More Local news

• Event shows East Naples residents how to spruce up yards
• Investigation: Man shot by CCSO deputes turned and pointed gun when asked to drop it
• Busta Rhymes draws thousands to FGCU’s Eaglepalooza

Tell us about it

• What would you add to this story? Tell us what we missed.
• Do you have photos from this event? Documents we need to see? Share with us.
• Upload photos & videos
• More ways to get your stuff online and in the paper.

STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

Share and Enjoy [?]

Two Naples businesses informed their clients last week to keep an eye on their credit card statements and checking accounts in the coming months after someone swiped the companies’ mail.

The Collier Building Industry Association and Integra Realty Resources, both located on Enterprise Avenue in East Naples, filed reports with the U.S. Postal Service and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office after their mail was stolen July 12.

“It didn’t sink in right away, the implications, all the checks and credit card information,” said Brenda Talbert, CBIA executive vice president.

The 1,400-member association sent out an e-mail following the theft to alert anyone who mailed in payment information in the week before.

Talbert has no reports of fraud related to the theft, but asked members to be vigilant.

“The next step will be if someone sees (a check has) been cashed or a credit card number has been misused. People will see any ramifications in their next statements if fraud is involved,” Talbert said.

Mail theft is a federal offense and falls under the jurisdiction of U.S. postal inspectors. The most recent U.S. Postal Service statistics show that postal inspectors arrested 4,545 suspects for mail theft in fiscal 2006.

Talbert said CBIA likely will switch from having a mailbox that is open and accessible from the street to a locked box or alternate mail delivery system.

Tampa-based Postal Inspector Douglas Smith advises businesses that feel vulnerable to mail theft to arrange with the postal service not to have mail delivered on Saturdays.

“Leaving the mail unsecured over the weekend is definitely a liability. We have had in the past seen thieves steal over the weekend in search of checks,” Smith said.

Account information can be stolen from the lifted checks and used in identity theft schemes.

Smith added that hard times aren’t necessarily the motivation in this case; it’s often a repeat offender at the root of mail thefts.

“It’s been going on for years. Sometimes a group will pop up (and do this),” Smith said.

The recent Enterprise Avenue thefts aren’t indicative of a spike in cases in Southwest Florida, Smith said.

“There is nothing out of the ordinary as far as the complaints go,” he said.

Debbie Stokes, Integra Realty owner, decided since the theft to no longer receive business mail on Saturdays.

“I used to always pick up the mail on Saturday. I missed a day that weekend, and when the mailman showed up Monday and I got to talking to him, I realize the only thing that was delivered was the magazines and junk mail,” Stokes said.

She filed a report with the Collier Sheriff’s Office and contacted clients via e-mail to inform them.

One client alerted her that they had sent in two checks in the time period of concern, however, no fraudulent activity has been reported yet.

Both Stokes and Talbert encourage anyone who sent payment information through the mail in the week before July 12 to contact their offices and to monitor their accounts for suspicious activity.