Multiple U.S. Postal Service workers arrested in $1.3 million fraud and identity theft scheme

Three U.S. Postal Service employees are among four people arrested in connection with a more than 5-year-old $1.3 million fraud and identity theft scheme carried out in the New York metropolitan area. The postal employees and a civilian accomplice stole credit cards in the mail. According to the Department of Justice, "After obtaining the stolen credit cards, members of the conspiracy activated the cards using stolen personally identifiable information (“PII”) of the intended recipients." Stolen PII, such as address, birthdate and social security numbers are readily available on the Dark Web and can be easily obtained to piece together an identity. Once the cards were activated, the thieves used them at a variety of high end retail stores in New York and New Jersey.