I have no idea how to even start stealing money from a bank's computer system (which has to be about the most secure system on the planet, because all hell would break loose if it wasn't), but I'm pretty sure I can figure out how to steal your mail. The majority of identity theft is pretty low tech in execution. The less personal info ends up in the mail the better, I figure.
Hey, when the Arkansas State Board of Medical Examiners says to use UPS or FedEx because the USPS isn't reliable for your license renewal paperwork, that's it. They're done. I use the individual web pages for most bills: Mortgage, Electric Co-Op, phones, etc., only have the 1 student loan and Geico, now that I think about it direct debited, and two where I clicky-clicky and the bank mails them a check.
I personally have never had the USPS lose anything of mine.
ID theft comes from many places. It used to be mostly from carbons of the old skool credit card forms (happened to my dad). Recently it's more from disgruntled employees who have access to credi card records, allegedly that's what happened in the TJ Maxx thing a year or two ago.
There is no perfect system. Get used to it.
I still refuse to let anyone draft my account(s) for any reason and I will NEVER allow it.
My only point is that it's not the ones who you LET draft your account that you really should be worrying about. Because you are all but powerless to stop someone from doing it if they have the information that for some reason you feel perfectly safe sending in an envelope :).
I pay most of my bills online, but not automatically. I don't trust anyone enough to do that.
The problem with my mail is from a change of address card and my first name. My first name is Wallace, and the previous owners last name is Wallace. Anything with Wallace on it is automatically forwarded to the old Wallace's new address in Alabama. Fortunately the postmaster has said that the change of address lasts a year so it's almost over. On the bright side I don't get any junk mail either.
Josh wrote: My only point is that it's not the ones who you LET draft your account that you really should be worrying about. Because you are all but powerless to stop someone from doing it if they have the information that for some reason you feel perfectly safe sending in an envelope :).
Um, not quite. They don't have my online password so that won't work. Checks way out of sequence are automatically flagged for further investigation (I mixed up two checkbooks, that's how I know). Then there's the normal security measures on checks (magnetic inks, watermarks, stuff like that).
What I was pointing out was that the bank I was dealing with had an internal policy which caused me to bounce a payment through no fault of mine. So I decided that forthwith (in my best old fart Luddite manner) I will retain full control over when I make payments. 
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