https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/05/10/expecting-a-federal-stimulus-check-beat-the-crooks-to-your-mailbox/ > As federal stimulus checks and unemployment benefit debit cards arrive in residential mailboxes, U.S. postal authorities are urging customers to take steps to thwart potential thieves. > Thefts from mailboxes tend to increase during the Christmas season and the spring tax season, although authorities have noticed a decline in the theft of tax-refund checks in the past couple of years because more people are having their refunds directly deposited, said Ricky Vida, an inspector with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in San Diego.