My brother and SIL just moved into a new house. A few days ago they put bills in the mailbox for the postman to pick up. Someone took their mail out, used a special wash to erase the pay to and amount section of a check. Then, he wrote the check to himself for $3,000!! The man went to a bank to cash it. Thank God, the tellar thought something was going on. She called my brother, and asked him if he wrote the check for that amount to this person. He told them no, so they arrested the man. What a mess this would have been if the tellar hadn't questioned it. So, lesson learned, take your bills to the post office or a public mailbox to mail!

By Melanie on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 05:30 pm:

Thank goodness he was caught!!!

Something similar happened to me a few years back. I paid a bunch of bills and put them out in my mailbox. A bit later I had another one, so I went out to add it to the group. My flag was down and a little note that said "Thank you" was in there (how dumb!!). I immediately called my bank and cancelled the checks. Sure enough, within an hour, the woman was in there trying to cash one (she, too had washed it and filled it out herself). She was arrested.

It was at that point I started using on-line bill pay.

By Cocoabutter on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 05:57 pm:

I have never put bulls in the mail, mainly because our mailman comes too early in the morning, and I don't want to leave the mail out there overnight. I have read and heard from several sources that the red flag is an invitation to theives who would steal your identity.

read more here:

Minimize Your Risk for Identity Theft

By Luvn29 on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 06:23 pm:

Thank goodness Lisa that you never put "bulls" in the mail! I'm positive your postman appreciates that very much! Teehee!

By Cocoabutter on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 06:38 pm:

LOL! For some reason, I am all thimbs tonight!

By Missbookworm on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 09:22 pm:

hehe that's cute...no bulls in the mail ;)

Thank goodness they caught them! Here we don't have mailboxes with the little red flag...we have big postal boxes that are locked...

I honestly have to say I thought that was just in the movies!!

By Dawnk777 on Wednesday, November 29, 2006 - 09:39 pm:

DH either pays bills in person, for local businesses, or he mails them in a post office box, or mails them AT the post office.