The Mesa County Sheriff's Office advises you to be cautious when mailing personal checks, especially from mailboxes at the end of residential driveways.

What's up with mailing a check from your own private mailbox? Well, it seems the MCSO is investigating reports of fraud involving mail stolen from boxes before postal carries arrived to pick up the day's mail.

Apparently, someone is stealing checks from the mailboxes and then altering them so as to withdraw money from the victim's checking account. Who specifically is being targeted?

  • Homes with mailboxes at the end of their driveway
  • Mailboxes without locks
  • Mailboxes with the red flag up (indicating outgoing mail)

It's at times like this I'm glad my neighborhood has a locking cluster-box. Then again, when mailing checks or money orders, I've always preferred dropping them off in a blue postage box or at the post office.

Addresses affected thus far include homes in the area of 29 1/2 Road between Patterson and Orchard Avenue.

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