Almost anyone could walk right up to most mailboxes in America and take the mail that's sitting inside. In Catherine Estergren's case, thieves walked off with a book of blank checks she had ordered from her bank.

Unfortunately, Catherine didn't realize the theft until she got a call from her bank telling her that her checking account was overdrawn. The thieves worked quickly by writing checks for more than $7,000 in five different states. After that, Catherine's mailbox became full of collection letters.

It has taken Estergren two years to get her finances back in order. Her credit was ruined from the incident, and the crisis may not be over yet. There are still blank checks out there that haven't been used. Even though the checking account is closed, collectors will still track her down using the information printed on those bad checks. 

Estergren hopes others will learn from her experience. As she says, don't "ever, ever, ever have your banks send you checks."

The basic problem: An identity thief stole sensitive information, including checks, from your mailbox.

How to avoid this problem: Never have your bank send blank checks to your home. Instead, go to the bank to pick them up. Include the minimum amount of personal information on your checks. Never have your driver's license number or Social Security number printed on them. Consider a locked mailbox, or don't leave your mail sitting unprotected for an extended period of time.

Additional resources for preventing mailbox identity theft:

Guide to "Change of Address" Identity Theft

USPS Customer Service

How to Report Check Fraud