# Mail Services an Emerging Vector for Financial Fraud Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2020-01-07 Category: FINANCE Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/finance Meta Title: Abusing Change of Address Services for Fraud Meta Description: Learn how threat actors exploit USPS mail-forwarding services for identity theft and credit card fraud, and how to protect yourself from falling victim. URL: https://financedigest.com/mail-services-an-emerging-vector-for-financial-fraudhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/finance-2-1736838969855-compressed.jpg) _By **Abigail Showman**, Tactical Monitoring Analyst, Flashpoint_ Threat actors are not shy about using a legitimate means to satisfy their own goals. They leverage commercial and open source penetration-testing tools to attack networks, some use capabilities at the core of the world’s biggest operating systems and software packages to exploit vulnerable endpoints, while a completely different subset are not above abusing the U.S. mail for [financial fraud](https://www.financedigest.com/trends-in-the-financial-service-landscape-and-the-impact-on-fraud.html "Trends in the financial service landscape and the impact on fraud"). Specifically, Flashpoint analysts have identified numerous discussions on closed and invite-only [online communities where threat actors advertise methods and paid services that are earmarked for fraud](https://www.financedigest.com/three-online-fraud-trends-beauty-and-cosmetics-merchants-should-watch-out-for.html "Three Online Fraud Trends Beauty and Cosmetics Merchants Should Watch Out For"). Many of these individuals are careful to shield their location, but the majority of these discussions are about the U.S. Postal Service, with a limited number of references to the [United Kingdom’s](https://www.financedigest.com/the-future-of-fintech-and-open-source-cloud-solutions-in-the-united-kingdom.html "The future of fintech and open source cloud solutions in the United Kingdom") Royal Mail. **Abusing [Change of Address Services](https://www.financedigest.com/a-mindset-change-is-needed-in-the-financial-services-industry.html "A mindset change is needed in the financial services industry") for Fraud** The majority of these schemes discuss ways to use the USPS’s mail-forwarding to intercept mail and facilitate fraud at a later date. Mail-forwarding in this context refers to change-of-address services including temporary and permanent mail forwarding via the USPS. It appears to be a preferred tactic for fraudsters, much more so than recruiting and partnering with postal service insiders or stealing mail from mailboxes. Mail theft is instead left to abuse of mail forwarding, which can facilitate [credit card](https://www.financedigest.com/what-happens-to-credit-card-debt-when-you-die.html "What happens to credit card debt when you die") fraud and numerous forms of identity theft. Threat actors operating inside underground communities and on chat platforms share information about mail forwarding and change of address methods for fraud, as [well as strategies for dealing](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-says-baker-hughes-altus-deal-may-hurt-competition-in-oil-well-services.html "UK says Baker Hughes-Altus deal may hurt competition in oil well services") with credit card companies and addressing questions from issuers about sending newly issued cards to different addresses. Other actors advertise drop-shipping services that can also involve abuse of the USPS’s change-of-address services. Some actors advertise the creation of custom drop addresses while others share information on setting up fraudulent [credit lines](https://www.financedigest.com/austria-grants-credit-line-to-vienna-utility-squeezed-by-power-price-surge.html "Austria grants credit line to Vienna utility squeezed by power price surge") that involve the use of USPS mail forwarding. In addition to using mail forwarding to fraudulently obtain credit cards, there are some threat actors who tout the exploitation of the postal service mail forwarding services specifically for identity theft operations. Tutorials exist to facilitate numerous forms of identity theft that involve the use of USPS mail forwarding to facilitate the creation of a fraudulent credit line, for example. To a lesser extent, Flashpoint analysts have observed some references to USPS insiders. Many of the discussion threads observed are from individuals claiming to have a post office insider, or solicitations for other actors who may have that kind of access. These actors do not appear to have successfully engaged, however, with other actors to initiate a scheme using the insider, Flashpoint analysts said. **Mitigations** There are a few ways to avoid becoming victims of this type of fraud. Opting for paperless versions of [bank statements](https://www.financedigest.com/bank-of-england-statement-on-purchase-of-long-dated-bonds.html "Bank of England statement on purchase of long-dated bonds") and other official documents that may contain personally identifiable information (PII) can reduce the likelihood that threat actors intercept sensitive information. Individuals should also monitor their credit [report](https://www.financedigest.com/credit-suisse-shares-hit-record-low-after-report-bank-is-looking-to-raise-cash.html "Credit Suisse shares hit record low after report bank is looking to raise cash") for unusual activity that may indicate a threat actor has fraudulently opened a line of credit. Additionally, although the USPS sends confirmation letters [following a change](https://www.financedigest.com/ubs-makes-changes-to-buyback-programme-following-credit-suisse-takeover.html "UBS makes changes to buyback programme following Credit Suisse takeover") of address request, if there is a marked decrease in one’s regular volume of mail (including credit card offers or marketing and promotional materials) for a sustained period of time, individuals can contact their post office to check whether a change of address may have been filed under their name. --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---