To maintain my privacy, should I have everything delivered to my private PO box?
October 10, 2011 9:59 AM Subscribe
Will accepting packages at my home address defeat the whole purpose of taking out a private PO box?
I recently took out a fairly expensive private mailbox near my home; I'm a little mortified at how much cheaper USPS PO boxes are, but the Yelp reviewers for those seem pretty unhappy.
I took out a mailbox to preserve my privacy and avoid losing mail. I move somewhat frequently within my regional area, averaging at least once a year, and I'm also concerned that credit card companies and banks would view this as a sign of instability. I've already had an identity theft breach in the last few years, with someone getting my info and trying to make a purchase online. It also really freaks me out to find my name in those people-search engines with a long list of every address and phone number I've ever had since beginning college (this persists after signing up with Reputation.com, which is supposed to help block those things.)
So, I've noticed that as soon as I change my address with the credit card companies, it shows up immediately in credit reports and identity-verification requests. With my last move, I changed everything to the new mailbox address only. So far I have only given out my current physical address to Netflix for a few DVD deliveries (I'm on all-streaming now) and to a bank for opening a trading account. So far, so good, but I'm worried that even this might have compromised my privacy.
I would like to know if it's absolutely necessary to NEVER give out my current physical address except when it's legally required, as with opening the trading account, or if it's acceptable to give it out for magazine subscriptions, Amazon package deliveries, and the like. Would it be better to switch to a cheaper PO box where all letters and credit card and billing statements are delivered year-round, and have the packages and magazines and stuff like that sent to wherever I'm living? (Judging from reviews, and my own experience, going to the post office whenever I have to retrieve a package sounds like hell on earth. On the other hand, there is no wait during business hours at my current private mailbox, but it costs ~3x as much.) Or would that just defeat the whole purpose of taking out a mailbox, which is trying to protect my privacy? Do companies sell billing and shipping addresses equally indiscriminately?
I'd like to add that I avoid having excessive packages sent to my office, again for privacy reasons, but also because it seems unprofessional. I also wouldn't want my work address published/getting mixed up with my home address in credit reports, since those errors seem common and hard to fix.
I recently took out a fairly expensive private mailbox near my home; I'm a little mortified at how much cheaper USPS PO boxes are, but the Yelp reviewers for those seem pretty unhappy.
I took out a mailbox to preserve my privacy and avoid losing mail. I move somewhat frequently within my regional area, averaging at least once a year, and I'm also concerned that credit card companies and banks would view this as a sign of instability. I've already had an identity theft breach in the last few years, with someone getting my info and trying to make a purchase online. It also really freaks me out to find my name in those people-search engines with a long list of every address and phone number I've ever had since beginning college (this persists after signing up with Reputation.com, which is supposed to help block those things.)
So, I've noticed that as soon as I change my address with the credit card companies, it shows up immediately in credit reports and identity-verification requests. With my last move, I changed everything to the new mailbox address only. So far I have only given out my current physical address to Netflix for a few DVD deliveries (I'm on all-streaming now) and to a bank for opening a trading account. So far, so good, but I'm worried that even this might have compromised my privacy.
I would like to know if it's absolutely necessary to NEVER give out my current physical address except when it's legally required, as with opening the trading account, or if it's acceptable to give it out for magazine subscriptions, Amazon package deliveries, and the like. Would it be better to switch to a cheaper PO box where all letters and credit card and billing statements are delivered year-round, and have the packages and magazines and stuff like that sent to wherever I'm living? (Judging from reviews, and my own experience, going to the post office whenever I have to retrieve a package sounds like hell on earth. On the other hand, there is no wait during business hours at my current private mailbox, but it costs ~3x as much.) Or would that just defeat the whole purpose of taking out a mailbox, which is trying to protect my privacy? Do companies sell billing and shipping addresses equally indiscriminately?
I'd like to add that I avoid having excessive packages sent to my office, again for privacy reasons, but also because it seems unprofessional. I also wouldn't want my work address published/getting mixed up with my home address in credit reports, since those errors seem common and hard to fix.
I used to have a private PO Box. The only things I didn't have shipped there were items that were either a)very expensive, or b)too big for me to carry home.
posted by luckynerd at 11:36 AM on October 10, 2011
posted by luckynerd at 11:36 AM on October 10, 2011
Would it be better to switch to a cheaper PO box where all letters and credit card and billing statements are delivered year-round
That's what I do, because A) I move a lot and B) the crappy apartments where I reside often have 'issues' with the mailboxes.
Judging from reviews, and my own experience, going to the post office whenever I have to retrieve a package sounds like hell on earth.
Jeez, where do you live? In my experience, retrieving the package involves handing the clerk the little orange form you find in your box, and a little waiting, before and after. This service is also why I have a box -- to get the package at the PO instead of (not) finding it on my doorstep, because they always deliver when I'm at work.
(And here's where invectives are hurled at UPS and FedEx because they won't/can't deliver to a USPS box.)
posted by Rash at 11:38 AM on October 10, 2011
That's what I do, because A) I move a lot and B) the crappy apartments where I reside often have 'issues' with the mailboxes.
Judging from reviews, and my own experience, going to the post office whenever I have to retrieve a package sounds like hell on earth.
Jeez, where do you live? In my experience, retrieving the package involves handing the clerk the little orange form you find in your box, and a little waiting, before and after. This service is also why I have a box -- to get the package at the PO instead of (not) finding it on my doorstep, because they always deliver when I'm at work.
(And here's where invectives are hurled at UPS and FedEx because they won't/can't deliver to a USPS box.)
posted by Rash at 11:38 AM on October 10, 2011
I didn't have a USPS box, but I kept a private box at the UPS Store/Mailboxes, etc. for a number of years. Since that's a physical address and just about everything can be delivered there, I used it for everything and when you pull my credit report, that's the one that shows up, not my physical addresses in those cities.
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 12:11 PM on October 10, 2011
posted by Ghostride The Whip at 12:11 PM on October 10, 2011
Best answer: If you got a box for privacy purposes, it's probably a mistake to ship things home. I use investigators in my line of work. All of them have access to one or more commercial databases for locating people. Nearly all of the information is sold to the database company by publishers and other businesses as a way of making their data pay off. All of these things help make you findable. All of my investigators have told me that the best way to stay out of the databases is to avoid subscribing to any magazines (under your own name, at least).
posted by Hylas at 12:53 PM on October 10, 2011
posted by Hylas at 12:53 PM on October 10, 2011
I have had a box for about two years now at the local UPS store three blocks from my apartment. Everything goes there. I don't want to ever change an address ever again and I like having packages watched while I'm not home. (I buy almost everything aside from groceries online.) My credit reports all show that address as my address.
posted by Brian Puccio at 7:20 PM on October 11, 2011
posted by Brian Puccio at 7:20 PM on October 11, 2011
If you're interested in protecting your privacy, I recommend reading How To Be Invisible by JJ Luna.
Some of the recommendations may seem a little out there, but he is very up front about different things you can do to achieve different levels of privacy.
Oh and I think rule #1 was NEVER associate your name with your residence.
posted by Fiat124 at 1:35 PM on December 3, 2011
Some of the recommendations may seem a little out there, but he is very up front about different things you can do to achieve different levels of privacy.
Oh and I think rule #1 was NEVER associate your name with your residence.
posted by Fiat124 at 1:35 PM on December 3, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Years ago when I was trying to avoid being found by my ex, I did the personal mailbox thing to have a steady mailing address while hopping from sublet to sublet. I was quite concerned about protecting my privacy and keeping my physical location un-findable. I did much the same as you, and did not have any problems keeping my physical location private. I was anxious about registering to vote, which required my physical address, but even that did not create any unwelcome leads to my whereabouts.
posted by ambrosia at 10:47 AM on October 10, 2011