Preventing Holiday Package Thieves

With holiday shopping—and shipping—comes the risk of package theft. Thieves — often called “Porch Pirates” — steal millions of packages from American doorsteps each year, totaling billions of dollars in merchandise. You can help protect your deliveries with a few simple steps.

Opt into delivery alerts, allowing you to track your package and know exactly when items arrive. If you won’t be home, ask a trusted person to pick it up, or instruct the delivery person to place it out of sight.

Consider requesting a signature upon delivery to ensure your package is handed to someone directly. You can also use alternative pickup options, such as ship-to-store or secure locations offered by major retailers and delivery services.

If you’re going out of town, ask USPS, FedEx, or UPS to hold your mail and packages until you return. USPS can hold mail for up to 30 days, and FedEx and UPS offer similar vacation hold options.

Stay informed and work with your neighbors. Agree to watch out for each other’s deliveries and offer to take in mail when needed. Community resources like Nextdoor.com, Crime Stoppers, and social media updates from local law enforcement can also alert you to porch piracy in your area.

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

With about 1 million members in Virginia, AARP is the largest organization working on behalf of people age 50-plus and their families in the Commonwealth. To learn more about how AARP Virginia is working in your community, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aarpvirginia and follow @AARPVa on X at www.X.com/aarpva.

 

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the more than 100 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/about-aarp/, www.aarp.org/español or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspañol and @AARPadvocates on social media.