The private investigators in Boise want to bring your attention to a relatively new postal service. It is called Informed Delivery and has been around in a limited manner in several states since 2014. It has since expanded and now contains over 6.3-million accounts.

How It Works

Eligible residents can sign up by creating a free account online at USPS.com. The requirements are basic and include your name, address and an email address. The final step in the process is to validate your account with the use of a series of four questions. The question process is known as “knowledge-based authentication” and once you are signed up, you can view scanned images of what is on the front of each incoming piece of mail to your address prior to it arriving there. For many on the system, this is a great way of knowing what mail is coming, especially if you are expecting something and have been tracking it.

Why You Should Avoid It

The use of knowledge-based authentication or KBA is the main problem according to the private investigators in Boise. They point to this method as being an unreliable way to authenticate someone’s identity simply because the answers are easy to farm from other online sources, including social media. In other words, KBA is a weak system. More secure methods exist using what is known as multi-channel authentication. In fact, multi-channel authentication is quickly becoming the norm used online because it poses less risk.

What Informed Delivery Can Do

On the positive side, USPS says Informed Delivery will reduce mail theft. However, the private investigators in Boise also point to the KBA system as being an aid to identity thieves. As to why USPS won’t upgrade the authentication process, with the technology already in existence to protect customers is unclear. They do say that each household resident should have their own personal account to prevent someone in the same home from accessing an existing account. That still does not address the potential risk coming from security breaches and identity thieves.

Stay Safe When Using Online Programs

Informed Delivery is a great program if it was to be used only in the way it was designed. But with a weak authentication system, it creates a potential mine of personal information that could easily be used in a much more negative way. The private investigators in Boise say you should steer clear of this program until USPS tightens up the security features. For more information on cyber security, contact the private investigators in Boise at Custer Agency.