I'm constantly getting their mail for new businesses they opened. Is there nothing I can do?

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by Yapakanichi

The ex owners of my house still use this address for things. I'm constantly getting their mail for new businesses they opened. Is there nothing I can do?

https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Mail-fo...ious-Residents