Stop Identity theft with Locking Mailboxes

Identity theft has become increasingly common in this world we live in, and it's only getting worst each day.  One way to protect your identity is to have a locking mailbox.  A thief can easily open your mail box and steal credit card information, social security numbers and or bank statements, locking your mailbox, will at least stop this type of identity theft.

Epoch 7106 MailBoss Curbside Locking Mailbox, Black

Stealing mail is a federal offense, but it doesn't stop it from happening.  The Postal Inspection Service investigates over 27000 consumer fraud complaints, including identity theft each year.  By upgrading your mailbox to a locking mailbox, you are fighting only half the battle, but it's a smart and inexpensive way to help fight mail fraud.

The locking mailbox doesn't have to be anything expensive, but it needs to be secured properly.  If your mailbox ix not secured properly, it can be easily dismounted and the thief can just walk away with the entire mailbox.  I know this from experience because I lived in an apartment when I was younger and the mailbox was just hung on the exterior wall loosely.  I came home one day and the entire mailbox was gone.

Needless to say, I ended up buying a heavy duty locking steel mailbox, and bolting it to the wall, I never had another problem, and luckily, the mail that was delivered that day must have been junk mail because I had no signs of identity theft on my credit report.  I was freaked out by the fact that someone had enough balls to do that in the middle of the day, or anytime of the day or night for that matter.

Architectural Mailboxes Peninsula Wall Mailbox, Antique Copper Embossed

If you're considering changing your mailbox to a locking mailbox be sure to mount if properly. If you're mounting it to a mailbox post and bracket, be sure to place the rounded end of the carriage bolt on the outside of the mailbox.  If the round end of the carriage bolt is on the outside of the mailbox, it can't be unbolted without opening the mailbox, this adds security and peace of mind. If you are mounting the mailbox to a wall, be sure to bolt it from the inside of the mailbox and not from the outside edge.

A Heavy Duty Steel Mailbox for Added Security

Having a heavy duty steel mailbox provides added security, knowing that your mailbox will be there when you go to retrieve you mail each day will also give you piece of mind as well.  Buying the right mailbox will depend on your unique situation.  If you don't have any problems with mailbox vandalism, buying a cheap mailbox like the Solar Group ALM110B0 Standard Size Premium Aluminum Rural Mailbox, Black
will provide you with years of uninterrupted service with as little maintenance as an occasional paint job.

If you live in an area where there is high mailbox vandalism or where the plow truck driver just likes to aim for your mailbox, I recommend buying something a little more heavy duty.  I have had plow trucks take out my mailbox several times in one winter, I also have had kids drive by throwing ice chunks, rocks and split fire wood at my mailbox, I found myself having to fix or replace the mailbox once a month.

The cost of replacing it wasn't too bad, till I replaced it for the third time, the time I spent replacing it is what was killing me, my thought was " I could be watching the game right now " but instead I'm out here fussing with the mailbox.  I was getting so frustrated, I wanted to put an explosive device on it for the next guy that breath on it, but then I thought of the mail carrier, not a good idea.

If you replace your old mailbox with a new heavy duty steel mailbox, don't forget to add the bottom bracket Solar Group MB225B Mounting Bracket, Black
  This bracket will stop the pressure treated board under the mailbox, from splitting into a thousand pieces on the next hit.  If you want even more strength to the heavy duty steel mailbox, add two metal brackets to the pressure treated board under the mailbox and sandwich the board with both brackets, one on top and the other on the bottom.  This will be extremely heavy duty with years of longevity.

If you're just replacing your old mail box with a cheap thin metal mailbox, I wouldn't spend the extra money on the bracket because it won't benefit you.  I would recommend just replacing the block of wood with a new pressure treated piece of lumber, that's all you really need.  The metal bracket is for add strength, without it, the mailbox is being held on the wood block with deck screws, when adding the metal bracket, the deck screws pass through the metal bracket which holds everything together because the metal bracket is bolted to the pressure treated wooded block.

Well, I hope this helps, leave me a comment if you have any questions.  If you happen to buy the Solar Group TB1B0000 Standard Size Heavy Gauge Steel Mailbox, Black
  come back after you install it an let me know how it went.  I have read some reviews about some people having trouble understanding how to install the bracket, it's pretty much just common sense, if the hole in the mailbox don't line up with the bracket, drill new holes in the bracket, not the mailbox, and it's that simple.  If you leave a comment, it will only help people who are suffering from mailbox vandalism, plus you might be able to shed some light on a new shortcut while installing the mailbox.

 Thanks, Eddie

My Indestructible Mail Box Makes Me Smile

Woke up late this morning and swilled down a cup of coffee, took a

shower and ran out the door. I hopped in my truck and drove out the driveway, business as usual. As I was clearing my eyes and yawning, taking that next sip of coffee, something caught my eye. Just about every other house on the street had their mailbox on the ground once again.

At each front lawn, right beside the mailboxes, or in very close range, was a large rock, kids must have been lobbing rocks and killing the mailboxes. After seeing  three boxes down I had to turn around and check mine. As the thought of having to replace it once again was a rolling around in my head, thinking that I just might have been out smarted, was not a good way to start the day.

As I pulled up to the front of my house, I notice my mailbox was still

standing. My first impression was they skipped over my house, then I saw the rock on the front lawn right behind the post. I had a big smile on my face, the feelings of joy rushed over me like pealing the protective plastic from my 80 inch flat screen  LCD TV. Looking closely, I noticed a ding right next to the door of the mailbox. They hit the mailbox but it withstood the punishment, WoooHooo!

One more notch in my stick, I only wished they had use a bat. The vibration that would have went

through their hands would have been painful, lol. I'm not an evil person I'm just not excited about the new sport of mailbox bashing, and I was tired of always fixing the mailbox on my day off. I have much better things to do on my day off, but I do want my mail. It's a catch 22.

Solid In-Ground Mailbox Post

If your going to go through the trouble of replacing your mailbox with a new heavy duty mailbox, you should use a solid in-ground mailbox post. Architectural Mailboxes Oasis In-ground Post, Black is one of the most rugged mailbox posts for residential mailboxes. If filled with cement, this mailbox post will last forever, unless the mailman runs it over in his truck, even then, you just have to straighten it in the ground, and your back in business. Their are other post on the market that are made of plastic but chances are it wont last very long if your mailbox gets abused regularly. You'll spend more time replacing it in the long run.

There is another option that is pretty cool. If you want a granite looking mailbox post but don't want to spend the money, grab yourself a 6''x6'' pressure treated timber at you local lumber yard and spray paint it with a granite textured paint.Krylon 18212 Make It Stone Textured Spray Paint Obsidian (Pack of 6) Make sure you by the clear coat that goes with it or it will never dry properly. It really make the wooden post look like granite without the high cost of granite. It will take a minimum of 2 cans each, texture paint and clear coat. You will be amazed how natural it looks and your neighbors will think you spent the money on granite.

If your looking for an easy solution for a mailbox post and you don't want to fuss with installing a mailbox bracket, check out this Architectural Mailboxes Coronado In-ground Decorative Mailbox Post, Black. This is as easy as it gets, dig your hole, attach the mailbox and your done. If you want to take it one step further, sink it in some concrete for stability and that's it. This mailbox post combined with the indestructable mailbox from Solar Group TB1B0000 Standard Size Heavy Gauge Steel Mailbox, Black will last forever, you will never have to replace the mailbox and post again, or for as long as you live at that address.

Stop Mail Box Vandalism

Tired of going to your mailbox and finding out someone smashed it in beyond recognition? Or maybe you found it lying on the ground next to the post because someone used a baseball bat on it! I got fed up with having to replace my mailbox every time someone got angry at it, it was a nice mailbox but some people just didn't like it, even the snow plow busted it one winter storm. It got to the point where I used duct tape and taped it to the post.

I looked for mail boxes that were virtually indestructible on line and found the prices were $150 to $400, I thought that was a pretty hefty price to pay but at the same time I thought I'll never have to replace my mail box again. I weighed my options, time is money and I'm spending time replacing this box about every 3 months. The thought of someone hitting the virtually indestructible mail box with a bat was a great visual and put a slight grin on my face. I could visualize the vibration going up the bat and into their wrist and arms, kind of made me snicker.

I was searching on Amazon the other day and I saw an advertisement for an indestructible mailbox,Solar Group TB1B0000 Standard Size Heavy Gauge Steel Mailbox, Black  it looked pretty hefty, and the ad said "Virtually Indestructible Mail Box" and it showed a baseball bat cracking over the top of it. The feeling of joy rushed over me, almost the feeling of revenge, like a vigilante and the grin on my face reappeared.

The price was pretty reasonable. I bought the virtually indestructible mail box and also added a heavy duty metal plate on the bottom that gives added strength to the wood plate the mail box sits on. It also gives added strength where the mail box connects to the post or in my case the bracket that connects to the post, I have a granite post with a riot iron bracket.

All in all it's been about 8 month now and the virtually indestructible mail box is still standing. I wish I could say the same for my neighbors mail boxes. I was approached by 2 of my neighbors asking about the mail box, I just laugh and tell them to search it online, if you pick one up I'll help the install it. We now have 4 in the neighborhood, and soon even more.