CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Several Charlotte businesses off Westinghouse Boulevard are dealing with stolen mail and checks worth thousands of dollars.
They all use the same locked outdoor mailbox. A small business told WCNC Charlotte it believes the thief has access to the mailbox slots because there is no damage or evidence of tampering on it.
“Oh, it's been terrible," Bonnie Hunt with Carolina Office Solutions exclaimed.
Hunt explained the company's troubles started in November when a bank called asking if the company approved someone to cash its checks in South Carolina.
“We’re like no... Turns out that somebody had stolen checks that we mailed, washed them, put their own name on the check, and were able to go to a branch in Greenville, South Carolina with an ID and cash these checks,” Hunt explained.
Thieves are getting away with the money by altering the stolen checks or falsely endorsing the backs of them.
Some of Carolina Office Solutions’ stolen checks have been recovered by its bank. However, Hunt said the company is currently out $12,000 because of the ordeal.
She and her office neighbors have filed complaints with USPS but said no investigators have reached out to them.
“It's extremely frustrating because nobody will do anything,” said Hunt.
To prevent theft, Tom Bartholomy with the Better Business Bureau suggested everyone stop mailing checks all together.
"Start accepting electronic payments, it's more secure for who is paying you, it's more secure for who you’re paying,” Bartholomy said.
He added that most banks also have secure services for checks called Positive Pay.
"You log that info into their system and that check cannot be deposited, or altered, or accepted unless everything matches up on the other end,” explained Bartholomy.
Hunt said Carolina Office Solutions no longer accepts checks and several of the businesses try not to use the mailbox at all anymore.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service wouldn’t comment specifically on the case to WCNC Charlotte but said it’s actively investigating mail theft in Charlotte.
If it’s suspected a postal service employee is responsible, then USPS's Office of the Inspector General takes the case.
Contact Julia Kauffman at jkauffman@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.