Beware of mailbox vandals and think of Mail Boss come Monday!

We hope everyone has a safe and fun Independence Day Holiday. Just remember, if you happen to be victims of a July 4th prank and your mailbox needs replacement come Monday, don’t replace it with another tin shoebox on the side of the road. Prevent mail theft, identity theft and mailbox vandalism with a Mail Boss locking mailbox.

One more thing to look forward to after the holiday… we happen to have procured some <ehem> fireworks and we plan to test the ability of our Mail Boss locking mailbox to withstand an M-80. Video and post to come!

That’s all! Happy 4th:)

A quality security locking mailbox necessary to prevent mail theft and secure your identity

Mail theft continues to plague the nation. Here are just a few recent news stories that underscore the need for a secure locking mailbox to prevent mail theft and protect your good name.

(SANFORD, FL)  Identity Theft Ring Busted in Sanford  WFTV Orlando - 6/29/09

• “Agents say the main suspect was so successful that he had to hire employees to handle all his victims.”

This is a recurring theme in mail identity theft cases - generally the ID theft rings are very organized, with the top of the totem pole criminals offering drugs or money in exchange for stolen mail or other information that can be used to steal victims’ identities.

• “Eyewitness News learned that they were breaking into community mailboxes, stealing credit card statements and other personal mail and would use that information to make fake drivers’ license as well as creating checks.”

Community mailboxes (also known as cluster boxes) are often targeted because they often lack quality security features and offer a treasure trove of sensitive mail with a single break-in. Cluster boxes can usually be opened with a crowbar or screwdriver in just seconds, and are therefore extremely vulnerable to mail identity thieves. For more information and solutions, click here.

(FAIRBANKS, AK)  Fairbanks woman linked to mail theft ring pleads guilty to drug charges  Daily News-Miner - 6/20/09

• “A Fairbanks woman implicated in a local mail theft ring has reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. Under the terms of the agreement, [she] pleaded guilty to one count of felony drugs misconduct and could face a sentence of up to five years in prison. Numerous other charges [...] were dismissed in exhange for the plea.”

It is typical that criminals facing mail theft charges are also facing drug (most often methamphetamine) charges. It is also typical that they receive a slap on the wrist from the legal system, and are back at committing mail and identity theft crimes in a short while. This woman, though facing ‘up to five years’ in prison, will most likely be out on the streets stealing mail and identities in less than a year.

• “Local law enforcement received more than 700 reports of mail theft or tampering late last year, mostly in the outlying areas of Fairbanks. Cases range in severity from displaced mail being found at the side of the road to stolen checks and credit cards that have been used to purchase thousands of dollars worth of items from local businesses.”

Mail theft has plagued Fairbanks for over a decade now, with the earliest criminal prosecution back in 2006. We recommend homeowners in Fairbanks and surrounding areas check their local Fred Meyer for a Mail Boss locking mailbox.

• “Drugs appear to be the main motive behind the thefts. Fairbanks [...] police broke the case in January when they stopped a man who claimed he traded meth for a shotgun and other people’s mail.”

Again, most mail and identity theft is highly correlated with the skyrocketing methamphetamine problem. Also, these identity theft rings are highly organized. Most often, those who steal mail are not the same criminals who ultimately use your personal information fraudulently or steal your identity.

I found this great picture in a “funny mailbox video” online, and wanted to share it here. What a survival strategy! Perhaps this mailbox owner has an adjustable rate mortgage? Sorry- that’s not funny…

This picture got me thinking, though… this strategy would work quite well to prevent mail identity theft as well, negating the need for a locking mailbox, if (and only if) the homeowner happened to be about 30 feet tall. And, of course, the mailman would have to have a really long arm. Anyway, I digress.

Happy Friday!

The Mail Boss locking mailbox is now available in 49 Fred Meyer locations in Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Utah. With mail and identity theft crimes increasing at an alarming rate, the best defense is a secure locking mailbox. Now, homeowners have the convenience of purchasing the Mail Boss locking mailbox at their local Fred Meyer.

If you’re in the market for a security mailbox, look no further than these Fred Meyer stores… hey, now you can get your MailBoss locking mailbox while your picking up dinner!

The following locations are now carrying Mail Boss locking mailboxes:

Alaska

• Anchorage (Dimond)
• Anchorage (Southeast)
• Fairbanks
• Wasilla

Washington

• Auburn
• Battle Ground
• Bonney Lake
• Bremerton
• Burlington
• Covington
• East Wenatchee
• Ellensburg
• Federal Way
• Kennewick
• Lacey
• Longview
• Marysville
• Monroe
• Puyallup
• Redmond
• Snohomish
• Sumner
• Tacoma
• Tumwater
• Vancouver

Oregon

• Albany
• Brookings
• Canby
• Clackamas
• Cornelius 
• Grants Pass
• Gresham
• Hillsboro
• Klamath Falls
• Medford (North)
• Medford (South)
• Portland
• Redmond
• Salem
• Sandy
• Scappoose
• Springfield
• Tigard

Idaho

• Boise
• Garden City
• Idaho Falls
• Pocatello

 Utah

• Bountiful
• West Jordan

There’s a naked man on the loose stealing mail in Murrieta! OK, that’s not true. There was a man on the loose stealing mail in Murrieta. But then the cops found him in his Geo Metro with hundreds of pieces of stolen mail… just chillin… naked!

I find this story pretty of funny. Not for the victims, of course! But the mental picture: a guy naked in his Geo Metro… sorting through other people’s personal mail with his pants off… WOW! Imagine the surprise of the Police Officers.. not to mention Mr. Naked Guy!!

Sadly, mail identity theft is a major problem of epidemic proportions. The best defense is a high security locking mailbox like the MAIL BOSS to keep your incoming mail secure from criminal hands. (Also never send sensitive mail from your mailbox with the flag up - use a blue USPS box or go to the Post Office.)

Most people use a paper shredder to shred sensitive information before they throw it away, but don’t think about what they are shredding - mostly the MAIL that comes in their shoebox by the curb (aka unsecured residential mailbox) … and its so much easier for criminals to steal from a mailbox than dive through a dump!! <<eeew!!>>

Remember, a locking mailbox is an essential element in identity theft prevention. Lock up your mail and secure your identity! Prevention is the best defense - use a secure locking mailbox and don’t become the next ID theft statistic!

6 arrested for mail theft Kingman Daily Miner - 6/15/09
Kingman, AZ: Bullhead City and Kingman Police Departments arrested 6 individuals in a mail fraud scheme. They apparently stole checks and bills from unlocked mailboxes.

Naked man arrested for mail theft The Press-Enterprise - 6/4/2009
Murrieta, CA: A police officer found the suspect sitting naked in his car in possession of hundred’s of pieces of stolen mail. Authorities believe the mail was stolen from hundreds of mailboxes in Murrieta neighborhoods.  

Police say residents helped stop mail thefts in Pleasanton Valley Times - 6/3/2009
Pleasanton, CA: Police say Pleasanton residents tipped police off, helping them capture 3 mail thieves who had been stealing mail from unlocked mailboxes in Bay Area neighborhoods including Pleasanton, Livermore, Castro Valley, Clayton and Concord.

From Twitter - 6/3/2009
whna: Mail is being stolen out of mailboxes in our neighborhood. Please check the forum for more info: whnadallas.com.

Police investigating mailbox vandalisms Enid News & Eagle - 6/1/2009
Enid, OK: 21 residents in Enid, Oklahoma reported having their mailboxes destroyed by vandals over the weekend.

We currently only have one or two Mail Boss dealers in Idaho. This is a little surprising since we are based in Seattle and have dozens of retail stores selling our locking mailboxes all the way from the Olympic Peninsula to Spokane.

But on the other hand, Idaho historically has not had the problem with identity theft that we have had in Washington: Washington ranked 14^th in the nation in terms of 2008 ID theft victims per capita, whereas Idaho is near the bottom of the list at #39 (FTC 2009). On the many occasions I have visited Idaho, I have noticed that almost nobody has a locking mailbox, now common in our neck of the woods.

Locking Mailbox Demand in Idaho on the Rise

So I have to admit I have been a bit surprised over the past few months as I have watched numerous orders come through our e-commerce site for Mail Boss locking mailboxes in Idaho. Granted, because we have a practically non-existant dealer base, online orders present a disproportionate demand… most homeowners in Washington or California simply buy our locking mailbox product from their local Ace Hardware or True Value. However, there is no doubt that people in Idaho are starting to realize the need for locking mailboxes.

Getting Idaho Retailers on Board - Mail Theft Homework

About a week ago, we had an Ace Hardware dealer in Boise, Idaho call us requesting a special order of a Mail Boss locking mailbox for a local customer. This was the third Mail Boss sale they have made, and they do not even stock our products.

Chris, our account manager, is trying to get this dealer on board, so he asked me to find some stories of mail theft near Boise Ace Hardware. I told him, “I’ll see what I can do, but I don’t think there’s much mail theft in Idaho.” Boy, was I wrong!

Mail Theft in Boise, ID - What I found in 3 minutes!

A quick Google Search for “mail theft + Boise” yielded a gold mine of recent stories of people in Boise and surrounding areas having their mail stolen from their residential mailboxes.

Mail thieves strike in Middleton, Star area KTVB.com – Boise, ID 4/10/09

“You may be a victim of mail theft and you don’t even know it.” Hundreds of peoples’ mail was found scattered around a large rural area between Canyon and Ada counties, and now residents are concerned they may be the next victims of identity theft.

 Boise Woman Arrested for Massive Mail Theft 2 News TV – Boise, ID

Police investigating a drug house found hundreds of pieces of stolen mail, with contents ranging from credit cards to Netflix videos. The suspect was allegedly stealing mail from residential mailboxes to gain information in order to steal identities, and using the money to fund her methamphetamine habit.

Mail Theft Hits Caldwell and Star Fox 12 – Boise, ID

Residents in Star, ID witnessed a woman going through neighbors’ mailboxes and taking mail. Because of their vigilance, she was arrested in a vehicle full of hundreds of pieces of stolen mail, fraudulent checks, and more. She has been arrested and charged with mail fraud, while residents have been warned to be wary of mail theft.

Moving Forward - Bring on the Idaho Dealers!

So now I know… mail theft is a big and growing problem in Idaho, and there is no reason we shouldn’t have plenty of successful locking mailbox dealers in the land of potatoes. Where there is mail theft (and reasonable people who can make the connection between mail and identity theft), there is a way! So IDAHO, here we come:)

And for those homeowners in Idaho who would like a Mail Boss locking mailbox to keep your mail and identity safe, while you can always keep buying from us, we recommend you march right down to your local hardware store and ask for the Mail Boss by name! And pretty soon, we promise you will be able to find plenty of dealers in your area on our Store Locator!

The Carey Brothers rave about the Mail Boss locking mailbox on air

While I was at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas last month, I had the opportunity to be interviewed on the air by James and Morris Carey (better known as the Carey Brothers) - home improvement gurus with their own nationally syndicated radio program “On the House”.

The segment has already aired, but is available here for your listening pleasure. (Side note: It’s so weird hearing your own voice on the radio!) Also, the transcript from the program is available below.

Part I of II: Mail Boss “On the House” with the Carey Brothers

Part II of II: Mail Boss “On the House” with the Carey Brothers

Click here to read the Show Notes for May 9, 2009

On the House with the Carey Brothers - Mail Boss Locking Security Mailbox

Part I

James Carey: Identity theft is a big problem I tell you, you gotta protect yourself and people are shredding paper like crazy but you need to do more than that because if you’ve got outgoing mail at your mailbox in front of or near your home, or you have incoming mail dropped off by the Post Office, unfortunately recently in my very own neighborhood a number of my neighbors were victims to identity theft because someone got in and took a bunch of mail which had credit card numbers and what have you. Checks and you name it. So its increasingly becoming a problem unfortunately, but fortunately there’s somebody that’s doing something about it and Jenny DeRaspe-Bolles is here and she is with Mail Boss Locking Security Mailboxes. Welcome to the program, Jenny!

Me: Thank You!

James Carey: And you’re very passionate about this. This is a family business?

Me: Yes it is.

James Carey: Tell us a little bit about the family business first.

Me: Well we’ve been making furniture for about 12 years and then our family had our mail stolen about 3 years ago and checks washed for $10,000 and all sorts of problems. My parents spent hours and hours trying to reconcile the problem and went to go buy a locking mailbox at the local hardware store and could not find one with any true security features. So we bought out the product line, took them back to our “lab” and came up with a great patented security mailbox that offers a real solution to identity theft.

James Carey: Now you did quotation marks when you said, “Took them back to the lab.” I’m envisioning either a barn or a shed or a maybe a garage?

Me: Or a warehouse, yup.

James Carey: Or a warehouse, something like that - it’s cool. And so you developed the Mail Boss, which is a locking security mailbox. Describe it if you will.

Me: Well its not just a locking mailbox. Most locking mailboxes on the market can actually be fished by hand or opened with a screwdriver in just a couple seconds. They are not truly secure. And our mailbox has patented security features, a patented locking mechanism, and a patented Fast-Trak Mounting Plate for easy installation, so a lot of features that are great for the homeowner…

James Carey: Yes…

Me: And you cannot get into it, so…that’s the best part!

Morris Carey: Well, I think I should say something about that Fast-Trak Mounting system because I was very impressed by that. You know, when you install a wall safe, for example, you have to reach inside this little compartment and do this lag bolting with an extension, and its very difficult to even get your hands in one of these safes, let alone tools. This thing has a mounting bracket that you can put on a steel pole, a wood post, you know, whatever you want, and then you slide the box onto the bracket and then lock it in place… screw it in place actually.

Me: Mmhmm

James Carey: So the mounting system is - Do all the bolting you want, it’s a nice heavy plate. Do all the bolting you want, slide this 40 pound mailbox onto the bracket, and then lock it in place from the inside with a couple of screws… that’s amazing!

Me: I can actually do it myself in just a few minutes, so that’s saying a lot!

James Carey: Ya, well I’ll tell you… I like this 7-pin tube lock. Now a tube lock is like what you’d see…

Morris Carey: That’s what I have on my motorcycle!

James Carey: Right, you’re seeing more and more of these. This isn’t the standard key, it’s the tube lock which makes it much more difficult to jimmy and to mess with. But the construction of this is pretty substantial. Listen, we’ve gotta take a quick commercial break. When we come back we’re gonna talk a little bit about what separates the men from the boys when it comes to locking mailbox construction, and what makes them pretty and last a long time, and also where you might be able to find one. As “On the House” continues live from the National Hardware Show 2009 right after this!

Part II

James Carey: Before we went to the break we were chatting with Jenny DeRaspe-Bolles who is with Mail Boss Locking Security Mailboxes and more. And we talked about identity theft. It’s becoming a growing problem. I know you thought you solved the problem when you bought a shredder. That’s only part of the problem. That’s the material that you get in your hands, but if you are leaving mail in your mailbox and putting the flag up for the mail carrier to pick up mail, or if you’re receiving mail and there are credit card bills and what have you. Personal data, social security numbers, and bank account numbers and what have you, your bank statement. It’s a growing problem so the locking mailboxes are becoming especially popular. And before we went to the break we were talking about what sets locking mailboxes apart from one another in terms of construction, and this is pretty substantial.

Me: Right, 12 and 14-gauge galvanized powder-coated steel, so definitely could take a baseball bat.

Morris Carey: No, no - you could do something more than a baseball bat with this.

Me: Probably an M80.

Morris Carey: Yeah, a baseball bat is nothing. This is, this is really heavy steel.

Me: Oh, yeah.

James Carey: You drove.. in your booth I looked at your video and you drove a truck onto this.

Me: Yeah, a MAC Truck. We rolled the wheel over the mailbox and I actually like the comparison. We do it with one of our competitor’s mailboxes and it just…

James Carey: I saw that. It just smashed.

Me: Into smithereens…

Morris Carey: This would break a baseball bat.

Me: Yeah, probably.

James Carey: It’s industrial strength, but it’s attractive! Tell us a little bit about this finish and some of the other finishes available.

Me: Well, we offer a standard black finish and white and granite as well, and then we have a really pretty hammered copper bronze finish that’s very popular. And they’re all very durable - powder-coated, weather resistant, rust resistant, so a lot of options.

James Carey: And really easy to install.

Me: Very easy to install.

James Carey: And you have a post system as well. If you don’t have your own post, you’ll supply the post as well and it anchors right onto a plate and then there are 2 screws that are concealed behind the locking door which fasten it into place, just like that!

Me: Right, and we also actually have wall-mount applications if you receive your mail at your house itself so you can just mount the same security features, the same construction but right onto the side of your house.

James Carey: Wonderful. And the other thing is for our friends that have monument mailboxes, which are decorative either stone, brick, or stucco or what have you, these can be inserted into that arrangement and have the built-in look as well.

Me: Mmhmm

James Carey: What’s the price range for the product and where may our listeners find them at retail?

Me: For the curbside mailbox you’re going to probably pay $159-$179 in a retail store. And you can ask for the Mail Boss by name at any local Ace Hardware or True Value, or to find a store near you, you can go to our website and use our store locator.

James Carey: And it is…?

Me: Our website is MailBoss (B-O-S-S) dot net.

James Carey: Wonderful. She is Jenny DeRaspe-Bolles, part of this wonderful family business. Thanks so much for sharing your experience and your passion for your product. You guys are living the great American dream. And we wish you all the best!

Me: Thanks for having me!

James Carey: Alright dear, good luck!

This year, the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas was a great success. Despite being adjacent to the low-trafficked International Sourcing Section, we are able to attract a lot of attention to our security locking mailbox product line with the help of a remote control Mail Boss (seriously!) and a lot of enthusiasm.

Here are some pictures from the Mail Boss Locking Mailbox Booth #37538.

SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE NATIONAL HARDWARE SHOW:

May 5: Mail Boss Receives 2009 Golden Hammer Award  

The 25^th Golden Hammer Awards ceremony, presented by Home Channel News, was held Tuesday evening in the Las Vegas Convention Center. The reception included cocktails and appetizers while a Bono impersonator entertained attendees with covers of popular music by U2. Suppliers in 32 product categories were honored… and then came our time in the limelight. I accepted the award on behalf of Mail Boss for exceptional Point-of-Purchase Signage. (For details on the Mail Boss 2009 Golden Hammer award, click here).

For more photos from the award ceremony, click here. For a video montage from the ceremony, click here.

May 6: Mail Boss “Tweets Ups” with Fellow Show Attendees

After launching our @MailBoss Twitter account (details here), we made some #NHS09 contacts who wanted to “Tweet Up” at the Envy Steakhouse after the show on Wednesday. There were plenty of interesting tweople (?) and it was nice to put faces to @names. At the Tweet-Up we met two noteworthy exhibitors with very cool products:

• Stephanie @rescue with the WHY Trap for eliminating wasps, hornets & yellow jackets, by RESCUE
• David @NoMoreGeysers exhibiting an Automatic Shut-Off Sprinkler Riser, by No More Geysers

If you have problems with leaky sprinklers causing out of control water bills, or pesky insects wreaking havoc, definitely check out these folks!

May 7: Mail Boss “On the House” with the Carey Brothers

On the final day of the National Hardware Show, the Mail Boss locking mailbox was featured in a radio broadcast of “On the House” with the Carey Brothers. The segment, recorded in the Convention Center, was aired on live radio Saturday May 9. To see the Carey Brother’s show notes, click here. For more information and to listen to the segment, click here.

Final Reflections

The National Hardware Show has always been an exciting tradeshow for us. While it is not generally an event at which we bring on many new Mail Boss dealers, we do manage to get noticed by some important people… and this show was no exception. So while we may leave Vegas a few dollars down, we always look forward to next year!

This week, we received an phone call from a Mail Boss customer who had recently been the victim of mailbox vandalism. Apparently, some one attempted to steal his locking mailbox by strapping it to a truck and trying to drive off. When all was said and done, though, his Mail Boss security mailbox was unscathed… all David needed was a new Fast Trak Mounting Plate (which we sent him free of charge in exchange for these awesome pictures). Amazing!

Here’s his story and some incredible pictures to boot!

I purchased a residential curbside Mail Boss a few months ago after studying your web site and comparing it to other competitors. The Mail Boss seemed to offer the most security, and boy did it ever live up to that reputation.

This past weekend, someone attempted to pull off my Mail Boss by wrapping a strap around it and pulling it with a car. The Mail Boss stood its ground and only suffered a damaged mounting plate. Enough force was applied to shear off one of the screws that holds the Mail Boss to the post. The Mail Boss itself was not damaged and still works great. Certainly a testament to the design and build quality of the Mail Boss.

The Mail Boss is a great product that lives up to its promises.

David Wong
Cupertino, CA